Simplifying The Process of Creating a School Budget Infographic
Hertz Furniture is proud to share the Simplifying The Process of Creating a School Budget Infographic with you. Although budget requirements vary by state to state and district to district, by breaking down school budgets into the main categories to be considered we can start to simplify and discuss how to successfully build a school budget.
Hardwood Stools Come to the Rescue!
The Ultimate in Flexible Furniture
So I’m just a grandma who retired in 2012 and downsized to a one-bedroom condo. But with eight grand-kids, I knew that I would often need extra seating available, but not big chairs that would take up a lot of space when not in use. As always, I began my search online and ended up at Hertz Furniture. What better idea than sturdy stools that are made to endure the abuse of school children day after day, year after year? I decided to order five of the hardwood stools.
Fast forward two years and we are once again preparing for another Thanksgiving dinner. Along with the regular dining chairs and a couple desk chairs, the five stools complete our seating requirements.
The Call on Cell Phone Policies in Schools – Part I
We’ve all done it or experienced it. You are sharing something deeply personal with a friend when their phone rings. “Oh, sorry. I’ll just be a minute.” they say, leaving you wondering just how deep this relationship really is. A couple is out for a romantic dinner ‘together’ and…both are on their cell phones. You’re at a funeral when…RING/BUZZ/DING goes off and, even worse, the person answers their phone and starts a conversation! And, let us not forget that driving has now become like an obstacle course with trying to avoid swerving cars as they text and drive or with pedestrians who never look up from their phones. The examples are endless.
Teaching Current Events in a Turbulent World
When I was a student, current events was a standard part of the yearly curriculum. Though I remember few creative uses for the day’s newspaper cutouts, it did force us to be somewhat more knowledgeable of local and world events.
Then, in the mid-1990’s, the President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal became front page news. Day after day, more and more explicit and sensational details emerged about what went on between them. Newspapers went from being a must in every household to a serious decency problem for people who had children in their homes. I know many people who felt that they could no longer have newspapers laying around for fear that their children would learn all too quickly the details of adulthood.
Create A Successful Learning Space!
Researchers have recently offered helpful insights on maximizing success in learning by creating an appropriate learning space. It’s not all about the teaching. There is plenty to be said about the best usage of classroom space.
Breaking Down School Budgets
Many administrators find the creation and maintaining of school budgets a great challenge. Similar to household finances, one must not only honestly evaluate needs but also have a clear idea of where money is being spent and how to cut back or even increase expenditures where necessary.
Although budget requirements vary from district to district and even state to state, there are some broad categories which should be taken into account when creating school budgets.
Here are some of the main areas to consider:
The School Budget Challenge
Most of us have experienced the cutting of school funds along with the demand for greater student success. How can we best meet these challenges? Firstly, it is crucial to know how much money is actually being spent. For the purposes of this blog, we will focus just on the classroom.
Do you know how much that AP math course costs? What about music lessons or remedial English? Must some classes remain small while others can be increased in size? How can one evaluate the value of their school dollars?
Drama Free Standardized Testing
With the drop in academic achievements and the increase in standardized testing, students sliding through their education hopefully have become a thing of the past. Part of the teacher’s (as well as parents) job is now to prepare their children not only in subject matter but also to emotionally withstand the pressures that can come with mandatory state testing.
There have recently been some interesting findings regarding test taking. The journal Science just published a study showing that tests are not just for assessment but also actually help people learn and retain information. In fact, 50% more information was recalled a week after a test was given on a read passage than with students who engaged in “concept mapping”(arranging information in a diagram).
Holiday Celebrations in Schools
When I went to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukah and Valentine’s Day were the predominant school holidays. Most teachers had their standard box-of-goodies to celebrate each of these special calendar days. Not much thought was put into “inclusion”, “diversity” or “offending someone”. Today, we need to be more conscience of how we approach holidays. Our student population, varying cultures, and sensitivities have changed dramatically. One size no longer fits all.
Diversity in the Classroom – Part 2
Last week’s blog discussed several aspects which make up diversity in the classroom. In addition, we noted various learning styles and how best to address the needs of all students. This week, we will explore how to create a more respectful and accepting environment which celebrates each person’s uniqueness in this world. The goal is to inspire children to be comfortable around diverse types of people which may otherwise seem foreign and even inferior and to also appreciate that they are part of a greater whole.
Diversity in the Classroom – Part I
Teachers are often the first to feel the impact of rising immigration rates within their classrooms. Hispanic and Asian students in American schools have increased by more than 5 million since the 1990’s! As practically every state is now touched by changing populations, it is particularly important for educators to be sensitive to various cultures as well as help students develop an appreciation for all human kind.
It should be noted that there has always been diversity in the classroom. Diversity does not only refer to culture. It can also include different learning styles, various types of disabilities and even sexual orientation. For example, students may have different reading levels, athletic abilities, cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, etc. However, in this technological age where we are experiencing an increase in public bullying, it has become an even greater objective to have students embrace differences.
Creativity in the Classroom: Bring the Arts Back!
Most teachers and parents instinctively know that children need various modes of expression to fully develop into thriving, well-rounded adults with good self-esteem and a positive outlook on life. So, why have the arts taken a back burner to reading and math in our schools? Where is the creativity in the classroom?
Off hand, testing pressures from core curriculum standards has wrongfully caused educators to think that the arts will diminish the success of our students. Budgetary constraints have also put many of our art, music, drama and dance programs into the “secondary needs” category or even further down the line.
Better Ways to Use Classroom Space
Most of us do not have control over which classroom we are assigned. However, we can all find ways to make the best use of the space we have. As discussed in my last few blogs, teacher centered learning is becoming less fashionable while student cooperative learning is thriving. Additionally, teachers need to take into account various student learning styles and comfort levels to maximize classroom success. Here are some helpful hints towards these goals.
Flexible seating arrangements using flexible furniture come in handy. Sitting students in a U for class discussions has been found to be more effective than in rows. This also leads to better all around eye contact and a feeling of equality between students.
Flipping-Out On the Flipped Classroom
With this technologically savvy generation wanting to capture everything on their iPhone (“Honey, I have a great clip of the baby coming out to post on youtube for all to see.”) to the desire for 15 minutes of fame (or more), one the latest teaching innovations to hit a local school near you is the flipped classroom.
A short description of a flipped classroom is as follows: Students watch an educational video for homework and then use their newly acquired knowledge to complete related activities and projects in the classroom. Teachers can either create and post their own videos or use a wealth of other teacher’s videos for their lessons.
With Technology in the Classroom, The Teacher is No Longer Center Stage – Part II
Last week we explored some of the positive aspects of technology in the classroom. When used correctly, technology encourages students to be active learners, inspire greater creativity and thinking-out-of-the-box, and can even motivate underachieving or less social students to shine. Let’s take a further look at some pros and cons of this latest addition to our schools.
With the new tools at hand, many programs can be personalized to enhance specific needs of students. Interactive games may be more engaging than book learning and therefore, students may feel more enthused to practice and review areas until they master the subject matter, such as in math, spelling and geography. In addition, adaptive software can be geared towards special needs children with specific goals in mind. Student assessment can be done online freeing the teacher to spend more time with each student.