By Carli Alexander


In our great grandparents' time, a high school education was considered sufficient, but those days are over. These days, a college degree is a goal that an increasing number of people are pursuing and it makes sense. The job market is more advanced and competitive than ever. An individual with a broad scope of job skills has the best chance of landing the most coveted positions.

Naturally, an education brings far more rewards than only financial success. A well-rounded education promotes thinking skills that improve our lives. Education makes us more aware so that we can better comprehend our world and value other cultures. It escalates our confidence to manage life's challenges. Also, it can be entertaining; learning more about what interests you can add joy to your life despite your age. Besides, education promotes healthy brain function.

The Key to Financial Success

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an individual with a bachelor's degree can expect to earn an average of $2.1 million throughout their working life, while people with only a high school diploma can anticipate earning $1.2 million throughout their working life. This important difference in earning potential is predicted to widen even more in coming years, as more jobs necessitate some college education, if not a degree. People with a master's degree can predict to earn $2.5 million throughout their lifetime, while those with a doctorate can foresee earning $3.4 million and those with a professional degree can anticipate earning $4.4 million.

College graduates are also less likely to be unemployed than those with less education. The need for college-educated employees is also anticipated to remain high. In 2006, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that between the years 2004 and 2014, 55 million jobs will be filled by entry-level workers. An estimated 13.9 million of these jobs will be filled by college-educated workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that positions for college-educated workers will increase at a faster pace than positions for non-college grads.

Preparation for Life

Extra earning potential is not the only aspect drawing both traditional and non-traditional (adult) students to college in large numbers. College degrees in any major progress to better discipline and increased goal setting skills, and college degrees that focus on a number of liberal arts courses enhance a student's personal development.

College-educated people are more likely to attain the dialectic level of reasoning. For example, they can evaluate two or more sides of an argument and devise a logical blend of these ideas. College grads have a more reasonable view of life and of social relationships than people who are unable to evaluate such scenarios. This can progress to a better ability to get along with peers.

Keep the Brain in Shape

There is also evidence that proves that education benefits the brain's physical health. Studies have revealed that highly educated people are less likely to develop various forms of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease. The foundation behind these claims is still unverified, but scientists do recognize that engaging frequently in mental activity, such as learning new tasks, can vastly improve aging adults' memories. For several older adults, returning to college for fun has brought joy to their golden years.

Despite your age, higher education is a great way to improve your quality of life. It is proven to increase your earning power, and it can also provide personal satisfaction and other healthy benefits.

By Marie S Garcia


Obama has made $10,000 scholarships, which is free money, available to moms and women who want to return to school. You need to apply fast because they won't last long. It is becoming harder and harder to land a good paying job. With the economy the way it is, many people are having to take low paying jobs because there are so many applications for the same job

However, usually those people don't have any qualifications do not get the jobs. A degree is different and you can pick a good career field. For example, an accountant will likely never make as much as a pharmacist, but you also have to do the kind of work you love.

The funds Obama made available can be used for almost any college education, whether you are continuing your studies, finishing a degree, changing careers or starting a new degree. If you are choosing a new career path, make sure you are not only going into a field you love, but check the demand for it. There is not much point in picking a career that is saturated and low paying.

If you only have a high school education, unless you have some very unique skills, you already know how hard it is to land a good paying job. They are few and far between. Having a degree really puts you at an advantage. It shows you were determined to finish school, and you have the drive and desire to get ahead in life.

You will start out higher than someone with only a high school education and even if you do not want to go out and get a job you do not have to. You can just finish your schooling and give yourself the satisfaction of having done so.

By Rob Washington


Recent studies of divorced children in Australia, Canada, and the United States have shown the devastating consequences of divorce and family chaos on children's education. Australian students appear to be more adversely impacted than those in the US and Canada. Divorce is also more disruptive than death of a parent. Multiple divorces worsen outcomes even further, dropping high school graduation rates to 40% or less.

Australian high school students suffered an average of a 12 month cut in their time in school due to a single divorce in the family. American and Canadian studies fared slightly better, with just under 11 months average reduction in high school attendance. By contrast, the death of a parent resulted in an average of 6 months less.

Although high school attendance and completion rates declined dramatically, university education was not affected much. This suggests that older children are less disrupted by family chaos and/or that children or more wealthy families that can afford university educations for their children might be less affected by divorce.

Adverse impact of divorce upon education has skyrocketed as divorce has been more common. Divorces in 1920 caused a 3.6 month loss of education, but since 1970 they have blown up to about a year in lost education. This time-frame roughly corresponds with the rise of "no fault divorce" in Western nations.

Multiple divorces had an even worse impact on high school graduation rates. While students who parents stay together average a 78.4% rate of graduation from high school by age 20, one divorce drops the graduation rate to 60%, about the same as for children whose mother or father died.

Divorce and remarriage did not significantly change the graduation rates for children versus divorce with no remarriage. But with divorce-remarriage-divorce (two divorces), the graduation rate drops further to only about 40%, half of that for children whose parents remained married.

