Topics Education Three Sticks

Social entrepreneurship on the rise

2011-08-30T14:45:00.005-04:00

Inspiring to see ... if Governor Jerry Brown signs the bill, a new California law will validate the public's desire (and NEED) for companies to TRULY do well by doing good. California leading the way again ...

Corporations are chartered by states, and a historic body of law makes clear that all company directors and executives owe their shareholders is profits, profits and more profits; their fiduciary duty is their only duty.

If you do expect company’s officers to take into account other goals—like environmental sustainability, the well-being of their workers, or general public benefit—conflicts with the profit motive can expose even well-meaning executives to legal difficulties.

The Benefit corporation movement has laid out a set of social impact standards for companies that seek to embrace both profit and impact. It requires privately held B corporations to amend their articles to reflect a commitment to those standards, protecting officers and directors from legal repercussions for their decisions and giving shareholders the power to hold them accountable, by lawsuits if necessary, for protecting the public interest. It also protects customers from deceptive marketing—greenwashing—by forcing corporations to submit public reports that conform to independent benchmarks.

DC charter school organized around inclusion

2011-08-12T14:00:00.002-04:00

More social entrepreneurs, schools, and school systems need to move in this direction. Where can one find a school like this in North Carolina?!

A case for using motorsports to teach STEM

2011-07-29T10:50:00.006-04:00

Fact #1
The scientific and mathematical literacy of students in the U.S. consistently ranks poorly compared with the rest of the world — in the most recent international comparison, American students ranked 23rd in science and 30th in mathematics.

Fact #2
China and India each graduate 5 times the number of engineers than the U.S., and 60% of the students at the top American computer-science departments are foreign-born.

Fact #3
Business growth across industries and businesses is tied strongly to their levels of innovation. Levels of innovation are tied strongly to high levels of scientific and mathematical literacy.

Fact #4
Success in motorsports is built largely on exploiting science and mathematics to maximize speed and performance. As a result, motorsports provide(s) a natural and compelling link to real-world math and science.

In December 2010, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OSCD, 2010) released the results of the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The results continued the trend of American students dropping in their international ranking. Equally important, PISA also published an extensive description of its assessment framework for mathematics, which defines “mathematical literacy” as the:

capacity to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded judgments and to use and engage with mathematics in ways that meet the needs of that individual’s life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen.

The assessment framework provides additional context for this definition, saying that it “is the ability to pose, formulate, solve and interpret problems using mathematics within a variety of situations and contexts.” Scientific literacy is described similarly. In other words, both math and science have many real-world applications. Those involved in the real-world of the motorsports industry know firsthand how important mathematical and scientific literacy are to success.

Recognizing the ability to leverage motorsports’ excitement, real-world relevance, and depth of application of math and science, we have developed a concept for increasing the interest and abilities in math and science among students in the middle grades and are actively promoting this concept to drive action in the industry.

The world of motorsports provides an excellent platform to engage students and teachers. Plenty of research in teaching and learning supports the power of real-world relevance, demonstrating that students learn more and learn more easily when immersed in contexts where mathematical and scientific facts and processes are used to achieve actual needs, not theoretical ones. (“Video Games and the Future of Learning,” Shaffer, Squire, Halverson and Gee, 2004.)

Additionally, academic literature reinforces our focus on students in the middle grades. Middle school is a crucial growth opportunity for students. When nurtured and channeled well, a middle school student’s cognitive and emotional development enables greatly expanded depths of mathematics and scientific learning and understanding. Too often, this opportunity for growth bypasses students in the middle grades. Their emotional need for greater intrinsic reward and purpose is unsatisfied, leaving them unmotivated. Moreover, it is often the point at which a student decides whether or not he/she is a “math person” or a “science person” — a self-designation and self-fulfilling prophecy that is difficult to reverse when a student feels math and science are uninteresting, unimportant, and/or unnecessarily difficult. (What’s Math Got to Do with It? How Parents and Teachers Can Help Children Learn to Love Their Least Favorite Subject, Boaler, 2009. And The Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child, Mighton, 2004.)

Community building includes everyone

2011-04-26T11:17:00.005-04:00

Living in an inclusive community is important to all of us at Topics. Living and learning with people of all types creates communication, understanding, and friendships.

