Did you know that Interactive Achievement offers two different Professional Development sessions? Did you know that they can be customized to any level of educator?

If you are interested in having Interactive Achievement conduct professional development for your division or school, give us a call! 1.866.305.8460

OR

Call or email your IA District Representative for descriptions and costs!

Leave questions or comments on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com

Higher Education: Is it Worth the Cost?

Jackie sounds off

In a March blog, I stated-

“There are huge debates around the country about the sky-rocketing costs of higher education. According to the Huffington Post, students that graduated in 2010 have average student loans of $25,250. Starting adulthood with this kind of debt has young people questioning the true value of continued education.”

Here are more startling facts via the Huffington Post:
• Tuition and fees at private, four-year schools increased 28% in the last five years
• Tuition and fees at state schools increased 41% in the last five years

Costs are going up but surely, that means that jobs are easier to find and everyone can pay off their debts as scheduled? Hardly. A study done by Rutgers University claims that of “all who have graduated from college since 2006, only 51% have a full-time job.”

It was the next headline that pulled all of these issues together for me, “United States Ranked To Have Best Higher Education System In The World.” The research by Universitas 21 claims that the U.S. has the best higher education system in the world.

“Universitas 21 said their researchers looked at the most recent data from 48 countries across 20 different measures, including investment by governments and private sector, research and the production of an educated workforce, international networks and diversity.”

I will never say that higher education is not worth it. I have gone into debt myself to continue my education, but I think we have reached a point where a change must be made. A college education used to mean a person was more qualified for a job, was more mobile in the workforce, and typically earned higher salaries in their lifetimes. The aforementioned goals were worth the hard work, the sacrifice, and the debt. Today, it seems as though that piece of paper offers up less pride and more debt. I’d like to see that change. I’d like to see the title of “Best Higher Education System in the World” mean something.

Tell me what you think by leaving a comment or send an email to beSocial@interactiveachievement.com!

Who is Donald Jackson?

“I am from Elkhart, IN and while I do miss home from time to time, I absolutely love it here in VA. I have a 4 year old little girl named Lanaya and most of my daily life outside of IA is spent trying to unwrap myself from her finger. She is a sweet girl, and I’m very blessed to have her in my life. I like the outdoors, sports, rock climbing, hiking, and technology. I very much enjoy rugby and CrossFit. They are by far my two favorite physical activities and have taught me a lot about myself.”

What is your part in the IA Family?

“I am a District Representative. My daily activities include anything from traveling to school divisions and training educators on how to use our software, to daily e-mail correspondence with users and administrators.”

What are your goals?

“My CrossFit goals for this year are to Back Squat 500#, Deadlift 550#, and be able to complete Fran under 3 minutes and Grace under 2.”

What has been your greatest accomplishment so far in life?

“My greatest accomplishment thus far is definitely a cliché, but it is without a doubt my daughter.”

If there is one thing you could do (no restrictions) what would it be?

“This is easy. Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s #1 on my bucket list.”

Favorites:

Food that I like to eat- Pizza
Food that I like that is actually good for me- Lean steak
Event- the Olympics
TV- Castle and Modern Family
Activity- Rugby
Song- Halfcrazy-Musiq and April Showers-Dru Hill
Color- Blue


Thanks for letting us get to know you Donald! Leave a comment on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com!


With state exams coming up, we thought it was only fitting to share some best practices for the big days!


Teachers, 2-3 weeks ahead:
1- Have students answer questions without their text book or study notes in front of them. It is essential to practice your exam questions under the same conditions you will face in the exam!
2- Remind students to look for key words that will help them answer questions: state, explain, define, compare, etc.
3- Mnemonics can be a great tool for maps skills! When teaching Europe and the location of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, use the mnemonic “No Smelly Feet”
4- Flash cards will help with vocabulary and are easy to transport!
5- Use graphic organizers to help students gather and sort information

Teachers, 3-4 days ahead:
1- Continue using flash cards & reviewing mnemonics
2- Play review games (Jeopardy, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire)

Students, Day before exam:
1- Don’t look at any practice material; give your brain a break!
2- Get at least 8 hours of sleep

Students, Day of exam:
1- Eat breakfast
2- Take your time
3- Skip the questions you aren’t sure of and go back to them at the end


What are some of your best practices?

Leave questions or comments on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com


If there is one thing that can be said about the employees at Interactive Achievement it’s that we are an active bunch! A local company has also challenged us to a “Get Healthy” competition. I’m not sure they know who they are up against!


Over the last few weeks, members of the IA team have participated in races around town. 10 people from the office ran and walked the Blue Ridge Marathon (named one of the hardest in the country) and 2 of our Content ladies ran in the Susan G. Komen, Race for the Cure! Way to go everyone!

2012 Blue Ridge Marathon Start Line

Jennifer M. and Crystal are all smiles during the Blue Ridge Marathon!

Susan G. Komen Race Start Line

Jennifer D. and Heather gear up to Race for the Cure


Leave questions or comments on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com

Who is Terrianne Julian?
“I am a wife to the most amazing man in the world, Donny, who is famous around IA for smoking a mean pork butt and grilling massive amounts of bacon! I am also mom to the best two kids in the world. Morgan is a junior at Hidden Valley High School, and Dustin, a 3rd (sophomore) at the Virginia Military Institute. My family is my life, and I enjoy every minute I am able to spend with them.”

What is your part in the IA Family?
I am a Customer Support Representative.

What are your goals?
My one personal goal is to promote and ensure the happiness of my family.

What has been your greatest accomplishment so far in life?
I am proud to have happy, content, and successful children.

If there is one thing you could do (no restrictions) what would it be?
I have honestly thought about this for 4 months now and cannot come up with an answer.