As to causes for these consequences, again disruption to children's lives, the family chaos, and financial devastation that divorce wreaks on both parents are likely to contribute to worsening educational outcomes.

By Christopher Pyle


Here in the second part of this mini series we'll expound on necessary steps to ensure home school efforts are realizing the best results possible. To quickly recap, the first covered the need of socialization both in a grand scale, simply learning societal and situational rules and in a a more micro setting, socialization amongst peers. Finally the article addressed learning outside the home from experiences to be had in the world.

A parent/educator must know they are not the end all for their child's education. It's okay to recognize one's limits, in fact it's healthy and offers a great learning opportunity to a child: seeing a parent know their limitation and how they respond to it. For example, much is to be learned from team sports, not all are equipped to be a football coach, etc. In this case, the parent looks outside his/her self and enrolls the child into a sport league. Perhaps it's camping or tying knots or painting or building or working on cars, etc., there are many opportunities to expose a child to the world at hand, to provide learning opportunities by recognizing ones own limits and responding positively to the limits.

Too, a parent/educator may be fully able to teach something but may opt to enroll the child in a setting to do the teaching for the simple reason of change. Children will tune into a new voice differently than they do to a voice they hear every day. In other words, they get tired of the same voice. Being a parent/educator is doubly tiring because you are life's teach and now school teacher and this can stress the parent child relationship. Being cognizant of this natural stress can go a long way to mitigate tensions.

Once limitations are owned new doors can be opened to provide the home school child an unlimited education of life and learning.

Often home school kids aren't physical enough. In school there is physical education, recess and or team sports. All of these offer physicality an important element in learning. Studies have shown tying physicality to a lesson or during a lesson increases memory retention. Too, there is the physical awareness of ones own body: balance, coordination, spacial awareness, muscle tone, etc. This isn't to say all kids should be athletes but being physical, being in motion is positive for health and vitality, learning and recollection.

Many park and recreation departments across the US offer relatively affordable organized team sports. In cities, public pools will often have swimming programs. Gyms have ad-hoc league sports, choreographed exercise classes and often stretching and or yoga classes. Boys and girls clubs have group activities. There are non-lead activities as well: walking, biking, hiking, rope skipping, etc. Then there are travel too outings like adventure camps. Plenty of opportunities abound, create some time in the busy schedule and engage in something physical.

Spinning off of physicality is the need for self-awareness and self-discovery. There is a powerful self-empowering aspect to challenging oneself and achieving a goal. This empowerment can come from engaging a new situation and leaving the situation feeling good about one's self, how they handled the situation. Even more comes from taking on a challenge that has an initial response of, 'no way, I couldn't do that', and then doing it. Students, and adults for this matter, feel better about themselves when they accomplish something. This is why people swim the English Channel, run marathons, enter spelling bees etc. These experiences make us better people, make us stronger and give us a stronger sense of self and conviction to stand by our beliefs.

Often the greatest growth comes when students are engaged in a new environment without the parent/educator around, when everything is new, including the instructors. This newness removes old habits of quitting or turning for help prematurely. The student asks for help and the parent has anticipated this need and is there to help. In a new environment the student relies more on his or herself before turning for help. This allows a stretching of one's personal boundaries, creating a new territory of self definition, allowing for growth and greater self confidence, greater self awareness.

An excellent source of all of these aspects of learning: socialization, peer-socialization, experiential education, new voices of teaching, physicality and self-discovery, are outdoor adventure camps. We specifically suggest an outdoor camp because these are most often going to have a focus on physical/engaged learning with ropes or hikes, whitewater rafting, camping etc. These camps provide a whole host of learning experiences. If you choose a resident style the learning in magnified exponentially. The concentrated experiences lend themselves to tremendous growth and prove extremely healthy to the home schooler who not only finds new confidence but friends to keep in touch throughout the year.

By Shahnawaz Halimi


The Indian education system is facing serious challenges especially at the elementary education level. These include universal access to an infrastructure of comparable quality, improving retention, efficiency and effectiveness of the schools. While in the recent years, there has been a considerable emphasis on decentralised management and involvement of community in micro planning; the outcome is quite mixed one. This is partly due to the inadequate planning and lack of managerial and professional competencies at various levels. At the national level, broad perspective on various sub-sectors is developed.

The management, professional and financial support is provided to the state governments and the districts for implementation of various reform programs in the form of centrally sponsored schemes. Among other things, their successful implementation is contingent upon the availability of timely, comprehensive and up-to-date educational statistics on key performance indicators. Past few years have also witnessed a significant expansion of the alternative modes of education including the proliferation of unrecognised schools even at the primary stage. Between 1986 and 1993, the enrollment in private aided schools (primary classes) increased at a compound growth rate of 9.5% per Annam.

The corresponding increase in government/local body schools was merely 1.4% per annum. As a result, the share of enrollment of private unaided schools in primary classes increased from 5.1% in 1986 and 8.6% in 1993. The pyramid of coverage of private education is narrow at the bottom and wide at the apex. Due to the lack of serious policy imperatives, the elementary education system shows the signs of a dual system - one set of schools meant for the poor and those who are unable to pay for quality education, the other catering to the requirements for quality education involving high user costs.

