Applebatch

The Number of Disheartened Teachers is on the Rise!

2009-11-10T14:36:00.000-06:00

An article featured in Education Week reports the findings of a study showing that 2 out of every 5 teachers are “disheartened” by their jobs. This was a nationwide study of teachers called “Teaching for a Living: How Teachers See the Profession Today.”

The study of the Teacher Community is taking a closer look at what motivated educators to get into the field as well as their attitudes towards teaching. The study showed that about 40% of the teachers surveyed are disheartened about their jobs and their teaching environments. These teachers sited a lack of support from their principals and other administrators, and they also were concerned with their working conditions and student behavior. More than half of the teachers who fell into the disheartened category teach in “low-income” schools.

There are 2 other categories considered in the study; they are labeled “Contented”, which make up 37% of the teachers surveyed, and “Idealists” which made up the last 23%. Contented teachers reported excellent working conditions and experience in the profession. Idealists report that they became teachers to help disadvantaged students and they feel that their teaching greatly increases the test scores of their students.

An attempt should be made to take these findings into account in order to help improve the morale of education professionals. I think a good way to improve moral in teachers is to provide them with a Teacher Network to help teachers feel less isolated from their peers and to gain support from peers who may be going through similar situations and may have some advice. In any situation, professional or not it is important to have connections to peers.

Applebatch.com offers teachers a place to go and discuss these and other issues. It also provides a forum for education professionals to seek help with lesson plans as well as career advice and opportunities. We understand that teachers need to have a way to voice their opinions.

Setting New Standards for High School Students

2009-11-03T14:34:00.000-06:00

In an article on September 25th, U.S. News and World Report stated that the nation’s governors and state education officials have banded together to propose a standard for all public school students. They have received help from the National Education Association, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Council of Teachers of English, the College Board, the ACT testing program and Achieve Inc., a standards reform group. The current academic standards are different in each state, but the new proposal will have all K-12 students learning the same things.

The standards will require a certain set of Math and English skills from all high school graduates. The English revisions focus on reading and writing proficiencies as well as speaking and listening abilities, including presenting information and advancing a discussion by responding with more than a yes or no. In math, students should be able to construct viable arguments, master complex problems as well as be familiar with probability and statistics. This will require the math Teacher Community to rework much of its current curriculum.

Though Applebatch promotes equal education for all, we understand that teachers will need a lot of assistance reworking their lesson plans. We also understand that some students may need more help reaching these goals. That is why it will be more important than ever to use a Teacher Network.

Applebatch.com is available to all educators and gives them an opportunity to share and upload free resources, grow their professional network and search for teaching jobs in a convenient online environment. Please join Applebatch.com and tell us what you think about this new proposal.

How About An Apple Martini for the Teacher?

2009-10-27T10:28:00.001-05:00

Applebatch.com hosted its first Networking event on Thursday October 22nd at Martini Park in Chicago. The “Ed Cocktail” was a success! Approximately 140 educators from the Chicago Teacher Community attended the event at Martini Park and enjoyed a night of free drinks, prizes and socializing. The guests networked with fellow educators from all over the Chicagoland area. The first 11 people who arrived received prizes including gift cards for pizza, popular venues in downtown Chicago, athletic clothes from Lucy and free drinks at Argo Tea. The attendees had the opportunity to chat with representatives from Applebatch, and their lead sponsors, Varsity Tutors and The Classmate Ltd.

CEO of Applebatch.com, George Hammer, also attended the successful event, “Educators are some of the most wonderful people to meet with because they are both professional and laid back. Thank you to everyone who came out to make this event so enjoyable.”

If you attended the event, please let us know what you thought. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Feeling a little left out? That’s ok! Applebatch is hosting it’s next Teacher Network event on January 16th, 2010 at John BarleyCorn. Register now to reserve your ticket!

Are books needed in schools?

2009-10-20T14:36:00.000-05:00

James Tracy, the headmaster of Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Connecticut, told the Boston Globe that “the last thing a school library needs these days is books. What it really needs is a good cappuccino machine.” This, as you could imagine, is stirring up a lot of controversy among parents of the New England prep school.

