high school
Michigan Schools Improve High School Graduation Requirements
Michigan Schools presented its new high school graduation requirements — the Michigan Merit Curriculum — in December 2005. The Michigan schools are determined to better prepare students for work and college success, by assuring that all students have the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.
Previous requirements for graduation in the Michigan schools reflected an economy and society that no longer exist, nor did they represent the real world demands of work and college. Michigan schools skills and course subjects that were once optional for students after graduation now are essential to enter college or the workforce. In a 2005 survey, only 24 percent of the graduates said they were significantly challenged during high school, while a recent survey showed one-in-five graduates thought expectations were low and it was easy to “slide by”. National data indicate that academic achievement in high school reading, mathematics and science has been mostly stagnate for decades.
Michigan’s Governor Jennifer M. Granholm backs the new Michigan schools program, stating that the state’s economy will suffer if Michigan does not have a highly educated workforce. Her goal is to double the number of college graduates in Michigan, and the new Michigan schools high school graduation requirements will ensure the goal is met.
The new Michigan Merit Curriculum requires Michigan schools graduates to successfully complete both the Michigan Merit Core and the 21st Century Learning Core. The new Michigan Merit Core consists of the following coursework:
- English Language Arts, integrated Humanities sequence, or CTE sequence — 4 credits
- Mathematics — 4 credits with one credit each in Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, AND an additional mathematics or mathematics-related credit in the senior year, integrated mathematics sequence, or CTE sequence
- Science — 3 credits with one credit each in Biology, Physics or Chemistry, and one additional credit of science, integrated math sequence, or CTE sequence
- Social Sciences — 3 credits
- Civics and Economics — 5 credits
- U.S. History and World History — 1 credit each, integrated with Geography, integrated Humanities sequence, or CTE sequence
- World Languages — 2 credits
- Health and Physical Education — 2 credits
- Visual and Performing Arts — 1 credit
Additionally, students in their junior year must take the Michigan schools’ Michigan Merit Exam or the alternate MI-ACCESS assessment exam. Those who do not pass in their junior year have another opportunity to take the exam in the spring of their senior year. Additionally, the Michigan schools are developing high school content expectations to serve as a guide to curriculum development for the school districts.
The Michigan schools new graduation requirements instill rigor into the high school coursework, but provides some flexibility for school district phase-in of the new requirements and student modification provisions in some limited situations. The new Michigan schools requirements begin with the freshman class in the fall of 2006.
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Tampa Schools Prepare Students for the World of Tomorrow through Global Classrooms
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), along with New York-based Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., has brought the Model United Nations to Tampa schools. Originally, only four high schools were participating and only as an extra-curricular activity. Now, over 50 teachers teach the Global Classrooms curriculum to students in over 120 classrooms in 35 Tampa schools. The program has the supported of Tampa schools District Social Studies Supervisors Dennis Holt and Martha Ford, as well as Tampa schools administrators, University of South Florida, and University of Tampa.
The Model United Nations program of Global Classrooms was developed by the UNA to enhance student understanding of international issues. Their hope is to develop strong leadership and critical-thinking skills in our youth, needed to shape a globally informed workforce in the future. To that end, a special Model UN teachers training program was recently developed that includes global trade, finance and development.
Global Classrooms deal with such critical world issues as human rights for refugees, prevention of nuclear terrorism, global economics, post-conflict transition, and UN Security Council reform — the same issues world diplomats deal with daily in the United Nations. It is an excellent educational opportunity for students in the Tampa schools.
Tampa schools participation increased in the Model UN program after the April 2006 conference, held at the Tampa Convention Center. More than 500 high schools and 600 middle schools participated in the conference of Global Classrooms.
Ambassador William H. Luers, president of the UNA-USA, addressed the Tampa schools students and students from other areas within the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Public Schools. Luers noted that children today must learn about the world to be prepared for tomorrow. The younger the child, the more open minded he or she will be.
Another speaker was Shaun King, former quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, current player for the Detroit Lions, and a favorite with Tampa schools’ students. Like Luers, King wants to see young people use all that talent they have. He believes it truly makes a difference, especially for children of single-parent and/or disadvantaged families.
The UNA-USA is a not-for-profit organization that develops innovative programs to engage Americans, especially the children, in issues of global concern. It promotes educational and humanitarian campaigns, as well as policy and advocacy programs. The UNA’s mission is to allow people to make a global impact at a local level.
The Model UN program would not be possible without the support of business. Merrill Lynch has donated more than $37 million in 2005 to charities with educational organizations receiving more than half. They are responsible for bringing the April Model UN conference to Tampa and underwrote the cost of implementing the program in the Tampa schools.
Together, the UNA and Merrill Lynch hope to bring the Model UN experience to urban public schools across the nation, as well as a diverse array of schools around the world.
It is a fact that the U.S. is losing its world economic edge by falling far behind other countries in preparing its youth for the global world issues of tomorrow. With programs, such as the No Child Left Behind that concentrates only on reading and mathematics skills, the children of the U.S. are missing an opportunity to know about the world and its issues. Bringing the Model UN program to students in areas like the Tampa schools is an essential step. Hopefully, more Tampa schools will participate in the future.
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Calvert Home Schooling
The Calvert Year Educational facilities was a focal junior high school in the rise 1900’s that was run by a Harvard educated middle school master named Virgil Hillyer. Irregardless there were lots middle schools being jogging in those days, the Calvert Second School is one and only of the few that still comprehend a name in homeschooling nowadays. What did Calvert do differently and how did a month school become part of scads homeschooling moms’ discussions to this semester?
Especially, is was this Harvard academician who had the tactic to sell the middle school’s Kindergarten approach to parents who were unable to send their little kids to Calvert. This was renowned with dads because they were then able to give their youth parallel educative vantage point at home as those moms who had the ability to send their little kids directly to the Calvert Weekday School.
As you can conclude, this practice did not terminate with just the Junior high school material. Hillyer committed to feel out this market by placing ads in National Geographic for his Kindergarten core curriculum for only 5 dollars. Since the response was overwhelming, Calvert eventually made their exhaustive line of course of study available to moms opting for single deduction or another to homeschool their youngsters. Within 5 years of that first middle school route offering, larger than 300 kids were involved in Calvert educating in homes.
When the 1930’s came here and there, you not only could locate Calvert curriculum in the United States, nonetheless in larger than 50 countries! The US Government even began using the Calvert general education to instruct soldiers’ dependents who were stationed throughout the wide world. Calvert teaching in the home is still going strong and distinguished its 100th anniversary in 2006. There are still many people today that are enjoying Calvert home teaching.
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