Kindergarten Testing Explained
There was a time not that long ago that when a child turned a certain age, they simply went to kindergarten, whether they had any preschool behind them or not. There were no tests, and the only requirement was that the child was a certain age. That seems to have changed in many parts of the country, especially if you are interested in getting your child into an advanced program or a private school. You may now find that they need to take a kindergarten test.
A kindergarten test is meant to determine a student’s “readiness” to be in kindergarten and is not necessarily a measure of his or her intellectual capabilities. It is simply a gauge as to where children are in relation to what will be expected when they enter the classroom. No one wants to put young students through the stress of not being ready in school, so for many, taking a kindergarten test first is a very good thing and can help parents decide if their child is ready for elementary education.
The types of skills that are measured by these tests are not quite as cut and dry as you might think. This is not a test of whether your child can count to 100 or add numbers together. They are more related to social skills, communication skills, and motor skills. For instance:
- Can your child identify numbers and letters (in both capital and lower case)?
- Can your child give his full name when asked?
- Can your child identify various shapes (square, triangle, and circle)?
- Does your child have the ability to stay still and listen to a story for 10 minutes or more?
- Can your child speak in full, complete sentences?
Select A College That Will Help You Find A Job
If you are a high school senior or junior making decisions about the college you will attend and your goal is to graduate with a good job, you should think about a few issues that are seldom discussed. Since the cumulative effect of your choices can greatly impact the number of employers that will want to interview you in your senior year of college, wise students carefully think about each decision.
When evaluating colleges, most students and parents consider factors such as:
- Accreditation
- Admission Requirements
- Grant/Scholarship Money
- Tuition, Room & Board
- Size, Location and Environment
- Distance from Home
- Safety and Security
- Class Size
- Dorms
- Medical Facilities
- Campus Activities, Entertainment & Sports
- Gut Feelings
Although those college selection factors are important, there are other considerations that should also be evaluated. Here are a few things that may affect your chances for finding a good job when you graduate.
Reputation Of The College- Students should apply to the best colleges they can afford, colleges with a good reputation in their field of interest. A good college reputation will help when you begin to look for a job. Even if you are still uncertain about your major, keep in mind that nationally known and respected colleges tend to be more attractive to many employers. You will have to decide whether graduating from a college that is highly respected in your field, is worth the financial sacrifice.
Questions: Is there a two-year or lower cost four-year college that you can attend for the first two years and then transfer to a better college? Have you considered working full time and attending college at night or on weekends, as a way to afford a college with a good reputation in your area of interest?
7 Deadly Myths about Public School
Myth #1: “Public schools aren’t as good as private schools.”
First off, this is rather a meaningless assertion to begin with, since there’s no such thing as a “typical” public school. Because the American public school system is decentralized, quality varies tremendously. The fact is, however, that, depending on what indicator you choose to use, many public schools outperform private schools.
It is important to understand that knowledge has no address. Knowledge does not “reside” in one location or another. In fact, now that the internet has broken down nearly all the barriers that once limited information access, this reality is more true than ever. Your child can get a first class, quality education from your local public school.
Saying that private schools are “better” than public schools is a lot like saying that books you purchase from Barnes & Noble are “better” than those you obtain from your local public library. The knowledge, the access is the same. It’s what you (and your child) do with the books that matters. Likewise, it is what you and your child do with your public school that will determine his or her educational outcomes.
Frankly, we think that blaming your child’s public school if your child is not achieving academically is a lot like blaming your gym if you’re out of shape. It’s not the fault of the institution; it’s what you do there that makes the crucial difference.
Your child can absolutely still obtain an Ivy league-worthy education from the public school system. That’s assuming that he or she is willing to work hard in the top level classes, of course.
Myth #2: “Private schools have better teachers than public schools.”
Media Education: A Necessity
NECESSITY OF MEDIA EDUCATION
Introduction:
Ever since the media world has come into existence, new ways of its influences in its daily life has been seen. What was considered to be a boon has been realized to be a bane in many ways. The use of the media is often mired by controversy too. Here are a few quotes which makes us ponder about media’s role and its influences. These quotes were by famous people and perhaps signify how media has deviated from its intended path to another completely new one.
“Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have.”Richard Salent, former president, CBS News.
“We live in a dirty and dangerous world. There are some things the general public does not need to know and shouldn’t. I believe democracy flourishes when the government can take legitimate steps to keep its secrets, and when the press can decide whether to print what it knows.”Katherine Graham, Washington Post publisher and CFR member. Thus we see that a similarity trend arises. People seem to interpret the use of media in their own ways, ways which will be of benefit to them. People with the power in their hands feel as if they are the authority to decide what to show and what not. When the press has an agenda, it is bound to be not wholly fair and just, as it was originally intended to be. Somewhere, down the line, human emotions, human wants, human intentions, greed, selfishness has come around to prohibit the working of a free press. Just as a utilitarian economy is a dream, a free just press is also nothing short of that.