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International Education News

A New Charter School, A New Approach to Escaping Poverty

February 7, 2012

The Huffington Post – Richard Buery

“The vision of Children’s Aid College Prep is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to achieve the American dream. To help reach this aspiration and close the economic achievement gap, the new school will remove the barriers to learning frequently associated with poverty and deliver programs and services to children and families that are comprehensive and embedded within the school.”(more)

Obama Announces Education Initiatives at White House Science Fair

The New York Times – Jackie Calmes

“President Obama for a second time converted the White House public rooms into a science fair on Tuesday, and announced new federal and private-sector initiatives to encourage “a nation of tinkerers and dreamers” in so-called STEM education in science, technology, engineering and math.”(more)

Who Says American Parents Are Inferior?

The New York Times – Randye Hoder

“The clinical psychologist Diana Baumrind in the mid-1960s came up with what are still widely considered the three prototypical parenting styles. The “permissive parent” consults with children about family decisions and makes few demands of them. The “authoritarian parent,” by contrast, sets a strict standard of conduct, often theologically motivated. The “authoritative parent” provides the best balance, encouraging give and take with children but exerting firm control when it’s needed.”(more)

Obama Rekindles State Debates on Dropout Age

Education Week – Lesli A. Maxwell

“President Barack Obama’s call for every state to require school attendance until age 18 may spark a flurry of action in some statehouses, but changing attendance laws will do little by itself to drive down the nation’s dropout rates, experts on the issue say.”(more)

It Takes a Community to Educate a Child

The Huffington Post – Zachary K. Pearce

“We have seen in society today that the urgency to do something about the education system in the United States is perhaps at its climax. Politicians continually discuss the need to do something in the media and at debates. Yet why is it that nothing is getting done? The United States Secretary of Educate Arne Duncan summarized some of what needs to be done in a 2010 speech at the Mom’s Congress held at Georgetown University. Secretary Duncan noted that, perhaps more than anything else, we need to “re-engage” the family in education. I could not agree more.”(more)

Children’s reading: Are there any bookworms out there?

The Telegraph – Jojo Moyes

“You can’t insist that childhood tastes be set in aspic, and the idea that they should mimic some Académie Française of literature is dangerous. My mother encouraged me to read anything – my pocket money stretched to six comics – on the basis that all reading was valuable, and would act as a gateway to more challenging stuff later on.”(more)

Reading a book ‘adds a year to children’s education’

The Telegraph – Graeme Paton

“Nick Gibb, the School Minister, said that reading books for just half an hour a day could be worth up to 12 months’ extra schooling by the age of 15. “(more)

Quarter of children performing poorly due to problems at home, study finds

The Guardian – Jessica Shepherd

“More than a quarter of children in the UK are not reaching their potential at school because of poor living conditions and unwell parents, a study has found.”(more)

World’s youth fear a future without jobs

The Daily Telegraph – Staff Writer

“THE world’s young increasingly fear a future without jobs, according to a UN report released which highlighted how the 15-30 age group risks becoming the biggest victims of austerity programs.”(more)

Education failings will cost us dearly, says Nobel Prize winner for physics Brian Schmidt

The Australian – Joe Kelly and Milanda Rout

“AUSTRALIA’S Nobel Prize winner for physics Brian Schmidt has warned of an economic crisis triggered by a failure in the education system to produce more students competent in maths and science.”(more)