That's why I'm so proud that we were instrumental in helping bring Dan Habib and his son, Samuel, to Charlotte. Dan is a documentary filmmaker who created the film, Including Samuel, an intimate look at inclusion in schools and the community at large.

The film, which has been on public TV and has had 300 screenings in 30 states, will be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday at UNC Charlotte's Student Union Theater. Karen Garloch wrote about the event in her weekly column at The Charlotte Observer. Check it out here.

Throwing Out the Phrase

2011-04-25T12:08:00.007-04:00

Why is it that the phrase “throw money at” seems to be applied only to school funding or education in general? I can’t imagine that anyone believes “throwing” money indiscriminately at anything will have much of an impact. The phrase is so dismissive — it’s a cop out to having a legitimate discussion or debate about education funding and priorities.

Clearly, our community (like so many others around the country) needs to have some difficult conversations about our priorities. There will be shortfalls in education funding, and that’s not likely to change any time soon. My request is that instead of, uh … throwing an empty phrase at the situation, everyone will take part in a constructive way.

Some fodder for discussion:

As a society, we place much of our value on compensation/earnings. (Unfortunately, wishing it weren’t that way won’t do much to change that.) What does teacher compensation say about the real value (i.e., more than lip service) we place on teaching?

So much of school funding comes from local property taxes. Do people equate their property tax bill with the quality of the school system? Is there political pressure to keep property taxes as low as possible?

Companies that increase their capacity with major facility or equipment upgrades often finance those improvements through loans (including leasing equipment) — the rationale being that the improvements will increase profits such that the temporary debt is viewed as an investment. Colleges and nonprofits have capital campaigns and have employees who cultivate an ongoing donor base to provide financing that falls outside of operations. K – 12 schools are not designed to earn profits, nor do they launch capital campaigns and have Development Directors. Bonds typically finance major upgrades. PTAs often finance equipment upgrades. However, how much of the operating budget goes toward these types of capital expenses? Is bond-funding every five years or so the best way to do it?

Are we still locked in a mindset from way-back-when when being a teacher was among the handful of choices for women and minorities – i.e., a time when we could underpay many teachers because they didn’t have many employment options?

Do society’s values reflect opportunities to nurture and educate children before they start kindergarten? How does that correlate to the average pay of those who work at childcare & preschool facilities?

I can certainly get into the nuts and bolts of the budget (and plan to). Hopefully, this particular fodder for discussion will help frame the conversation. I also hope that it will make it harder to dismissively say that throwing more money at education won’t solve anything. It won’t, nor will throwing out an empty phrase.

The Work of Art - The Atlantic

2011-04-13T20:47:00.001-04:00

Stephen King was obligated to write this after losing a bet to his son, Owen, picking the winner of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Greatest part is the winner, his son, got to write the title of the piece before he wrote it!

The Firm of the Future?

2011-04-08T09:18:00.005-04:00

The interesting takeaway from this article for me was the notion of considering effectiveness rather than efficiency. That sounds good and feels right. And moreover, that's how nature works. (Bill McDonough, architect and author of Cradle to Cradle uses the example of a tree dropping hundreds of seeds in an effort to get one or two offspring — what he determines to be simultaneously both very inefficient and very effective.) The key for a business, though, is figuring out how you measure effectiveness or know if it manifests itself in your work/products/offerings. I don't know that this author offered any concrete ways of determining that.

But I do think it's an interesting concept to think about, and in fact it feels vital to long term success of any knowledge firm who has to compete with increasingly efficient machines/computers/software. Web developers used to highly valuable; now they are often commoditized with the ease of (and more to the point, cheapness of) Wordpress, Blogger, Drupal, etc. Videographers are in the same boat. A Flip cam or an iPhone and YouTube are cheap and easy (efficient) to use and often "good enough," especially to those tied to strict budgets. Thus the potential client list for traditional video production company shrinks dramatically if they try to compete on efficiency (cost and speed).

In our case, we strive to get compensated for our thinking and our ideas rather than our deliverables, which in the end often don't look that different our competitors -- even if the subtleties within them are of great value and importance. Service firms who never manage to help clients see the value in those subtleties end up competing on efficiency (how much can you build for how little cost?) rather effectiveness (do your ideas and end products work a lot better than your competitors?). Very few small firms can win that competition.