Administrators at the prep school have given away many of the library’s collection of classic novels, popular poetry books, and several reference books. They are trashing the books and purchasing a $500,000 digital learning center. The digital learning center will include flat screen TV’s, cubbies for laptops and a small coffee shop with a $12,000 cappuccino machine. For those of you that don’t know what a digital learning center is, it is over 10,000 novels in a 5 pound lap top form folder. The librarian who has been at the prep school for over 17 years told the Globe she will miss the books that have been a part of her life for over the past decade. She says “there’s a sensual side to them - - the smell, feel. The physicality of a book is something really special.”

Here at Applebatch.com, we feel that it is imperative to utilize diverse learning platforms and channels. We believe in books, online learning and other innovative methods because different people are better at learning through different methods. The question that have been crossing the minds of parents is, will schools pay for their child’s glasses when they are staring at these “digital learning” screens all day? And the question raised for the Teacher Community is when a student is doing research and the computers are backed up by other students - -what then?

Applebatch is a professional network for educators of all ages and grades to come together and share their opinion on subjects such as this one. Teachers all over the nation are coming together and joining in our Teacher Network. Here teachers can not only discuss subjects such as this one, but also find a variety of networking tools to help in their job search or assist in the classroom.

Free K-12 teacher networking event in Chicago on Oct. 22nd

2009-10-09T15:33:00.000-05:00

Illinois Teachers: You are invited to “Ed Cocktail”…Chicago’s premier social networking event exclusively for K-12 working professionals. The first 200 to register at http://edcocktail.eventbrite.com will receive 2 free drinks, appetizers and free admission. Come enjoy some time outside of school with your colleagues and make new friends. Hurry, space is limited.

Date: Thursday October 22nd – CPS staff development day the following day.
Place: Martini Park, Chicago
Time: 6pm
Register at http://edcocktail.eventbrite.com
The event is free for all educators thanks to our sponsors: Varsity Tutors & The Classmate LTD

Education Reformation by 2010!

2009-10-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

On September 23, 2009, USA Today published an article about the U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, trying to gather the support of educators nationwide to help him reform education in this country. He hopes to have new education legislation close to passed by early in 2010. Duncan points out in a speech that he made on Thursday September 24, that after 50 years of school reform and education ruling, the country is still waiting for the day when all the children in the United States have access to high quality education. Duncan is urging various education groups to take a more active role in helping and promoting education reform.

Duncan and other groups are looking to improve upon the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). He hopes to promote a well-rounded education, which was passed in Congress with overwhelming numbers, but now has lost many of the supporters. In the Teacher Community there have been many criticisms of NCLB. One of the biggest criticisms regarding NCLB is that it focuses too much on teaching for standardized tests.

Applebatch wants to know what ideas teachers have for reforming the No Child Left Behind Act. Should it be reformed or totally redone? There are so many criticisms of the act. Will NCLB be able to overcome these critiques and successfully reform the nation’s education system, or would it be better to scrap the idea for a whole new plan of attack?

How has the No Child Left Behind impacted you in your classroom? Has it caused great changes in your method of teaching? Do you have any tips for others about helping to improve the success of students? We know that you have an opinion about this issue, and through our online Teacher Network you can discuss your opinions and ideas with other educators, talk about what needs to be done to reform our nation’s education system, or even discuss and share the ways you have discovered to work around the bureaucratic system.

A New Page in the Digital Age?

2009-10-08T14:00:00.001-05:00

Kindle, a digital textbook, may be the next thing students have in their lockers. On August 25th, U.S. News and World Report announced that the Democratic Leadership Council wants to give students a Kindles, portable hardware devices, instead of print textbooks. If executed the pilot program would involve 400,000 students and could be implemented nationwide if it is deemed a success.

Kindles will let students wirelessly download and read digital textbooks. Instead of carrying many textbooks, students will be able to carry a Kindle with all of their E-textbooks on it. However, the books do not offer any videos or interactive tools that may help the Teacher Community. Another problem is that many schools use textbooks that are not available electronically. This means teachers may have to adjust to using an entirely new textbook series, which may not be as great as their previous textbook.

