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The Salem News ran an edited version of this article. Here is the full length version. Vocational Education isn’t what it used to be.  If you graduated high school prior to 1990, your perceptions of, and experience with, vocational education is undoubtedly out of date.  It is no longer just an  alternative pathway for kids who are not on a college track nor is it an academic track that prepares students for entry levels jobs that only require a high school education or where academic expectations

September 16, 2012 | Leon Neyfakh | Source: Boston Globe When Harvard University announced last month that it was investigating 125 students for cheating on a take-home exam, most of the ensuing public fuss focused on the students: whether they were kids wrongfooted by the requirements of an unpredictable class, as they claimed, or sneaky overachievers driven to cut corners by some mix of ambition and laziness. But beyond the question of the moral fiber of Harvard students, there was another player in the drama: the

In a recent article in the New York Times entitled “Is Algebra Needed?” by Andrew Hacker, (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/opinion/sunday/is-algebra-necessary.html?&pagewanted=all) Mr. Hacker states that “making mathematics mandatory prevents us from discovering and developing young talent…..and from depleting our pool of brainpower.” Mr.  Hacker states that failure to meet math requirements are the primary reason for dropping out of high school and college.  His claim is largely based on anecdotal evidence. However, even if math was a reason for many to drop out, why are we presuming it is math

A large percentage of high school students are disengaged from learning.  Nationwide 50% of these students do not go on to any post-secondary education (38% here in Essex County, MA). I have always been an engaged learner so it has been a long path for me to realize that for many, learning can appear to be irrelevant and, yes, boring. In fact, this is the most common reason students cite for dropping out. These students see no clear connection between their schoolwork and the “real world.” 

Yibelis Pena graduated Salem High School in 2010 and North Shore Community College in 2012 and will be attending Northeastern University in the Fall of 2012 as a transfer student.  Yibelis was a speaker at the Great Expectations Event and spoke about the value of college success programs in support students through graduation.  Yibelis received generous scholarships from Northeastern and the Steven Phillips Scholarship. Good evening! I would like to start off by congratulating both the high school and college class of 2012 on your success.

This is the speech that one of our students gave at our Great Expecations fundraiser on June 5, 2012. This compelling speech describes the challenges immigrant youth face when they come to the US as teenagers and how after-school academic programs provide needed supports and social capital. Johanna graduated Salem High School in 2010, North Shore Community College in 2012 and will be entering Northeastern University in September, 2012 as a transfer student with generous scholarships from the Steven Phillips Scholarship and Northeastern University. Good Evening

This was a speech given by Linda Saris, Director of Salem CyberSpace at its Great Expectations Fundraiser June 5, 2012 In a book entitled Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard Chip Heath a professor from Stanford and his brother Dan Heath, a researcher and consultant at Duke, ask why it is so hard to making lasting change in our companies, our communities and our lives.  I was fortunate to hear Dr. Heath speak at Stanford and one of his stories really hit home

Wow, it has been a long time since I have blogged.  Life has a way of intervening doesn’t it?  I recently had the opportunity of traveling to Argentina with my family.  After coming up with many reasons not to go (too expensive, not a good time, etc.), I finally gave in to the pleasures of vacation and a first-time trip to South America and the Southern Hemisphere.  I had only a month to prepare for this trip and worked furiously to finish all my grant applications,

Several recent studies on homework have been nothing less than, well, inconclusive.  Studies seem to show that: Older youth benefit more from homework than younger youth Lower income youth benefit less than their wealthier peers Some homework is beneficial but excessive homework has diminishing returns Quality homework – that is, homework that creatively expands a student’s understanding of material covered in class – is better than drill and kill homework There are homework benefits that cannot be measured such as learning how to work independently or