State of Tomorrow's Classroom

2011-01-25T13:08:00.005-05:00

At tonight’s State of the Union Address, I hope that President Obama will both paint a picture of how he plans to not only protect education from potential budget cuts, yet put a stake in the ground demonstrating that the US cannot simply sit still. With recent academic comparisons, from the December 2010 OECD results -- bit.ly/RFplA -- show that the US ranks 17th in reading, 31st in math, and 23rd in science. Now is the time for the US Department of Education and the White House to step up and lead the education effort to ensure that not just our children fall behind, rather that they can, in fact, move ahead.

Hail to the Sarge

2011-01-24T12:49:00.011-05:00

Last week, R. Sargent Shriver passed, marking the end of an era. That same era was also acknowledged last week, on Thursday, Jan. 20, at the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s first inaugural address -- //www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLmiOEk59n8.

Sargent Shriver set a bold agenda, chiefly being a top public servant, in a selfless, focused manner and setting the example for legions to follow, from his work with The Peace Corps and The War on Poverty. He will be missed. Luckily his work has inspired many and I hope the inspired continue his and others’ work in new, unexpected ways to benefit society. That’s the example I take from Mr. Shriver.

Here’s a quote, cited at the funeral Mass by his son, Anthony, “from an address to Yale University in 1994: "I hope you remember to believe in things 'til you die. I hope you remember to be guided by beliefs powerful enough to change the world. I hope you remember the example of the Peace Corps volunteer, the Head Start parent, the Special Olympics athlete. They, each in their own way, are waging peace. Maybe you will even remember me and my family. Remember the importance of family--of giving and receiving--of love. You have such a chance! Oh, how I wish I were you!!!!"

Performance Learning Center

2010-12-07T10:38:00.008-05:00

This month we're working with students and staff from the Performance Learning Center in Charlotte, NC. The Performance Learning Center (PLC) is an exciting new high school that resulted from a partnership between CIS and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). PLC is primarily for at-risk students or other students who aren't succeeding in a traditional high school environment, but it isn't an "easy out." In fact, PLC requires students to pass courses at a higher level than a traditional CMS high school.

PLC combines the CIS philosophy of strong personal relationships between staff and students with a strong focus on academic achievement in a fully integrated public high school within the CMS system. And it's working. Last year, everyone in the class graduated and more than 90% of those students are now enrolled in either a 2 or 4-year college degree program.

One interesting component of the PLC approach is its dedication to job shadowing experiences for all students. At PLC staff members want students exposed to a variety of jobs -- from tattoo artists to accountants -- for a simple reason. Many of these students simply have little idea what careers are available and possible for them to pursue. As a result this kind of exposure is critical. Working with students from PLC has been quite rewarding for me and reminded me of what is possible for our community when adults (educators, parents, mentors, friends, etc.) are willing to invest time, energy and compassion into our youth. Amazing things can happen; they are happening right now at PLC.

Inclusion in schools: a hot (and complicated) topic

2010-11-30T09:06:00.015-05:00

A recent documentary entitled "Including Samuel” provides a wonderful window into the concept of inclusion, especially as it pertains to our schools. Full inclusion proponents argue that ALL kids benefit by having ALL kids (kids with special needs, severe to mild, included) attend the same school in the same classrooms. On the surface, it sounds like a daunting, if not impossible, task. Yet the filmmaker, Dan Habib, the parent of a child with Cerebral Palsy, directly addresses the topic and provides a personal, objective look at this timely debate.

Dan’s son attends a school striving to incorporate full inclusion, and he explores how extremely difficult it is, interviewing the principal, teachers, therapists, and parents at both his son’s school and others.

I, too, am the parent of a child with special needs, so, as you can imagine, I was eager to see the film. When my daughter, Roxie, was nearing Kindergarten age, my wife and I did our homework, researching a variety of options from public to private, from partial inclusion schools to specific schools for kids with special needs. Amazingly, in the 23rd largest city in the US, we could not find a full inclusion model that would benefit our daughter. Honestly, at the time, we simply didn’t realize that they existed! And across the US, very few do.