Favorites
Food – Mexican
TV show – The Big Bang Theory
Activity – Canoeing and Gardening
Favorite Drink – Sweet Tea

Thanks for letting us get to know you Terrianne! Leave a comment on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com!


Educational reform is and will always be a topic of discussion. It’s inevitable that as society and technology evolves the need for curriculum adaptation and education reform will arise. Curriculum isn’t the only thing changing though, educational jargon turns out a new word, hash tag, or phrase daily!

Here are a couple of the most prevalent newcomers to the Twitter scene.

1- ALEC, American Legislative Exchange Council
“The American Legislative Exchange Council works to advance the fundamental principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism at the state level through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America’s state legislators, members of the private sector and the general public.” (www.alec.org)

What is it’s role in education?
“The mission of ALEC’s Education Task Force is to promote excellence in the nation’s educational system, to advance reforms through parental choice, to support efficiency, accountability, and transparency in all educational institutions, and to ensure America’s youth are given the opportunity to succeed.” (www.alec.org)

ALEC Report Card on American Education

Ed-reformers like Diana Ravitch say “ALEC and privatizers would love to replace teachers with online courses and schools to cut the budget and make profits.” (via Twitter April 23rd) There are concerns with the types of agendas ALEC is pushing for.

For more information about ALEC visit their website, read the edweek story, or follow the Tweets with #ALEC.


2- Pineapplegate
First let’s figure out where the word came from- in NY State there was a test question asking about a pineapple that challenges a hare to a race. The “absurd” question has added to the concern about the true validity of such tests. Take that pineapple, squish it with Watergate, the word that screams scandal, and you get “Pineapplegate.”

The controversy? Is if fair to evaluate teachers so heavily on test scores, when the tests and questions themselves are not well written. This is only a small part of what Pineapplegate stands for in the world of education. To learn more follow #pineapplegate on Twitter. Diane Ravitch also writes “The Problem is Bigger Than a Pineapple.”



*This blog is simply meant to be informational. Leave questions or comments on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com


Last year onTRAC (online Teacher Resource and Assessment Community) was recognized by the education community as one of the Top 100 Products in District Administration Magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards.

If you still LOVE onTRAC, please consider nominating us again this year!


Click on the 2012 icon to make a nomination


Leave questions or comments on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com

Jackie talks Skype in the classroom

As a youngster, I loved the computer game “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.” I didn’t have an encyclopedia, so I filled a notebook with clues and facts about foreign countries as I went through the game. I remember the sheer exhilaration I felt when I figured out where in the world Carmen Sandiego was hiding. Today, technology allows us to play the same childhood games, but this time with real characters.

It’s something called a Mystery Skype Call


What: Using the concept of “Students as Authentic Contributors,” students have specific job responsibilities during a Skype call with another classroom somewhere in the world. The goal is to collaboratively figure out the location of their connection partner using closed questions, clues, and maps. (The project uses the concept of “The Digital Learning Farm: Students as Authentic Contributors”- by Alan November)

Who: Inquirers, Question Keepers, Google Mappers, Runner, Clue Keepers, Atlas, Logical Reasoners, and Photographer

Why: Students face off against another classroom to figure out the location of the other more quickly- all while thinking critically, learning about geography, and working as a team!

How did I find this story? I follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter and often read many of her stories and blog posts. Vicki Davis is a teacher, an award winning blogger, and a co-founder of Flat Classroom Projects.

Connect with the Cool Cat Teacher’s Blog for consolidated details on this project!

Read more about the project first hand
.

Leave questions or comments on the blog or email us at beSocial@interactiveachievement.com

Zach talks onTRAC

As a former educator, I can remember discussions with fellow teachers that often took place on the walk back to our classrooms after staff meetings. As many educators can guess, some of these discussions were largely venting sessions. Some of these discussions focused on our feelings that more was being expected of us as teachers, but we didn’t feel like there was always enough support in place for teachers to meet the increasing demands. We struggled to embrace initiatives focused on SOL preparation, remediation, and data-driven decision making within the confines of our resource and time limitations. The point was made that we felt like we were being crippled in our efforts to be effective teachers. The frustrating part was that we wanted our students to learn more than anybody else out there, but we felt like obstacles were being thrown our way.

Fast-forward a few years… after my school was closed due to state budget cuts, I came across a position with a company called Interactive Achievement. After reading about the company, looking at their website, and speaking with teachers that I knew who used onTRAC, I immediately saw the value of the service and support that they were providing educators. Upon seeing onTRAC, it was obvious that someone who had been in my shoes as a teacher was behind the design of the software!

I would have loved to have been able to use onTRAC in the classroom when I was teaching. The Standards-aligned questions would have been a huge resource while following my pacing guide. My students were always anxious to know their test scores and would have been appreciative of seeing their score immediately upon completion of the exam. Real-time reporting would have allowed me to quickly identify areas of need. As a teacher, this time of year would involve running off copies of the SOL Released Tests to give as practice SOL tests. Administering the released tests through onTRAC would have saved me the time that I spent waiting for the copy machine, running the copies, and then grading the tests by hand. onTRAC would have streamlined the benchmark testing process for our division as well. While I may have missed out on onTRAC in the classroom, I am glad to be a part of a company that is providing support and empowering educators.

In my current position as a District Representative with the company, I work with administrators and central office personnel across Virginia. It is now apparent to me that the increasing demands are not exclusive to classroom teachers. Demands are being placed on educators at the school and district level as well.

Effective tools like onTRAC are needed as demands on teachers increase. I enjoy the privilege of being able to see onTRAC help meet the needs and demands facing Virginia educators from the classroom to the district level.

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