By Emily Braunstein The University of Florida’s Whitney laboratory for Marine Bioscience is advocating for marine life through education. They provide hands-on science education for K-12, undergraduate, graduate and doctorate students. Nearly 4,000 K-12 students were involved in Whitney’s science programs last year. The Whitney…
By Chloe Smith An ongoing lawsuit by book publishers against the State of Florida is shaping up to be one of the most significant cases in the fight for the freedom to read. Yet, it’s just a part of a hefty handful of legal battles…
By Julie Householder | gargoyle@flagler.edu For Flagler College Alumnus Zach McKenna, launching a business in St. Augustine was more than just creating kayak and boat tours for tourists. McKenna wanted his business to help change the way people treated local ecosystems. “The idea of starting…
By Murphy Stidham and Kathleen Bajalia | gargoyle@flagler.edu Counting more than just sheep before sleep can help parents teach their children math skills. A new iPad app turns solving math problems into a game. “Bedtime Math” makes learning math less intimidating for parents and children,…
By Montana Samuels | gargoyle@flagler.edu It’s a cloudy day, with rain coming down for most of the morning. Small houses, some with clean, landscaped yards are sprinkled in with the majority that remain on the verge of unkempt. Upon first look, nothing stands out about…
The fear of losing a job over performance wasn’t as big a concern for Florida’s teachers in the past. But when the state eliminated tenure for public school teachers in 2011, it left many entering the field of education questioning whether they had a future teaching in Florida. Tenure is a position given to teachers that guarantees the safety of their job until they decide to leave or retire. In 2011, Florida decided to do away with tenure in favor of a system that rewards teachers for student performance on tests.
By Gracie Stackhouse | gargoyle@flagler.edu As graduating college seniors, we can all agree that there is one looming question constantly hanging over our heads. Most of us probably hear it on a daily basis, and quite frankly it’s terrifying and intimidating. Like a loaded…
By Emily Topper | gargoyle@flagler.edu With a focus on testing, Common Core results in more stress, not knowledge. The re-election of Gov. Rick Scott means more changes for education in Florida—but many Florida residents think the changes could cause more harm than good. Though Scott…
Joseph’s Academy in St. Augustine, Fla. will become one of the first schools to pursue a one-to-one program where each student will have a Google Chromebook.
By Lindy Almony | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Americans speak often about investing in the future with K-12 education. President Barack Obama said during a speech in February that, “Education is an investment that we need to win the future.”
How much, though, do we really invest in education in this country? And how much does the success of our education programs depend on the teachers?