Sunday, September 19, 2010

Teenagers, on average, are sleep deprieved

An recent article sheds light on the importance of sleep- especially for teenagers.
"...90 percent of teenagers are averaging three hours less sleep than they require..."
Read the whole story here...

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Cool, Powerful Grad Gift

It may FEEL a bit early to be thinking about gifts for our Class of 2011 grads, but advice from fellow Warrior Parents who have been through it suggests otherwise. So, following that advice: here is a graduation gift especially useful for our grads who are continuing on with their education.  It's the Pulse Smart Pen.
OK, I know this may sound like an ad for an overpriced pen, but having used this pen myself, I can tell you that knowing that the pen is recording the details can really help one focus on listening to the speaker, and less on taking notes...during a conference or lecture where a lot of information is being conveyed.
For most of our students, college-level lectures will be a new experience and predictably, will contain amounts of information that some may hay have initial trouble absorbing.. This pen can help fill any gap.
Check it out.

-Principal's Forum

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Love Sushi? Then Love THIS!

Sustainable sushi. Choices we all need to understand when we have sushi. If you love your island and love the ocean...read this to increase your awareness of how to play a part in protecting Marine Life and help Save Our Seas.
Consumers Sushi Guide from The Monterrey Bay Aquarium.
It's pono.

STEM Education gets Support from Big Biz

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
Alcoa and Bayer sign on to support STEM education.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Forget What You Know About Good Study habits

Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: September 6, 2010
New York Times Online
"Every September, millions of parents try a kind of psychological witchcraft, to transform their summer-glazed campers into fall students, their video-bugs into bookworms. Advice is cheap and all too familiar: Clear a quiet work space. Stick to a homework schedule. Set goals. Set boundaries. Do not bribe (except in emergencies).
And check out the classroom. Does Junior’s learning style match the new teacher’s approach? Or the school’s philosophy? Maybe the child isn’t “a good fit” for the school.

Such theories have developed in part because of sketchy education research that doesn’t offer clear guidance. Student traits and teaching styles surely interact; so do personalities and at-home rules. The trouble is, no one can predict how.

Yet there are effective approaches to learning, at least for those who are motivated. In recent years, cognitive scientists have shown that a few simple techniques can reliably improve what matters most: how much a student learns from studying.

The findings can help anyone, from a fourth grader doing long division to a retiree taking on a new language. But they directly contradict much of the common wisdom about good study habits, and they have not caught on. "
Read the whole story here...

Forwarded by Kimberlee Stuart, Kapaa High School  Faculty, Science Department

D. Brown: Yes We Need Great Teachers, but...

Food for thought:

Dan Brown, Huffington Post
"I attended two early screenings this summer of Davis Guggenheim's big-ticket education documentary, Waiting for Superman, and it touches the education reform zeitgeist. When the film unspools across America over the next weeks, I predict a massive chorus of voices echoing his entreaties for more great teachers, less union influence, and school choice.
The movie masterfully pushes the audience's emotional buttons by following five vulnerable children and their vulnerable parents who are hoping and praying for admission by lottery to privately-run, publicly-funded charter schools. The families' limited options are undeniably unjust. The post-screening Q&A sessions I attended featured Michelle Rhee, Randi Weingarten, and Geoffrey Canada, and all of them opened their comments by saying they cried through the film's final scenes.
In the closing credits, the movie plays hopeful music, and floating text assembles itself on the screen to read: "Great schools come from... you" and repeatedly encourages viewers to sign up for a text message feed.
The overarching message to movie-watchers is: CARE!!! CARE ABOUT SCHOOLS!!!"

Read the whle story here...

5 Kids' Meals to Avoid at All Cost

If these 5 "Kid's Meals" which are geared for younger children  are to be avoided for health reasons, this information in this article stands as "word to the wise" for our young mend and women of high school age- not mention to parents/guardians.
Health. You can't buy it.
Read the whole story here...

Friday, September 3, 2010

Business Model for School Reform

Educators Push Back Against Obama’s "Business Model" for School Reforms
Democracy Now, National Public Radio
It’s back-to-school season. As millions of children around the country begin a new school year, the Obama administration is aggressively moving forward on a number of education initiatives, from expanding charter schools to implementing new national academic standards. We talk to Karen Lewis, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union, and Lois Weiner, a professor of education at New Jersey City University. [includes rush transcript]

CPR for Preventing Sucide

THE CPR FOR PREVENTING SUICIDE
Lisa Firestone, Huffinton Post, September 2, 2010 04:40 PM - Huffington Post
Lisa Firestone- Psychology Expert on Relationships, Parenting, Self-Destructive Thoughts and Suicide; Author, "Conquer Your Critical Voice".,

Keeping the subject of suicide in the dark can lead to lives lost that could have been saved, and to survivors ignored and left to deal with their complex emotions in isolation. So what actions can each of us take to help save a life? This month on PsychologyToday.com, I have outlined a list of directives for preventing suicide that include:
You can learn more about each of these preventative measures by watching "Understanding and Preventing Suicide" this September 9 at 11 a.m. PDT. I will be hosting this free one-hour webinar designed to help the public and professionals learn the warning signs of suicide as well as the helper tasks that can save a life. You can also read "Let's Put a Stop to Suicide" on PsychologyToday.com. 
For a comprehensive guide to preventing suicide visit 
PsychAlive's Suicide Prevention Advice page
Remember, if you or someone you know is in crisis or in need of immediate help call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a free hotline available 24 hours a day to anyone in emotional distress or suicidal crisis or who is worried about someone they love.