Regardless, even with our new knowledge, my wife and I don’t feel like we have “settled.” The school we found for our daughter does not practice inclusion, but it is an amazing place where trained and caring teachers and therapists pour their hearts and souls into their kids. Roxie attends a K-12 public school created specifically for kids with the most profound special needs. Many of the kids at the school, including Roxie, do not walk or talk and are medically fragile. But every child is as unique in personality, capabilities, and educational needs as any typically developing child. She interacts in so many ways with so many different kids with different personalities and capabilities. We love her school. Of all the places we’ve visited, we think it’s the best place for her ... for now. As Roxie grows and develops, we may find other opportunities that would benefit her more. It’s always on our mind, as it would be for any parent: is my child getting the best educational experience (academic, social, emotional) possible?

”Including Samuel” expanded my thinking on the subject of inclusion, but it mainly reinforced my belief that every child – whether she has a disability or not – is different and needs personalized educational experiences. If we could create the perfect learning environment for each kid, yet in a fully inclusive setting, each child could/would reach her potential. The reality, though, is that very few fully inclusive school settings exist. It will take a massive amount of education and will on the part of society to realize this dream. People must first understand that simply growing up alongside people of all types is a HUGE part of what makes us successful, communicative, tolerant ... Human.

In the film, a disability rights expert states: “What do we do to get that sense of belonging? Well that’s when I think we rely on prejudice. You see ... ‘cause if I hate the same guy you hate, we must be friends. If we call someone retarded or stupid or fat or faggot, we’re on the same side. How do we build a sense of belonging without relying on a common enemy and without simply trying to be nice to each other? How do we authentically build a sense of belonging in our schools and our community?”

I think this question has never been answered. But it is a topic that is gaining more and more airtime. Some people believe that community inclusion for people with disabilities is the last great civil rights struggle. “Including Samuel” is an excellent way for people to be introduced to and challenged on the subject.

-D. Phelps Sprinkle, Topics Education founding partner

This guy is for real

2010-08-01T22:28:00.004-04:00

Our friend Charlie Wittmack is attempting something no one else has ever dreamed up. The World Tri: an 11 month journey from London to Mt. Everest. He's currently swimming the Thames, then across the English Channel, biking to Kathmandu (yes, Nepal), and climbing up Everest. Unbelievable.

Proud to be a partner.

Technology as a Babysitter

2010-07-26T12:13:00.002-04:00

School is out for the summer and parents searching for activities to keep their children’s boredom at a minimum. Aside from the traditional sleep-away camps, pool days and family vacations, technology has gradually eased the burden placed on parents. Specifically, the advent of the seemingly iPhone has sparked the interest of children around the world with its abundance of apps, video capabilities, music and games. Sounds like the ultimate boredom-slashing solution, right? All a parent has to do is hand the sleek, portable device over to his or her child and can go about their daily activities, knowing that they have supplied hours of instant gratification.

Though the iPhone may be extremely convenient and enjoyable, parents should think twice before deeming the gadget their child’s new nanny. Lack of social interaction and use of imagination are long-term consequences that should be considered when leaving hours of the day to be occupied by technology. To read more about the possible ramifications of the ubiquitous iPhone, look here.

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

2010-07-23T15:54:00.002-04:00

All of us at Topics Education are engaging in discussions on Twitter about issues relevant to this blog. We don’t want you to miss it, so each week, we’ll share some of the highlights here. You can also follow us at @TopicsEducation.

Animatronic Dragons? Have you heard? http://ow.ly/2fhgw [video inside]
Very interesting! RT @fastcompany Paging Dr. 3PO. New Robot Surgeons Can Operate Without Human Assistance http://ow.ly/2f59q #BiopsyBot #3d
RT @nprpolitics Today's Junkie Segment On TOTN: Shirley Sherrod, Race And The Media's Role http://ow.ly/2eIEH
RT @dcarli: Green Business Forecast Shows Strong Growth Ahead http://bit.ly/ci3OfE
Upside 1- http://ow.ly/2e4Zk Upside 2- RT @EEWeek Gulf oil spill inspires young artists http://ow.ly/2e506
Thoughts on our blog around single-gender schools... http://ow.ly/2e7vj. Original article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://ow.ly/2e7wC
RT @theobserver: Ask.com's Top 10 Things People are asking about Charlotte http://ow.ly/2e4hg ^ericfraz
Oh summer days RT @activekidsclub New post AKC : "Sea, Shell, Salt" http://ow.ly/2dC82 #playoutdoors
Why give? RT @kanter Free webinar...with Dan Ariely on the upside of irrationality http://cot.ag/aS0BXL - explores donor motivations

Animatronic Dragons

2010-07-22T16:19:00.005-04:00

Here at Topics, we support almost all STEM education efforts, but this animatronic dragon has us scratching our heads. Do students really need to learn how to build fire-breathing robots?

