COVER STORIES
Chancellor Matthew Goldstein at the Helm of CUNY
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
On maps of old, dangerous or unknown territory suspected of
harboring sea monsters was marked hic sunt dracones. Only those
skilled enough to navigate the treacherous waters survived.
. . . READ
MORE
Teachers of the Month -
April 2003 - NEW READ
MORE
The Future of Charter Schools
Women’s City Club Reports on NYC Charter Schools
by Sybil Maimin
The jury is still out on charter schools. To help fellow citizens
better understand this experiment in alternative, publicly
funded education, the Women’s City Club (WCC), an organization
long involved in advocacy and public policy, has prepared a
very impressive, detailed “snapshot” of the 16
charters operating in New York City in 2002. . . . READ
MORE
Harlem Charter School Charts a Road to Success
by Tom Kertes
Chancellor Joel Klein says he hopes to create an atmosphere
more congenial to the creation of charter schools in New York
City. One can only hope he succeeds because charters, far more
often than not, have been a resounding success. . . . READ
MORE
Attending a Local Conference on Charter Schools
by Sybil Maimin
Charter schools, an experiment in educational reform, is a
movement, an industry, and for those involved—a passion
and commitment. Thirty-nine states have charter school laws
and over 575,000 students attend 2,700 of these quasi-independent
public schools. . . . READ
MORE
Military
Education Today:
Let’s Boost Achievement Levels in Schools!
by Thomas K. Connellan
Here’s a startling finding from various studies and reports
about education: students in military-run schools regularly
outperform their private school and public school peers. .
. . READ
MROE
Military Education at U of Maryland
In 1949 University of Maryland University College (UMUC) began
making higher learning accessible to working adults in the
U.S. military—any time, any place—even in some
of the most nontraditional places for learning imaginable.
. . . READ
MORE
Military Education: Alternative Learning and Living Experiences
Compiled by Michelle Accorso
Do military schools really better prepare the leaders of tomorrow
to be well-rounded respectable citizens or are they simply
training kids to “straighten up and fly right,” speaking
when spoken to, taking directions and orders with a “yes.
sir” response and ultimately joining the branches of
the military. . . . READ
MORE
Principal
for a Day:
Stuyvesant Gets High Marks from Principals For A Day
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Stuyvesant High School had a homecoming for three illustrious
alumni returning as principals for a day. Each principal represented
a different discipline: Erica Morgan-Irish, V.P., Black Entertainment
Television; Gerry Golub, Sr. Managing Director, American Express;
and Herman Rosen, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine, Weill
Medical College of Cornell University. . . . READ
MORE
Rosie Perez Takes Center Stage at LaGuardia High
by Sybil Maimin
It was a day of sharing at LaGuardia High School of Music and
Art and Performing Arts as film and stage star, dancer, and
choreographer Rosie Perez assumed the role of “Principal
for A Day. . . . ” READ
MORE
Principal For A Day Cheered By The Changes
At Morris High
by Tom Kertes
“You wanna’ go where everybody knows your name” applies
not only to Boston bars but to New York Public Schools as well.
So there’s a lot to “Cheers” about the goings-on
at Morris High School. . . . READ
MORE
Principals For A Day Jump Into The Fray At P.S. 123
by Tom Kertes
Harlem’s P.S. 123 was fortunate in its choice of “Principals
For A Day.” They were men and women of action. . . . READ
MORE
SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS
Don’t
Abandon the Children:
The Need for Creative Partnerships
by Matilda Raffa Cuomo & Susan J.
Moesker
New York’s economy has been in decline. Every day we
read about lost jobs, reduced consumerism, an unstable stock
market and consequent difficult time for the non-profits
such as Mentoring USA (MUSA). . . . READ
MORE
Bank Street College and Newark Schools:
A Success Story by
Sybil Maimin
There are success stories in education. The dedicated people
involved in Bank Street College of Education’s New Beginnings
Project, which turned failing schools in Newark, NJ into dynamic
centers of learning, celebrated a book about the Newark initiative,
Putting the Children First: The Changing Face of Newark’s
Public Schools, edited by Jonathan G. Silin and Carol Lippman,
(Teachers College Press). . . . READ
MORE
ThinkQuest Comes to NYC
by Stuart Dunn
Starting with a pilot program in 2002, ThinkQuest New York
City introduced a program in which students work in teams
with the support of adult mentors to develop educational
Web sites. . . . READ
MORE
Vocational Education Resurgent:
Part II
by Frank Carucci
A fter all of the improvements in vocational education, much
still needs to be done. . . . READ
MORE
Learning Leaders Accomplishes Wonders
Learning Leaders, founded in 1956 as the New York City School
Volunteer Program, has a long history of mobilizing and training
adult volunteers to work with students in New York City public
schools and is now among the largest programs in the nation
fostering parent involvement in education. . . . READ
MORE
Legislature Re-Elects Two Board of Regents Members
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Education Committee Chair
Steve Sanders and Higher Education Committee Chair Ron Canestrari
announced the re-election of two members to the New York
State Board of Regents. . . . READ
MORE
LEGISLATURE
Barnard Pre-College Summer
Program
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
If ever Mayor Bloomberg needed proof that New York City
in the wake of 9/11 has lost none of its ability to attract
out-of-town youngsters—with the obvious blessing
of their parents—Barnard College’s Pre-college
Program For Young Men And Women would be more than ample
proof. . . . READ
MORE
The Woman I Admire Most
by Aminata Cisse
She wipes the sweat from her brow as she paces back and forth
from the ancient armoire. Her eyes remain alert as they scrutinize
every aspect of the water-stained walls of her bedroom. .