However, many schools are already using digital versions of their textbooks. Students at some high schools can register for online classes and read E-textbooks. Elementary school students can even view video demonstrations of science experiments and take complete math lessons on school computers. If you are a teacher in a school using these new programs, Applebatch.com (a free online community dedicated to helping educators stay connected and share resources with other K-12 teaching professionals) wants to hear about your experience. Please take advantage of our free Teacher Network site to talk with fellow teachers from across the nation and share your thoughts.

Innovation for more Motivation…Robots?

2009-10-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

The ‘Directgov, public service all in one place’ recently announced that High School aged students will soon be able to get their diploma in more areas than just general education. Different types of diplomas, 17 to be exact, will soon be added to the curriculum of High School-aged students that fit a more specific area of their interest. Soon selected schools will be offering Diploma qualifications right next to the magnet schools or the more advanced schools in the country.

Starting September 2010, more importance on the essential skills such as Math, English, and Computer Technology will be given to young adults to prepare them for work in the “real world.” Whether it is to head directly into college or start their career after High School. The teacher community is a way for us to find this change as a reward for the sole purpose that individual students are finding their “nitch” other than the mainstream curriculum that they are offered at school.

As far as, High School-aged students (who may feel like nothing is of importance other than texting) may find a program such as this very rewarding in more ways than one. First, young adults can FINALLY find a subject that sparks interest in them and keep them entertained during a whole class period. Second, a student may finally feel as though they can be proud of themselves for working so hard and achieving what another student could only dream about. And lastly, it would show young students that they can create an opportunity that helps them develop basic skills that can form them into a bright young professional right out of High School.

Applebatch Teacher Network, is a private social group for educators of all ages and grades K-12 to come together and share their opinion on subjects such as this one. Should every High School in the country have the Program 14-19 offered in their community? Would young adults have a more positive career opportunity once they graduate? Http://applebatch.com offers answers along with food for thought. We as teachers must show students with little motivation they are better than good at something; their GREAT! It may not be English or History...maybe it’s robotics that they strive to work in. It’s up to us to make changes, and seek to find more advanced opportunities for the youth of tomorrow’s future.

Luring Students Back to Learning

2009-10-07T10:13:00.003-05:00

Should educators use money to stimulate attendance and create better grades? The New York Times reports that in July of 2009, the French Government released a list of 165 initiatives proposed to stymie high school dropout rates that have led to high youth unemployment in France. Among these initiatives is an incentive-based proposal that has fomented a debate in the teacher community in France since its more public pronunciation by the newspaper Le Parisien last Friday. By committing to an attendance and performance target, high schoolers can earn from €2,000 to €10,000 for their class fund that can then be spent on educational activities such as field trips.

Organizations both right- and left-leaning have criticized this initiative, but we at Applebatch would prefer to take part in a conversation on the merits or demerits of incentive-based learning. Though we can all idealistically agree with the critique of Philippe Vrand, president of the French parent’s group P.E.E.P., that “money should never motivate students,” the initiative seems to avoid this general condemnation. Instead of paying students directly (last September, for example, Chicago Public Schools started a program called Green for Grade$ where students could earn $50 for each A), this initiative feeds into a class fund that is then used to further the students’ education.

At first blush, such a program seems to avoid the objection of bribery while remaining flexible to the individual schools. Rather than the government setting a general goal, the classes themselves set the attendance and performance benchmarks, leaving the government in charge of how much to offer each class relative to the quality of the benchmark. In addition, specifying that the money goes to a class fund for the class as a whole – not for individual students – offers the possibility for the incentive itself to further encourage education – such as by using the money for class driving lessons.

The question, then, is: do the incentive programs work? How would you engineer a government-financed incentive program for encouraging education and attendance, or are material incentives off-limits from the start? Do you use incentive programs in your classroom? Come offer your strategies and criticisms with us online by joining the Applebatch Teacher Network!

Give social media a chance in schools! The administration ways of blocking access to information is not democratic.