Dale Dougherty, founder of MAKE Magazine, thinks that building robots could be just the sort of project twenty-first century students need. Dougherty and other “Makers,” a growing group of tech enthusiasts, believe that tearing apart technology and making it into something new is the key to learning how our technologically advanced society functions. "The hands-on imperative means getting your hands on a computer to open it up and see how it was made to figure out how to make use of it," Dougherty said.

Do these crazy contraptions really represent the future of our children’s education? Find out more and decide for yourself by clicking here.

Thoughts Single-Gender Schools

2010-07-20T15:07:00.005-04:00

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran an article about the questions raised by gender-separated public schools. While the practice has long been prevalent in private schools, it is still controversial in the public sector.

The article raised some interesting points:

Would single-gender schools inhibit students ability to learn the social skills required by the coed world outside of the schoolhouse?
If the single-gender model is most likely to improve achievement for elementary-aged students, is high school too late to use the model to alter learning styles and bad habits?
Do single-gender schools reinforce the gender stereotypes that boys are competitive and girls are passive?

We agree with Dr. Pedro Noguera, author of "City Schools and the American Dream," as quoted in the article: "The things to focus on are safe schools, good teachers and mentoring."

The rest of the article serves as an excellent start to conversation and debate. Continue reading the article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette here, and let us know your thoughts.

[Photo courtesy of Valerie Everett]

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

2010-07-15T12:11:00.003-04:00

Shazam for art! RT @nytimesbusiness State of the Art: Apps That Don’t Exist, but Should http://ow.ly/2bziX
RT @BBBSatl: It's a Big day for BBBSMA! Not only are we 50 Years old, we are celebrating the graduation of several of our Littles. Congratulations!
Danish study found that simply cycling to work lowered the risk of death by 40%. http://bit.ly/aJuA9k
Thoughts on our blog and kudos to @worldchanging - the top five most liked stories of 2010 - so far! http://ow.ly/2b0Kw
RT @jt_topics: Your phone wants you to check your blood sugar - Health - Health care - msnbc.com http://bit.ly/bhjXkW
Short video included RT @dcarli “Environmental Consciousness” New Forth Pillar of Consumer Branding http://ow.ly/2aMmJ
RT @greentweet: For those feeling EXTRA-crafty: Make Your Own Rechargeable, Water-Powered Battery [DIY] http://ow.ly/2a9DN #Ecomonday
Hint: education focus RT @DanielPink: Quote of the day: The real reason China is laughing at the US http://bit.ly/armbiP (via the Pink Blog)

From Worldchanging: "The Top Five Stories from 2010, So Far"

2010-07-13T16:30:00.006-04:00

The team over at Worldchanging compiled a top five list of what stories the blog's readers have liked most so far this year.

"Over 1.8 million [readers] have visited the site in the last 6 months", and the top five stories range from the "unknowable future" to Bill Gates' climate speech.

Since we generally like Top Five lists, we wanted to share this one with you. You can check the rest of it out here.

(Photo courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center via flickr.)

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

2010-07-08T16:28:00.002-04:00

RT @Discovery: RT @BearGrylls: My Dad always told me, "Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.”
Another reason why Corporate Social Responsibility is important... http://ow.ly/27Awg
Our July eNews comes out tomorrow!! Have you registered? Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox or your reader! http://ow.ly/27APf
Our eNews is out! You can see the articles on our blog! http://ow.ly/28b32
RT @TakePart: Junk Food Bust: Federal Standards Restrict Marketing to Kids http://bit.ly/bKw0IU

Like Driver's Ed ...

2010-07-08T15:10:00.006-04:00

Definitely count me among the fans of The New Yorker. My only complaint is that I'm rarely able to read as much of it as I'd like. Some time on the beach should help remedy that ...

