The Professors blog

Priceless

mrlindsay — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:20:04 +0000

Landscapes: Volume Two from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.

How strange that nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude! Emily Dickinson

On Top of the World

mrlindsay — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:59:30 +0000

It never ceases to amaze the attitude of seniors. That sense of attainment and finality when one is still so far from the pinnacle. To think that one has reached the top of all that there is. Ponder this…

Spring Break

mrlindsay — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:01:10 +0000

Enjoy your spring break!! Make sure to return for the final stretch with the same vigor and energy you took with you when you left.

Where we stand

mrlindsay — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:58:52 +0000

The Programme for International Student Assessment released its findings from a recent study ranking 15 year olds from thirty four countries. The findings were disturbing to say the least. Out of 34 countries, the U.S. ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math. The PISA exam is one of a handful of tests that compare educational levels across nations, and is considered to be the most comprehensive. The test focuses on how well students are able to apply their knowledge in math, reading and science to real-life situations. Some 470,000 students took the test in 2009 in 65 countries and educational systems, from poor, underdeveloped nations to the most wealthy.

”This is an absolute wake-up call for America,” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The results are extraordinarily challenging to us and we have to deal with the brutal truth. We have to get much more serious about investing in education.” The one factor shared by the highest scoring countries was teachers being subject to evaluations and have a high standing in society. The study found that the best school systems were also the most equitable, meaning students from disadvantaged backgrounds were just as likely to do well academically. In the U.S., 17 percent of the variation in student performance was found to be related to a pupil’s background — compared to 9 percent, for example, in Canada. Many of the schools of Missouri recently lost in the legal bid to attain equity in financing for all students. Interesting that the judicial system in Missouri did not see these correlations.

One of the most striking findings in the report was that the impact of improving math, reading and science scores could alter the future economy for the youth of our nation. An OECD study with Stanford University projected that if the U.S. boosted its average PISA scores by 25 points over the next 20 years, there would be a gain of $41 trillion in the U.S. economy over the lifetime of the generation born in 2010. These numbers should be reason enough to give the educational system the emphasis it is due.

College Acceptance

mrlindsay — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:53:06 +0000

From the Washington Post: “Prestigious colleges and universities received record numbers of applications for the Class of 2014. So, logically, acceptance rates were expected to drop.” As the number of applicants increase the number accepted to the best Universities continues to decline. It would be wise to make sure you are thinking ahead

April 1 is the deadline for most admissions departments to let students know if they got in or not.

Communication

mrlindsay — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:27:17 +0000

The University of North Texas Health Science Center released data from a recent study in the American Journal of Health. The study was the first done on cell phone usage and traffic fatalities. Researchers found that between 2001 and 2007 an estimated 16,000 people were killed while talking or texting on their phones and driving. Living in a world where communication is constant and available is apparently leading many to feel that there is no inappropriate time for communicating. This might need to be revisited.

Welcome to the race

mrlindsay — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:05:31 +0000

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for Missouri released the latest data on ACTs in Missouri. “The state’s Class of 2010 had more students take the ACT college-entry exam than ever before, education officials announced today. A record 48,290 high school graduates took the ACT, representing 69 percent of this year’s class. Although the total number of students taking the test increased by 1,367, Missouri’s average score held steady at 21.6 – the same score the state has had for the last six years.”

The ACT exam is the most utilized college-entry exam in Missouri and most Midwestern states. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with 36 being the highest possible score. In 2010, 23 Missouri students scored 36 on the exam. Your ACT score is a gateway to scholarships as well as entrance into many of your universities. The increased number of students taking the ACT is indicitive of the increase in the number of students you are competing with for entrance into these higher levels of learning. You are in a competition, prepare yourself!

Seniors

mrlindsay — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:05:19 +0000

For those of you who will walk… Make sure this is not your last experience receiving a piece of paper for your educational attainment. You are at a crossroad in your lives where you have endless opportunity in front of you. The urge to run out into that great big world and play is great, but the cost is tremendous. Reflect on the fact that average life expectancy in the US is roughly seventy eight. You have a great deal of your life in front of you, but the decisions you make at this crossroad will forever impact the remainder of your time. Choose wisely.

Crime Scene

mrlindsay — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:22:54 +0000

Upon completion of the crime scene lab the students were able to determine that Coach Hornback was assaulted by Mr. Presley in the storage room of the High School. It was a tragic event that only puts further emphasis on the need for students to be vigilant when working with History teachers.

Our Anatomy students did an excellent job of working the blood spatter and serology analysis. The Advanced Biology students were able to use this information to determine that our suspect was a specific blood type and then run Gel Electrophoresis to create a “DNA fingerprint” that was a match for Mr. Presley. It should be noted that Mr. Presley did not go quietly!

Spring Break

mrlindsay — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:21:43 +0000

Hope your spring break was relaxing. When you return we will begin the cross-curricular Crime Scene Lab. This will be a fast stretch of intensive material. Be Prepared!