2009-09-09T13:22:00.002-05:00

Social media sites are becoming extremely popular across all ages. This has also raised concern from teachers and education board members. While some teachers and lecturers use Facebook, Twitter, and texting as means of communicating with students, the school boards are banning access to social networking tools completely. At the Applebatch Teacher Community , we strive to help teachers and provide them with all the necessary tools for inside and outside of their classrooms.

Chicago Public Schools, as well as Concordia University and the New Brunswick Department of Education, have blocked access to Facebook and Twitter at schools and require its teachers to communicate with students through their official email accounts only. One of the main reasons for banning social media in the classroom is the concern for security. At Applebatch, we understand the importance of security, and are pleased to say that we have designed a social media tool for teachers that is secure and safe to use.

Even though some teachers admit that Facebook and Twitter have great potential for learning in the classroom, they are too much of a distraction for students. Since students can use Facebook to follow friends, view pictures, and play games, they get easily distracted using the tool and procrastinate on their intellectual learning. It is recommended that teachers use classroom management systems such as Blackboard or Desire2Learn, which are software packages designed to develop course material and help students communicate and submit their work online.

Social media sites will continue to grow and become more popular. Teachers can also benefit from social media by participating in the Applebatch Teacher Network . Applebatch gives teachers to opportunity to share and upload free resources, meet other educators in the area, grow their professional network, and search for teaching jobs in a safe online environment.

SCHOOL BUS SERVICE TO BE ADDED TO THE CASUALTIES OF BUDGET CUTS

2009-09-03T21:00:00.002-05:00

School districts that are feeling the pressure of budget cuts are turning to limiting bus service to save money. The move is made to prevent cutting anything that would hurt the classroom. This move has been met with a lot of outrage from the families in the various school districts. Parents are trying to figure out new work schedules that will allow for drop off and pick up, while other parents are worried about their child’s safety if they have to cross busy streets and dangerous intersections.

With school budgets seemingly getting smaller by the day, Applebatch is proud to still offer a free service to teachers. Teachers are given a place where they can come, for free, to share resources, solve problems, and find mentors. Budgets are getting tighter and schools are looking to shave every penny they can. Applebatch being free helps the teachers and the school budgets.

Another feature that Applebatch offers that can help cut costs is their teacher network. The teacher network allows teachers to come together and solve common problems. Teachers can find way of saving money together. This way hopefully some districts can keep their busses on the road.

Lastly, Applebatch can help districts by offering cheap job postings. Applebatch teacher jobs is a place where schools can post job openings exclusively on http://applebatch.com and the school will know only qualified teachers will see the job posting.

In these days, with budgets and school buses going down, Applebatch is proud to present possible solutions to today’s problems. Please join Applebatch.com and let us know what you think.

PARENT GROUPS MUST FUND TEACHER AIDES ONCE AGAIN

2009-09-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

After much debate over the necessity of teacher aides, the City Department of Education and the teachers’ union have finally reached an agreement. As mentioned in a previous blog, the city had banned parents’ associations from directly hiring school aides because the union felt that the assistants were doing the work of teachers and were entitled to union wages and benefits. The agreement settled on allowing principals to hire school aides with the money that is raised by parents’ groups. At the Applebatch Teacher Community , we are excited to see how the new agreement will work out.

Parent groups and teachers depend on the aides to monitor hallways, tie shoelaces, and most importantly allow teachers in crowded classrooms to concentrate more in instruction. The teacher aides will be paid by parent associations and their salaries will be placed on the official school budget, which makes the aides eligible for union protection. However, the aides are prohibited from performing any teaching work and must focus on staff support.

The agreement expires at the end of the school year. Along with the Education Department and union officials, Applebatch hopes that a long-term solution is created by then. This may include the creation of an internship program for the aides, as suggested by the president of the union, the United Federation of Teachers, Michael Mulgrew.

At Applebatch, we hope to provide teachers with all the necessary resources, including the help of teaching aides. Through this Teacher Network , both educators and their assistants can find teaching jobs in their areas. We want to encourage all teachers to take advantage of our free resources and share their experiences and ideas at http://applebatch.com.