The former is especially government supported and the latter is in the form of private initiatives. Despite the positive impact of private schools, the government policy for their regulation/control is not clearly spelt out. Historically, successive phases of regulation and deregulation of private sector were attempted with mixed outcomes. Recently conducted achievements studies reinforce the perpetuation of differential access to quality schooling and persistence of gender and social gaps in the levels of achievement. Another major problem facing the elementary education system is the quality teachers and quality education materials. There has been significant rise in teacher absentism, bad behaviours of teachers, lack of teaching skills of teachers, etc which further aggravate the problem of school drop-outs and low performance of school education.

Over the period private sector in collaboration of both public schools & private schools help to improve the quality of teachers by training them in new method of innovative education as well as provide school curriculum manuals for both students & teachers in order to improve the make learning a more enjoyable activity. In this endeavour educational institutions, like XSEED, played a major role to improve the quality of teachers as well as quality of education within the school.

With the boom of computer & miniature electronic devices, the aptitude for mental computational skills are in decline. I had a classmate from Japan, and he was so used to calculators that even for simple arithmetic he used to look of a calculator. This trend seems to catching the present Indian generation as well.

Recent studies show that the skills of pupils are getting worse and worse. In one of the study, tested 106 Final year students of primary school? in mental addition and subtraction (within the limits of 20), multiplication and division (within the limits of 100). Standard tables including 64 elementary operations on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division were used for determination of the level of the skills.

The results turned out worrying: 52% of the sample has failed in addition and subtraction; 75% of the sample has failed in multiplication and division. In comparison with the data which had been obtained five years ago there is considerable deterioration (25 - 30 %). The investigations show that all of these pupils have no chances to understand and master more complicated topics. If the trend will not change, very soon school math will turn into "knowledge for minions of fortune" and will become a sort of magic for other pupils.

This scenario has been aggravated by present education system as well as incompetent teachers. The learning activities put more emphasis towards better grades, and so students try to minimize their chances of error. At the same time teachers lack innovative ideas towards teaching subjects like mathematics, which are still taught in a very rudimentary ways.

Things have started improving as more and more educationists are realizing the importance of improvement of maths education in India. CBSE, which is the major board of secondary & higher secondary education in India, introduced various methods to improve school maths educations. The schools are also taking initiatives to improve maths education in India. Some schools are taking help from education consultants, like XSEED, to bring changes in their school education.

By Michelle Schmidt


Dr. Maria Montessori is a pioneer because she was the first person who understood the value of self determination and understanding of the environment in helping a child succeed later on and she did so when she was an assistant doctor at the Children's Psychological Ward at a hospital in Rome. She was the one who first pointed out that a child has a great desire to discover the world all around and is also extremely inquisitive. So to enhance the education of the child, this natural curiosity has to be properly channeled and all the questions needs to be answered, instead of ignoring them, which many tend to do. Some of the fundamental factors of Montessori school education are as follows.

* It is necessary to treat children as individuals and differently than adults. It should also be remembered that no two children can be the same.
* Children are unusually sensitive and are keen to learn from the environment and so should be encouraged to do so.
* Always try to nurture the child carefully in the first six years because this is when the unconscious learning progressively reaches the conscious level.

The child should realize his/her full potential and become successful in all spheres of life -this is the aim of Montessori school education. Specially trained teachers are very valuable here because they can help the children enjoy and also show them the way. And as a result, the child can go through the process of learning in a playful but correct manner where nothing is imposed on the child-student.

The Montessori Method allows the child to experience and comprehend what is all around him or her and thus learn better. This leads to an atmosphere of mutual trust and regard and the bond between the mentor and the child deepens, and the child feels self-confident too. The Montessori education method also involves the following objects and principles through which a child starts learning.

* Materials: There are many objects that often generate a lot of curiosity and attention among children, and the teacher presents them to a child and takes this opportunity to impart teaching as the child becomes engrossed.
* No gap in learning: Tasks are planned in such a way that each new learning step will follow whatever has been taught earlier and hence, there is no learning gap between the tasks or the steps. This is the best teaching method to remove any sense of uncertainty among the child.
* Positive attitude towards learning: As most learning activities relating to Montessori school education are individualized, the child automatically feels a strong attachment towards the process of learning. And it is this attachment that finally leads to regard, which is important for successful education.
* Power of concentration: Montessori education can also help the child understand about concentration.

By Tracey S Watson


Did your heart just start beating faster? Even the term "sex" or "family life education" brings panic, fear, and increases the heartbeat and sweat glands in most adults. However, once the panic subsides, the debate over whether to have sex education in American schools or not - is done. A new poll finds that over 90% of Americans say sex education should be taught in schools.

