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?
By Cal Colgan | jcolgan@flagler.edu
Class is about to begin. Today’s lesson starts with a simple question: How effective are state tests at determining student performances?
Ah, good. You realize this is a loaded question. After all, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test is one of the most controversial standardized tests in the Sunshine State’s public schools. Since its passage in 1996, the FCAT has garnered praise from lawmakers and harsh criticism from teachers and their advocates.
By Caroline Young | cyoung1@flagler.edu
St. John’s County superintendent Joseph Joyner said it is near impossible to compare the U.S.’s educational success with the rest of the world.
The Globe
“We have different tests and assessments than other countries,” he said.