A NEW APPROACH TO TEACHING LITERATURE

2009-09-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

The New York Times recently published an article entitled “A New Assignment: Pick the Books You Like” discussing the movement to revolutionize the way literature is taught in America’s schools. The teacher community has been divided in whether or not this new approach is beneficial for students’ development in literature and reading.

An approach known as the “reading workshop” has been catching on in schools nationwide. Students choose their own books, discuss them individually with their teacher and one another, and keep detailed journals about their reading. In New York City many elementary schools and some middle schools already use versions of reading workshop. In September students in Seattle’s public middle schools will also begin choosing most of their own books. And in Chicago the public school district has had a pilot program in place since 2006 in 31 of its 483 elementary schools to give students in grades 6, 7 and 8 more control over what they read. Chicago officials will consider whether to expand the program once they review its results.

Applebatch.com wants to know what teachers think regarding this method. Critics of the approach say that reading the same book as a group generally leads to more meaningful insights, and they question whether teachers can really keep up with a roomful of children reading different books. Even more important, they say, is the loss of a common body of knowledge based on the literary classics — often difficult books that children are unlikely to choose for themselves.

What do you think about the reading workshop approach? Participate in our online teacher network to meet other K-12 teaching professionals and discuss important education topics such as this. It is important to stay connected to other educators and Applebatch is here to help.

NEW YORK CITY TO OPEN 21 NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER

2009-08-26T11:53:00.000-05:00

According to the New York Times, charter schools are showing a minor but growing niche for the building and design industries in the New York City area. On September 21 new charter schools will open, however, only two of those will be in new buildings. These schools are being placed in historically poor neighborhoods such as the South Bronx, Brooklyn, and Harlem. Applebatch offers several services that would help these charter schools at http://applebatch.com

This is important news because it shows that New York is not turning away from education in the times of recession. When these schools open in September, they are going to need to staff them with teachers. Exclusive Applebatch teacher jobs can help with the hiring of these teachers. Schools can post jobs on Applebatch and know that only people who are serious about teaching will see these job postings.

If a charter school accepts public money for construction, the city requires that the school raise 10 percent to 33 percent of the project’s cost from private sources. Applebatch offers a free teacher network for teachers that helps eliminate the cost for teachers trying to come together on their own. In these days, every opportunity you get to save money is a good opportunity.

Also, because these schools are being put in poorer neighborhoods, the teachers may run into problems they may not have anticipated. Applebatch’s teacher community can help teachers in need. If a teacher needs help he or she can ask the Community for advice. Anyone who has any advice can give it to help out a fellow colleague.

LEARNING IN A COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT, ONLINE OR IN-PERSON

2009-08-25T11:51:00.000-05:00

After conducting an extensive report on online education, SRI International for the Department of Education concluded that students who use online resources perform better than those who learn in a classroom setting. The study found that students who do some or all of their course online rank in the 59th percentile in tested performance, whereas students who learn only in the classroom score in the 50th percentile. Even though it seems that students who take advantage of online resources score better, it does not mean that a classroom setting is not essential to their education. That is why, at Applebatch, our Teacher Network provides teachers with the resources they need in the classroom and online.

Online education is a helpful tool for students because it provides learning resources that are more tailored to individual students than it is possible in classrooms. It allows students to ‘learn by doing’, which helps them understand concepts better. Online education is expected to grow because of it success as well as the popularity of social networking technology. Students will continue to use online resources and be able to help and teach each other.

Philip R. Regier, dean of Arizona State University’s Online and Extended Campus program, stated that online learning communities will be created by students to enrich their education. However, learning will never be an independent, personal activity. “Learning has to occur in a community”, Mr. Regier said. Applebatch couldn’t agree more. Community is an essential part to learning and expanding knowledge. While students are forming their own online communities to help one another, Applebatch has already provided a teacher community for educators. Teachers can take advantage of the Applebatch Teacher Community to share resources, discuss education news, build their professional network, and continue to enhance their careers.

THE FUTURE FOR HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCHES LOOKS PROMISING

2009-08-24T11:48:00.002-05:00

The New York Times recently published an article about Ann Cooper, who has made a career out of improving the quality of public school food. She was recently invited to The School Nutrition Association’s upcoming conference to discuss Lunch Box, a system she developed to encourage school districts to begin cooking mostly local food from scratch.