According to the poll, the surveyed parents supported teaching 7th and 8th graders basic information on how babies are made, and 56 percent supported teaching all aspects of sex education, including birth control and safer sex in 7th and 8th grade, with a much higher percentage agreeing it should be taught in High School.

On the other hand, exactly who IS getting taught about sex? Unfortunately, the nationwide trend is that fewer young people are learning how to reduce the risk of getting a disease and preventing pregnancy. "The majority of school systems now focus on delaying sexual education as long as possible," said Barbara Huberman, the director of education for Advocates for Youth, a pro-education group in Washington, D.C. "While you may get an overview of contraception in the seventh or eighth grade, there are many, many school systems that are afraid to talk about it at all."

I am a School Nurse at a Middle School in a suburb of a large city. They teach about "abstinence" in a brief session. Then, on a daily basis, I get to deal with the student's choices and mistakes. I hear stories that make me want to cry. I hear parents frequently say, "my daughter/son would never do that", or "I don't think (insert child's name here) would ever have sex". The all seem horrified at the thought. But, what I see and hear on consistently (and remember, this is middle school) tells a different story. Just so you don't think my school is unusual, I read articles and stories from nurses all over the country that say the same thing.

I have girls coming to me fearing pregnancy (and some really are pregnant). Some of these same girls have had multiple partners (yes, they are only 12-14 years old and yes, some are a mandatory CPS/Law Enforcement call). Amazingly, these same girls will say statements like, "I know that you can get pregnant through oral sex, but I try to be careful". They ARE too young to be having sex, but it is happening - and not infrequently. We may have grown up in a different time, and want to believe it can't happen in our own home, but let me give you some hard statistics:

The average girl today begins to develop some characteristics of puberty between ages 10 and 11, with many showing some changes at ages eight or nine.

One in 12 students experience their first sexual intercourse before age 13, and a quarter of all children (24 percent of girls and 27 percent of boys) have had sex by age 15, and many believe these estimates to be low. Remember, these numbers do not include the "everything but intercourse" in them. Each year, one in four sexually active teens contracts a sexually transmitted disease. Genital herpes (which cannot be cured) has increased by almost 30% in young people in the last 9 years. There are over 900,000 teen pregnancies per year. When it comes to HIV, the largest increase in cases is seen in teenagers. These statistics are frightening.

Ideally, parents should give strong teaching to their kids about honesty, integrity, self-value, and abstinence for the first 10 to 12 years of life. If they did a really good job of this, and taught their children to make good decisions, we wouldn't be having this epidemic and being forced to have as many conversations with 14, 15 and 16 years old about what to do about an unplanned pregnancy or a STD.

Which leads to why this should be taught in the school - parents would be the ideal choice to teach this to children. That would be assuming you have parents who are willing to do so. But, a majority of parents don't know how to talk to their kids about sex and sexually transmitted diseases. The other part of that equation is that many families today are very dysfunctional - some parents abuse alcohol, drugs, work too many hours, have high stress or anxiety, or have various other reasons for not having the ability to talk with their children. That leaves the "job" of teaching kids about sex and STD's to the educational system.

Although this is an uncomfortable subject, it IS an important one. I am a strong believer in abstinence. If it were up to me, everyone would abstain until marriage. However, I am a realist as well. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and hope teen sex goes away. Teens are "doing it", getting pregnant, and catching diseases. They need education and support and we need to guide them. It is our job as educators and adults to keep them safe. Please start early talking to your kids and have a good relationship with them about everything. They are the most important "assets" you have. Also, talk to your school Administrators about how you can support the family life education and be involved. Let's try to put a dent in this sad epidemic.

By Shannon Smith Harwell


America's economy is floundering. Unemployment rates are on the rise with some states at unprecedented levels. And it took well over a year for the Fed to admit we are in a recession. With costs-of-living far above any one person's average annual income, the experience-based, one-income household has become a thing of the past. Instead of ample job opportunities at fair wages, people from late teens to almost-retired are competing for the same jobs which can generally be classified into two categories: those requiring a degree and those that do not. The ones which don't require a degree also don't usually pay well enough to support one person, much less a family. And since most adults have some sort of household to support, this creates a problem for adults with no degree. But going back to school and getting a degree can be very overwhelming. Can I do it this time? Can I afford this? What about the kids? How will I work and still go to school? Will I fit in? These are some of many questions an anxious adult student faces when deciding to return to school to get that much-needed degree. If you are in this category, you need to know is that you don't have as much to fear as you may think. You see, as an adult student, you're on a whole different level than traditional students.

Today's jobs may entail the same responsibilities and rely upon the same levels of experience, but the good jobs usually require education and experience. Young people fresh from high school don't have this combination; and many much older people, while experienced, lack that important piece of paper. For the typical adult in the middle of these categories, golden opportunity exists, but often only for the ones with a degree.

If this is the issue you face, you must decide. Is going back to school to get that paper worth it? Of course it is. It's the only way to be competitive. But then anxiety sets in. Those nagging questions may plague you day and night. But what you don't realize is, you've got it made before you even step foot through the doors! To help put your mind at ease, here is a rundown of just why there's really no need to fear. After all, you really are on a whole different level in so many ways.

