The 2016 NYC Gifted & Talented Symposium (hosted by PALNYC) convened on Saturday, March 12. It was a day for parents and educators to learn more about different teaching techniques and education options for students who fit into the gifted and talented or accelerated learning category. I was representing The Beekman School in a curated exhibitors area, along with programs from all over the city that offer opportunities for these accelerated learners. In hearing some of the panel topics and spe
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I was a military brat. My dad was in the Navy, so every 3 to 4 months we’d pack everything up and travel to a new military base for my dad’s new assignment. By the time I was in middle school, I had lived half of my life overseas in places like Scotland and a tiny 3 mile by 8 mile island off the tip of the boot of Italy. I loved immersing myself in a new culture and picking up bits of the language. Even the transfer from South Texas to Southern California was exciting. I lived right by Sea World and the San Diego Zoo! I blame this exciting upbringing for my love of travel.
High school years are some of the most influential ones in a person’s life. Children make that transition from being a child to a young adult, and the process of pulling away from parents and establishing independence and a personal identity moves into full swing. The culture and environment during this pivotal period plays a major influence in the direction a person’s life will take when turning 18 years old. How do you know if you are choosing the right high school?
With spring break just around the corner, I couldn’t help but think about how quickly the year is passing by. How I wish we would spend weeks on each era of American history digging deep into the cultural, social, and everyday lives of Americans! But alas, we must march on. For those that wish to use some free time to gain more in-depth knowledge of American history, focus on any decade from the past and you will likely find films, art, and novels are just a click away.
News flash: The educational “skills gap”—on which the media report regularly and who tell us is the fault of “failing schools” and “lazy, tenured teachers”—is not what you’ve been led to believe.
“Summer school” has been the boogeyman of students in movies and schools for decades: “If you fail this course, you’re going to have to go to SUMMER SCHOOL!” (Cue scary music and/or demonic laugh.) But for a growing group of families, summer school (and, particularly, summer school for high school students) is not a punishment but an opportunity—a chance to improve skills, follow a passion, or jump ahead.
As we gather around the TV this Sunday with friends and family to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year, wolf down chicken wings and nachos, sing along to the half-time show and chuckle at million dollar commercials, there’s another thing that we can do as well – discuss the science behind all that football!
There are multiple reasons (philosophical, lifestyle, financial) why a family may opt to homeschool their children. For the early grades and even for some more advanced courses (where a parent or close connection has a background in that area), it’s fairly easy to direct the education of homeschooled children. But what do you do for those courses that you aren’t comfortable teaching?
Continuing on from my last blog about sound effects, I noticed that the use of them can make a boring creative endeavor more personal and fulfilling to the student. I teach an Audio Mixing class at Beekman. Most of the work involves working with loops of pre-existing audio to create an original mixed piece of music.
Everyone wants the best, naturally. Especially when it comes to education. So how can you find the “best” school?
Let me guess; you started your high school search on the Internet. If you type in a few keywords like “best NYC high schools” or “top Manhattan private high schools,” you probably found a nice list of possible options. But did you really find the best high school for you?