Many of us can recall a time when our teachers organized additional math and language activities outside of regular school hours, during lunch or recess. These activities were meant to challenge and enrich us. Students who were interested could attend and we had a great time learning and working together. But have these extracurricular opportunities disappeared from today's public schools? Do modern public schools still provide similar extracurricular opportunities for our children? Are there still chances for…

It’s the beginning of another school year and I already hear parents complaining of educators who cannot adequately meet the complex learning needs of their children. Some speak of potentially transferring their children to private schools where they can “better prepare for university programs and jobs that matter”.  Others, evidently more disappointed in our education system, speak of moving out of the country to, what they call, “another, better place, where children still learn math in schools.”…

Focusing on: Language and Communication One of the questions that I’m very interested in and researching in Master of Education program is related to the benefits and impact of parent involvement on student achievement.  If you search scholarly articles, you’ll find numerous studies that demonstrate how parent involvement can positively impact academic achievement.  For example, Epstein and Sanders’ research study of 2000 found a strong correlation between parent involvement and students’ scholastic achievement.  So, what’s the problem,…