1. Can I do it this time? Sure, math seems like Greek these days, but most schools recognize this. When you decide to enroll in college, the school will likely ask you to take a few tests. This is actually a good thing. You won't get a failing grade on your record and they won't tell you you're not good enough. Fact is, the tests are a great tool. If you're strong in an area, it places you right up in the required courses for your degree. If you're weak in an area, it lets you take a little developmental coursework to refresh your memory, give you new knowledge, and work you quickly into the curriculum you'll need to undertake. Either way, you win. So no matter what you may think your abilities are, you can do it this time. Your school will make sure you get exactly what you need to navigate the courses at your speed. Even better, I don't know of any legitimate school that doesn't have free tutoring and counseling for students. Short of just ignoring the class altogether, there's no way you can fail.
2. Can I afford this? The better question is, can you afford not to do this? All accredited, worthy schools have financial aid departments just waiting to help you understand how to finance an education. Financial aid staff are very happy to see you at school because they know you're serious and are far less likely to do anything that would jeopardize whatever financial aid you get. It's actually a simple process. You complete one form that every student completes, the "FAFSA" (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You simply fill in your demographic and financial information and submit, wait a few weeks, and the school goes to work putting together a financial aid package that will work for you. You can even complete this self-explanatory, simple form online in less than an hour. Your award amounts are based on the anticipated cost of education (including books and transportation costs) compared to your family's previous year's income. Think you don't earn enough to go to school? The FAFSA will reflect that and the financial aid department can put together a package that is very fair, often covering everything needed by way of grants, loans, and scholarships. And if you made one amount last year, but don't expect to make the same this year because you may decide to stop working or decrease your hours, you simply talk to a financial aid counselor, fill out a piece of paper that says just that, and they adjust your award package. Schools are so happy to have you there that they bend over backwards to get you whatever financial aid you may need, so no unexpected or added expenses to strain your household budget. Better yet, many schools have special scholarship funds available, and while they won't tell you this, you are often first in line to be considered for these because you need it more, you meet certain criteria, or they just want to invest in adult students who won't let them down. Simply ask or apply for it, because there is always some grant or scholarship money your school is willing and happy to give you. Just be sure to respect deadlines and show initiative. It really is that simple. Bottom line? You can afford this, no matter what your income bracket.
3. What about the kids? Every problem has a solution, and this is no exception. If your kids are still young and you care for them at home, you can either go at night or get part-time child care. After all, for a typical course load of 15 semester hours, you're only physically in class an average of 3 hours a day. You don't even have to schedule it so you're there every day. You could go only 2 or 3 days a week and still be a full-time student; or, you could choose to pace yourself and be a part-time student going only once or twice a week. There are also distance learning, online, and "course in a bag" classes to eliminate this problem. All you need is access to a computer and the internet or a television with a DVD player. Simply get the materials, review at home, and do the assignments. Your professor or tutoring center is only a phone call or visit away if you need help. If your kids aren't still young and at home, you can work your schedule around theirs. No matter how you look at it, your kids aren't an impediment to your ability to go. You can work around that the same way you would as if you were going to a job. As an added bonus, you're setting a great example for kids watching mom or dad get a proper education!
4. How will I work and still go to school? Schools offer day or night classes which you can work around your job schedule. There's also the convenience of those online and "course-in-a-bag" classes you can do during your off hours. Or, you could consider cutting your hours back and going to school during the hours when you would have been at work anyway. No matter how you look at it, you can keep your job-if you wish-and still get an education because of the flexibility schools offer adult students today. Better yet, many employers value education so much, they will let you work around your school schedule and even offer incentives like helping pay for your classes or giving you a promotion upon completion.
5. Here's the best part: Professors and traditional students love adult students. While they don't necessarily view you as peers, they do view you as serious adults. Sometimes when you need special consideration, professors will give it to you because of your circumstances, even when they wouldn't give it to others. They want you to succeed. They respect you for taking this leap. And they value the perspective and input you bring to the learning environment. They're happier to see you there than anyone because it makes them feel that there really is somebody in class for whom they are making a difference-and that's the reason they're teachers anyway. And those young students? They're no match for you. You're on a whole different level. There's no need to feel inferior or self-conscious because in reality, those kids look up to you. They respect what you're doing. They want to be like you. If you look closely, you'll even notice them following your lead or asking your advice.

So if you're thinking about going back to school, "just do it!" There's no argument against it that can't be solved and every argument for it that makes it the best move you will ever make. You'll be more competitive, feel better about yourself, and win the respect of everyone around you. After all, you truly are on a whole different level.

By Florence Bernard


Over ten years ago, I worked in a private school in Nairobi, Kenya. People who haven't had a chance to travel often have a skewed vision of Africa. I had certain expectations when I got there but I soon realized that I had been misled by things I had seen on TV about all the different aspects of that amazing continent. In any case, the one thing I can say about my experience there, it that I met the most interesting, most motivated and mature students of my entire carrier. These children, from a very young age, were simply grateful for their education.