. . READ
MORE
Barnard/CBS
High School Essay Contest Winners
Are Powerful Writers
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
For the past twelve years the Barnard College/CBS essay contest
for public high school students in New York City has challenged
students to write about, “A Woman I Admire,” according
to Christine Royer, founder and organizer of the contest. .
. . READ
MORE
Educating Math Teachers
by Alfred S. Posamentier, Ph.D.
A well-known journalist was asked what major he would advise
a college freshman, enthusiastic about embarking on a career
in journalism. He replied, anything in the liberal arts,
but don’t take any journalism courses. . . . READ
MORE
Anthropologist Bateson Speaks at Barnard
by Kim Brown
Personal identity shines brighter when viewed through Mary
Catherine Bateson’s words. “We are not what we
know but what we are willing to learn,” she once said.
. . . READ
MORE
City
College & Columbia U Share
Grant
City College and Columbia University have received a National
Science Foundation Traineeship (IGERT) grant to establish
an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in soft materials. . .
. READ
MORE
Indiana U Studies Alcohol Abuse in Students
Why young alcoholics seem insensitive to the negative consequences
of their behavior is the subject of a five-year research
study now under way at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB)
that includes a focus on college alcoholism. READ
MORE
Young Latinas Leadership Institute Scholarship
Five women, all freshmen at The City University of New York,
have been named recipients of the first Young Latinas Leadership
Institute Scholarship. . . . READ
MORE
Aging
with Grace: Intriguing Findings from the
Nun’s
Study
A behind-the-scenes look at the landmark study about aging,
was the topic of a lecture recently by David Snowdon, Ph.D.
at Marymount Manhattan College in New York. . . . READ
MORE
PARENT GUIDE
Dr.
Toy Selects Best Classic Toys for 2003
by Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D.
You can count on classic toys. These are the long lasting toys
that “keep on playing” long after the batteries
and latest fads are gone. . . .
READ
MORE
Growth: How Does Your Child Measure Up?
by Paul Saenger, M.D.
While there are some children who start life smaller than others,
most of them usually catch up very early in life. . . . READ
MORE
Seal Watching Cruises
Come see the South Shore Harbor Seals. These irresistible creatures
have been visiting our area for some 20+ years. . . . READ
MORE
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Research
On Beach Access for the Handicapped
It’s virtually impossible for people who use wheelchairs
and other mobility devices to enjoy the full benefits of
a beach experience, but the National Center on Accessibility
(NCA) at Indiana University Bloomington is working to remedy
this situation that affects millions of Americans. . . . READ
MORE
Resources, Referrals and Help
As a principal of a private school for learning disabled children,
I am asked by parents and other professionals on a daily
basis for information on resources. . . . READ
MORE
Wallace-Reader’s
Digest Fund gives $50,000 for Study of Successful Leaders
in High-Poverty Schools
The Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund has given $50,000 to
Dr. Jacobson, University of Buffalo professor of educational
administration in the GSE’s Department of Educational
Leadership and Policy, for a study of successful leadership
in elementary and secondary school settings that serve high-poverty
communities. . . . READ
MORE
E-cards
from the “Braille Bug” Children’s
Web Site
The days of flimsy paper cards with cartoon animals are gone.
. . . READ
MORE
MEDICAL UPDATE
A Discussion of the Hippocratic
Oath
by Herman Rosen, M.D.
“The Hippocratic Oath and Its Role In Modern Medicine” was
the topic of a recent conference under the auspices of the
Onassis Public Benefit Foundation in collaboration with the Hellenic
Medical Society of N.Y. . . READ
MORE
Can Cancer be Prevented?
by Cynthia Stein, M.D., M.P.H.
Special to Education Update
Can cancer be prevented? Yes. In fact, at the Harvard Center
for Cancer Prevention, we estimate that more than half of
all cancers in the US could be prevented. . . . READ
MORE
Addiction
Psychiatry & Pain
Management Focus of Silver Hill Seminar
The latest developments in Addiction Psychiatry, the use of
painkillers and the management of chronic pain, are the focus
of the Spring Seminar at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan,
Conn. . . . READ
MORE
MUSEUMS
Students Study Drama at
Highest Rated Theater Program in NY
Founded by Jeffrey Horowitz in 1979, Theater for a
New Audience is a venerable, non-profit classical theatre
program. . . . READ
MORE
Nobel Prize Exhibit Opens
The Museum of American Financial History in Lower Manhattan
has a special exhibit entitled “The Nobel Prize: Celebrating
100 Years of Creativity and Innovation” which will
run through July 2003. . . .