Okay. I'm back. Had a quick vision of being on the beach with a view, a breeze, a magazine, and a drink. Though I rarely read as much as I'd like, I rarely miss reading the Financial Page. James Surowiecki's piece in the current issue must be shared, read, and shared some more!

He writes about financial literacy -- well, illiteracy, really. I especially love his analogy to driver’s ed — I’ve also been using that analogy for a while. A few years ago I was invited to present to a committee of the National Association of State Boards of Education charged with making recommendations to state boards about integrating personal financial education. I used the driver’s ed analogy with them and then again not too long after that in a report we wrote on behalf of the NC Treasurer’s Office that they used as ammo to get funding from the legislature for its mandate to teach financial education.

There are also a number of compelling elements in the piece outside the analogy! I've got to think that the more people read and write about (and share!) this topic, the more we'll be, uh ... driven to address the financial literacy/illiteracy in this country!

World Cup+Vuvuzela+blender = whew

2010-07-08T12:32:00.003-04:00

In case you dislike the vuvuzela, check out this video from BlendTec.

http://willitblend.com/videos.aspx?type=unsafe&video=vuvuzela

Working with Cablevision's Power to Learn

2010-07-06T12:00:00.003-04:00

Looking to expand the content of its educational website, Cablevision’s Power to Learn hired Topics to create content devoted to health and wellness. This content covers an array of health and wellness topics and is written in ways to make the material engaging and accessible to “tween"-aged students and beyond (grades 3–12). The component should go live before school resumes in the fall.

Uhhh, no thanks

2010-07-06T11:17:00.005-04:00

New award opportunity just popped up, the Clio Healthcare Awards. On the invitation is a photo of a urine sample, with this copy -- "Do you produce sick creative? We will contact you if the results are positive."

Really?

Come on. Hopefully, people are generating creative that adds to the healthcare conversation. Not sure a urine sample tells that story. And the overuse of the term 'sick' is in poor taste.

That's just my opinion, however....

Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility

2010-07-06T11:07:00.003-04:00

The team here at Topics has always been a fan of corporate social responsibility. We believe it gives greater meaning to one's work. Susan Thomas, assistant director of electronic communications at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, wrote today about a study linking corporate social responsibility programs and employee commitment.

She writes: "We’ve always thought corporate citizenship offers a great way to engage employees, and a new study by the Center for Creative Leadership confirms that corporate social responsibility programs are linked to how committed an employee is to an employer."

Click here to read the original posting.

Weekly Recap of @TopicsEducation on Twitter

2010-07-02T10:34:00.002-04:00

Our July eNews comes out next week- have you registered? Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox or your reader! http://ow.ly/26hTb
We can't wait for pictures! RT @nprnews NASA's Flying Telescope Sees Early Success http://ow.ly/26gyV
RT @mashable: WordPress Now Lets You Phone in Your Blog Posts - http://ow.ly/25ZtA
Have you seen the "Fast Lane" brought to you by @volkswagen? Video on our blog. http://ow.ly/25XN7
Meet Charlie Wittmack. RT @TheWorldTri: Charlie took 1st stroke of this 10,225mi journey today at 10:54am CST. Watch the 1st video: http://fb.me/ukdQ7aYx
Easy and effective. RT @TakePart Today's 5-minute action: Help reduce deforestation by canceling your junk mail http://ow.ly/25R21
RT @BBBSatl: Looking for an Independence Day activity w/ your Little? Share your favorite holiday recipe or "battle" story about overcoming obstacles
They should be synonymous, yes. RT @Justmeans Good Design = Sustainable Design http://ow.ly/25pb0
Another post from one of our summer interns! On Bullying: When Should Schools Step In? http://ow.ly/25p7r
One of our summer interns put her first post on Three Sticks today! Check it out here http://ow.ly/24W1E
RT @College_Success: RT @tvanderark: 3 keys from @BillGates: close bad charters, innovate, & scale #ncsc #charterschool
"Not a question of if, but when" RT @PublicAgenda Cell phones as educational tools http://ow.ly/24HaU #edtech
RT @Justmeans: How Sustainable is Big Organic? http://bit.ly/ag2mre #Justmeans