A few years ago, I met another teacher who had taught on the other side of Africa, in Ghana, but not in a private school like me, but in a little village school lost in the bush somewhere. One might find this strange but she, also, met the most interesting, most motivated and mature children there.

These children, both the ones I met in Kenya and the ones she met in Ghana could hardly have been any more different. Most of my students' future was pretty much traced already, with their parents' business to take over, no doubt of a college education and a promised life of comfort. My friend's Ghanaian students had none of that but loved school and would have done anything to be there.

In a conversation with a very good Ghanaian friend of mine more recently, we both agreed that in both cases, and in Africa in general, people see education as a privilege, so they make the most of it. She, too, grew up in Africa and came from a better off family than the average African, but she never took education for granted. Over there, and in many other countries in the world, it is never a guarantee, when a child is born, that he/she will be going to school. So when you do, you appreciate it.

It is true that the image that we tend to have of Africa is the less developed side of the continent. We see the way people live in the mud huts and overcrowded vehicles and wild animals surrounding villages in the middle of nowhere. We see also kids living in the streets of big cities having to resort to anything they can to survive. These kids would give anything to go to school. But what are the chances?

I read an article a couple of days ago about two afghan sisters who were walking to school one day and got attacked by men who threw acid at them. They were teenagers, going to school. The men didn't want women to have an education. These girls are more determined than ever to go to school.

Not so long ago in the United States of America, some people were not given the same access to the same education because of the color of their skin. Up until fairly recently, women also didn't receive the same level of education in many countries.

There are still many nations with totalitarian regimes who do not allow certain books, information and facts to be taught because of their political, religious or social beliefs.

In this country, some parents have to force their kids to go to school. Kids run away, pretend to go to school when they get dropped off and disappear for the day. You hear teenagers tell you that school is boring. A good friend of mine often used to say: "Only boring people get bored"...

In this country, education is served to you on a plate. Of course, there is always room for constructive criticism and improvement. You can always say that it is not as good as it should/could be. But it's there! Kids don't have to get up in the middle of the night and walk two hours there and back to go to school. Access is given to all sorts of books, movies, scriptures and debates. Philosophers are studied, even if sometimes they question and disturb. Knowledge is passed on, on a daily basis, it is there for you to receive if you want it.

The United States remains a symbol of Freedom. Many countries in the Western World can pride themselves with Freedom. You hear people in the US claiming their right to Freedom. "This is a free country! I can do this!" Freedom is a privilege, everybody knows that and everybody likes to remind others of it and proudly claims the fact that they belong to a country where Freedom is the basis of life.

Education is the same. It is just as much of a privilege as Freedom. In fact, it is part of it. And yet so many people, especially the ones receiving it, don't seem to see the value of it. Nobody questions the fact that Freedom is there and is a given. It SHOULD be there. And yet, education is the same. It is there for everybody. The fact that it is given to you doesn't make it any less valuable. Freedom is given to you too. It came at a price though. So did education. It wasn't always like that.

Education IS a privilege. Just as Freedom is. Education is what keeps people free. Education is what allows people to think and question and criticize and improve the world. You might think that changes are needed in education now, and I agree with you. There is always room for improvement, so there will always be a need to look at ways to do things better. There are different ways to be educated and sometimes, what you need doesn't come from High School the way it is now. But whatever form of education you get is useful, if you are prepared to receive it.

Don't take it any more for granted than you would take Freedom for granted. Make sure your kids know that and realize how grateful they can be to be going to school every day. They get the chance to develop a thinking mind. If you think school is not good enough, then propose your solutions, but don't undermine it. Receive it as the gift and privilege it actually is.

By Maya Frost


I'm not a reformer. It's not that things don't need to change-it's that they need to change in such massive ways that "reform" doesn't even begin to touch it. I'm not a policy wonk or researcher either, but I do admire those who focus on the stats and the details of what is working (and what isn't) and who write about what might be done to improve schools based on the evidence. I appreciate that we need to know some facts in order to make informed decisions.

So, I guess I'm approaching the education issue from a more practical and intuitive position. For years, I've been teaching people how to pay attention, and I follow my own advice about cultivating awareness and watching what's going on in the world around me.

Simply paying attention is what led my husband and me to sell everything a few years ago (at the top of the market), yank our kids out of their suburban US high school and give them a truly global education. (And trust me, we are not the slightest bit rabid about politics, economics or education-we just saw that there were some changes coming and we wanted to give our kids and ourselves an advantage.)

My four kids who have attended a total of ten public schools in the US, not to mention numerous colleges-both state and private, American and international. I've lived in several states and countries and witnessed other approaches to education, and while writing my book, I interviewed a lot of experts about their ideas for implementing change. And as the CEO of Education Design Partners and founder of the Education Design Institute, I'm committed to helping people think about education in new and innovative ways and I recognize our need to focus on a micro one-student-at-a-time model rather than propose sweeping changes that have no chance of being implemented anytime soon.