READ
MORE
BOOKS
Bank
Street Holds Best Children’s Book Awards
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
The day war was declared in Iraq, I shall never forget
where I was: at a celebration of the best books for children
at the Bank Street College of Education, a haven for those
seeking refuge from the harsh reality of the world outside.
. . . READ
MORE
April
is ‘Poetic’ in
its Springtime Beauty.
Celebrate the Joy of Poetry!
by Selene
S. Vasquez
PICTURE BOOK: AGES 5 THRU 8
The Scrubbly-Bubbly Car Wash by Irene O’Garden. Illustrated
by Cynthia Jabar. (Harper Collins, 32 pp., $15.99). An effervescent
picture book filled with tongue twisting alliteration and bouncy
rhymes: “Soapy floppy brushes mop/ from our tires to
the top. . . . ” READ
MORE
Logos
Bookstore’s Recommendations
by H. Harris Healy, III, President
After a long, cold winter, spring is here! There is time to
take children outdoors and enjoy nature, and all the animals
one finds there. . . . READ
MORE
A Passionate Case for Liberal Education
Former Dartmouth and University of Iowa President James O.
Freedman provides an intelligent guide for administrators
in Liberal Education and the Public Interest. . . . READ
MORE
Father-Child Book Club in Queens
What: The Queens Borough Public Library in Jamaica, Jamaica
Father’s Project and Literacy Inc. (LINC) created a
father’s/children book club to encourage fathers to
see themselves as active participants in their children education.
. . . READ
MORE
April
2003 Bank St. Bookstore Events . . . READ
MORE
BUSINESS OF EDUCATION
Supporting Science Education:
Public/Private Partnership At Work
by Carlo Parravano, Ph.D.
“Write a check and get out of the way!” That’s
the answer some school administrators give me when I ask them
how the most effective business partnerships operate. . . . READ
MORE
MUSIC, ART & DANCE
Young
Audiences Honor Riesenberg & Ellerbee
Young Audiences/New York (YA/NY), a pioneer in creating innovative
arts education programs integrating the arts and education
for New York City public school students, will host its
annual Children’s Arts Medal Benefit at the Metropolitan Pavilion
on Monday, April 7, 2003. . . .
READ MORE
New Orleans Music Festival with Louis Armstrong
New Orleans’ favorite new festival is Satchmo SummerFest,
a five-day event celebrating the lasting influence of jazz
icon, international cultural ambassador and native son Louis
Armstrong. . . . READ
MORE
METROBEAT
Keeping NYC Safe Is My First
Priority
by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
Now that the war in Iraq is underway, I don’t think it
matters whether you favored or opposed launching the effort
to disarm Saddam Hussein. . . . READ
MORE
Fight
over Pataki’s Education
Cuts Reaches Critical Stage in Albany Budget Negotiations
by Assemblyman Steven Sanders
The fight over Gov. Pataki’s $1.4 billion cut in State
aid to public schools is reaching a very critical stage. .
. . READ
MORE
A Message from the Chancellor
by Joel Klein
The New York City Department of Education is fully committed
to ensuring that our public schools are places where students,
teachers and the entire school community are safe and secure.
. . . READ
MORE
National
Poetry Month:
Student Poets . . . READ
MORE
CAREERS
Paul Binder, Founder, Big
Apple Circus
by Tom Kertes
Paul Binder’s first “circus thoughts” came
to him during his stint with the San Francisco Mime Troup
in 1970. “It had an outstanding circus training program,” says
Binder, now the Director of the world-renowned Big Apple
Circus. . . . READ
MORE
Have You Thought of Becoming a Pharmacist?
Over one-third of pharmacists would select another field if
they had their careers to do over, according to a new survey
by Allied Consulting, a Dallas-based health care staffing
firm. . . . READ
MORE
TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
Product Review:
Lapvantage Laptop Dome
by Mitchell Levine
It’s not hard to understand why mobile computers
have become such a prominent phenomenon in education technology
today. . . .
READ
MORE
Software Review:
Eye Candy
4000
by Rick Sulz
Imagine waking in the middle of the night to the noise of a
spaceship landing outside of your window. . . . READ
MORE
TRAVEL
Step Back
In Time: Historic Richmond Town, Staten Island
by Jan Aaron
Tired of life in the 21st century? Try stepping back in time.
Historic Richmond Town seems a world away. . . . READ
MORE
EDITORIALS
Affirming
Affirmative Action
by Stuart Dunn
Last year the Federal Appeals Court found the University
of Michigan’s use of race as one factor in student
admissions to be constitutional. . . . READ
MORE