Still, sweeping changes are fun to think about. Now, I know that for each suggestion I offer, there are probably ten reasons why it can't be done. We all have knee-jerk reactions to new ideas, so I invite you to pay attention to your own response and see if you might be missing a little nugget of hope buried in each suggestion. None of these ideas are mentioned in my book, by the way, and I wouldn't even say they are my most key ideas. But they happen to be the ones I'm thinking about this week as we look ahead to a new year and a new administration.

If you're really hungry for change, here are a few things to chew on....

1) Make kindergarten, first and second grades completely devoted to arts education.

This doesn't mean finger-painting all day-it means following an established and effective curriculum for arts education that incorporates all aspects of art in the teaching of traditional subjects. From five to seven years of age, kids are sponges just waiting to soak up ideas, and this is a perfect time to immerse them in a stimulating creative environment that encourages innovation and celebrates the natural artist within each of us. That may sound woo-woo, but it's not-arts education is a perfect foundation for higher level thinking, and rather than parcel it out an hour here and an hour there throughout elementary school, we need to give kids a chance to dive in when they are ripe to reap the benefits. Test (and present a portfolio) at the end of the second grade.

Note: the details matter. Have them wear artist smocks over their regular clothes. Creating the mindset of being an artist and approaching all subjects through the lens of art and creativity will provide a powerful mechanism for problem solving later in life.

2) Make third, fourth and fifth grades completely devoted to technology.

Again, this doesn't mean they are typing on a computer keyboard all day and mastering programming. It means that all subjects taught-math, language arts, science, social studies-incorporate technology, including laptops, Ipods, cell phones, digital cameras and more. Get them so comfortable with integrating tech tools into their studies that they see absolutely no barriers to the ways in which they can absorb, create and distribute their work. Teach them how to mix sedentary time with activity-these are the years to build good habits about health and exercise so they don't end up glued to a screen and neglecting their bodies. Test (and present a portfolio of multi-media work) at the end of the fifth grade.

NOTE: Have them wear uniforms that are essentially nice sweats. This helps them remember the need for movement and allows them to see themselves as individuals who can be active despite spending a lot of time using tech tools.

3) Where feasible, offer two-way language immersion programs in elementary schools.

We've got an increasing number of students who don't speak English as a native language, and we're packing them into ESL classes. Meanwhile, we recognize the need for more kids to learn a foreign language. Why are we separating the two? There are excellent models for two-way immersion-classrooms that include both a regular teacher and an ESL teacher and a mix of kids. When done right, two-way immersion gives ALL kids a chance to improve their language skills and results in both fluency and a deeper respect for different cultures and languages. Obviously, this would work best in districts/classrooms in which one foreign language is dominant-Spanish, for example. Why are we not giving our kids a chance to teach each other? The early years of elementary are the perfect time to start.

4) Make sixth, seventh and eighth grades completely devoted to science and math.

Other subjects will be incorporated, but the main focus should be on developing competency and fluidity in manipulating the most basic elements of math, biology, chemistry and physics. Since the kids have already learned how to ask questions from an artistic perspective and are very familiar with incorporating technology tools in their learning process, they're primed to leap into math and science and really develop a solid grasp of these subjects and how they enhance understanding in other areas. Test (and present research) at the end of the eighth grade.

NOTE: Make them wear white lab coats. (Yes, teachers, too.) This is done in numerous countries and it sets the tone and creates the mindset that science is studied, research is conducted, numbers are understood-and that every student has the ability to view the world through the lens of logic and data. Oh, and since these lab coats must be closed (buttoned or zipped) and go to the knees, those bare midriff/inappropriate t-shirt/designer logo issues disappear completely just when they're starting to cause problems. Whew!

5) Make ninth and tenth grades completely devoted to literature/writing and social sciences.

Students at this age should focus on the fundamentals of reading, critical thinking, and developing an understanding of the social, political and economic forces at work in the world. This should be a hard-core period of high expectations (not necessarily rigorous testing!) for each student and an emphasis on maximizing each student's ability to write clearly and express ideas. Their previous focus on science will serve them well as they will be familiar with presenting a hypothesis, testing a theory and sharing conclusions. Test (and present an in-depth report) at the end of the tenth grade.

NOTE: Make them wear school uniforms-typical preppy stuff. This is their time to see how they do in a very academic setting emphasizing liberal arts. Whether they are college-bound or not, it's very important that they see themselves as students who can understand the world and speak and write about it coherently.

6) Make 11th grade completely devoted to teaching students how to learn outside the classroom.

Get them OUT. Send them abroad (much more in my book about why this is the very best time to do this) on an exchange. Get them working or volunteering. Connect them with mentors in the community. Give them unpaid internships. Make them take several writing classes online (in which they are analyzing what they are experiencing and learning) and come to the high school two days a week (if they're in the area) for class discussions and group work. The goal here is to challenge them in ways that ensure they will develop confidence in their ability to learn wherever they are and the responsibility to balance freedom with high expectations. This is outstanding training for the global workplace.

7) Make them take community college classes during what would be their senior year of high school.

High school is too long. Students are being kept in a juvenile setting that stunts their growth and limits their thinking. At 17, they need to be learning in a more adult environment (that is, a mix of students their age plus adults) and they should be focusing on an area that interests them based on their experiences the previous year. By 18, they should have at least a year's worth of college credits (two if they've been motivated to take additional classes on their own) and can transfer to a four-year university as a sophomore or junior or continue a little longer to earn an associate's degree or study in their area of interest.

One of the biggest reasons we have such a low college graduation rate is that it takes too long. Universities encourage the four-or-five-year plan when it would be better for most students to finish in three years. Students who are encouraged to dive into higher ed at a younger age (from 16) can see the end in sight and are more likely to complete a degree than those who spend their junior and senior years of high school prepping for college and still have four more years to go. This leads to the next idea....

8) Eliminate the long summer vacation at all levels.

Seriously, it's time to get rid of this archaic idea of taking ten or twelve weeks off in the summer. It breaks up learning, eliminates gains, and results in an extended education period that is clearly defeating students from elementary school through college. If we no longer have summer breaks and shift to a set of three or four two-week vacations per year, and if we focus on presenting clear learning blocks (arts, technology, science, language arts/social sciences, experiential learning/mentoring), we can get kids immersed, keep them engaged and allow them to finish up by the age of 16. After that, they move into higher level learning in their areas of interest and get a head start on courses that allow them to develop the skills they need.

9) Eliminate high school sports and activities.

Hoo-boy, I can hear the crowd already! But we've got to get rid of this outdated model and stop viewing high school as a Disney musical or teen movie. Get them learning like crazy in ninth and tenth grades and excited to blast out into the world! Which leads to....

10) Turn high schools into community centers.

We'll have the space if the juniors and seniors are spending more time on experiential learning, internships, online courses and college-level classes. Use the fields for mixed-age intramural-type sports and other activities. Use the classrooms for adult education (community college partnerships could work beautifully here) in academic and vocational courses as well as recreational non-credit classes.

With more boomers and retirees shifting to second (or third or fourth) careers in social entrepreneurship, these new community centers could become laboratories for creative collaboration as well as providing students with great opportunities for internships in a range of organizations. Bring them all together in the school and give kids an opportunity to find mentors at an age when they need to forge relationships with adults who can inspire them. Keeping sixteen-year-olds surrounded by sixteen-year-olds in a juvenile setting is a recipe for arrested development, and it's being played out in the form of 25-year-olds who just can't quite get it together. They need opportunities to spend time with adults and get a sense of their possibilities early on, and our efforts to shove them into the college-prep system is resulting in boredom and burn out just when they should be on fire about their future!

Okay, so that's my list - for today, anyway. I offer it humbly and hope it stirs up some new ideas along with the criticism. ;-)

I know it would require a radical transformation-but isn't that what we need? More blah-blah or tiny tweaks of existing (and ineffective) programs won't help our students prepare for their most fulfilling opportunities in the global economy. Parents of kids in high school simply cannot afford to wait for fixes-they need to take charge and make sure their kids get the education they need using the best tools available.

By Jason Welsh and Linda Baran


You know how the job market is today, just simply brutal. If you don't have a 5+ college degree, you're not going to get anything descent, that's just how it is. I had such a problem for a couple years, trying to find a job with descent working conditions and descent pay without any advanced schooling (in my case I didn't even have a high school diploma.) I'll assure you though, they do exist, but not in the job market. You need to do something a little more creative, and although initially your reaction will be 'another internet scam', don't back out of this page yet and hear me out.

I'm talking about what I do for a living, and it's called ezine publishing. It's nothing fancy, the idea is very simple, and almost anyone who enjoys writing can do it. You don't need any advanced internet knowledge or anything of the sort, it's simply about writing EzineArticles. You get paid to write articles about topics that you enjoy. That could be ANYTHING, from fishing to electronics to your coin collection or your car. Here's a few of the most commonly asked questions about this Job:

Why am I getting paid to write about my hobbies/interests?

Well, because simply traffic = money. The more views you get, the more potential you have to earn money. Basically in these articles you discuss a hobby, say fishing. At the end of the article, you just leave a brief 2 sentences explaining what your favorite fishing pole is, and where you can buy it. The link you give them is an affiliate link, if someone makes a purchase through that link, you get a commission!

Do I need any advanced HTML, coding, programming, or technical skills?

Nope! It's all based off EzineArticles, no technical skills required. Since you found this page you have enough knowledge to make an ezine article.

Is this going to cost me anything?

The actual act of writing ezinearticles is entirely free, but the only thing that will cost you a dime is the knowledge. To learn the methods described here to become an ezine publisher you're going to need proper training, which is going to cost you.

You may still be skeptical, but that's ok, just do some research! I'm positive if you look more into this, you'll realize it's a widely used completely legitimate job. In fact, it's the top 5 most used job that doesn't require a high school education.