President Obama put an extra $1 billion for child nutrition programs, including school food, in his 2010 budget proposal. Congress will take up the Child Nutrition Act in October, providing $12 billion to pay for lunch and breakfast for 31 million schoolchildren. The Department of Agriculture is expected to upgrade school food nutrition standards this year, many of which haven’t been changed for nearly 15 years.

Obviously, the American government has recognized the current childhood obesity problem and is making great strides in the effort to improve it. The teacher community has no doubt identified this as a problem in their own schools. More schools and teachers have already made an attempt to provide healthier food for their students.

We at Applebatch believe in keeping our students healthy and hope that the government keeps its promise in developing new strategies to achieve this goal. It is essential for kids to eat nutritious food to give them the energy they need to excel in the classroom.

We encourage you to use our teacher network to discuss how you or your school has contributed to the crusade for better school lunches. Together, teachers can make a difference in the lives of their students.

CURBING THE SCHOOL NURSE SHORTAGE

2009-08-17T13:31:00.001-05:00

The USA Today is reporting that according to U.S. Census data the average number of students that a school nurse treats is 971. Also in this report says that 13 states are over 2,000 students per school nurse. The National Association of School Nurses conducted its own survey in 2007 and they found the number to be closer to 1,151 students per school nurse. Neither of these figures are encouraging as both are over the recommended number of 750 students per school nurse.

Clearly, this is not good news for the national teacher community or nursing community. More health professionals are required to protect our children in schools. Applebatch started an essay contest for teachers to ask them what they would do with $1 million in stimulus funds. Is the right about of stimulus funds being allocated to special ed and health professionals?

The National Association of School Nurses also recommends a ratio of 1 nurse per 225 students that require "daily professional school nursing services" and 1 nurse per 125 students in schools with "complex health care needs.” This could be helped by Applebatch’s teacher network. Teachers would be able to discuss with each other ways to deal with problems if their school does not have proper school nurse coverage.

These are not the only ways teachers and school nurses can benefit from collaboration. Through our website, http://applebatch.com, Applebatch gives teachers a free and easy-to-use forum to discuss their ideas on how to help out the nursing community in their schools.

ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

2009-08-17T13:26:00.000-05:00

CNN recently published a story titled “Dumpster diving + computer = 100 trees” about a high school chemistry teacher who frequently goes Dumpster diving for discarded computers. Jude Ndambuki, a Kenya native, has been restoring computers, printers and other electronic educational resources for the past eight years to send them to grateful students back home.

Ndambuki began the “Help Kenya Project” in which he asks that recipients plant 100 trees for every computer they receive. He hopes to encourage a greener, more prosperous future for Kenya by connecting computer recycling, educational development and environmental conservation. “Kids in Kenya need to know technology. It’s the way of the world, and they will be left behind without it,” Ndambuki said.

Applebatch recognizes the importance of technology in education, as well as the power that every teacher holds. It is inspiring to see one high school chemistry teacher making such a difference in the lives of others.

Applebatch encourages educators to participate in our Teacher Community to discuss important topics such as technology in education and helping less fortunate students.

The “Help Kenya Project” is just one example of the many efforts to help students both in and outside America. Perhaps you have a similar story in which you or a colleague has pulled together personal resources to help another school. We encourage you to share your personal stories and join our Teacher Network to share new ideas in education and service. We at Applebatch truly believe that teachers can make a difference!

OBAMA USES STICK AND CARROT TO PUSH AGENDA

2009-08-17T13:25:00.000-05:00

The New York Times discuss how President Obama pushes an education shift and persuades states to rewrite their education laws in order to create more charter schools and expand the use of student test scores in evaluating teachers. Schools that do not comply with the new education law will not be eligible for the $4.3 billion stimulus money that will available to about a dozen states. The law is aimed to bring all students to proficiency in reading and math by 2014 and schools that do not meet annual goals will be penalized.

As with any proposed law, there are supporters and critics. Those who are opposed to the education reform are worried that the stimulus funds provide the federal government with the ability to impose bureaucratic demands. Most states however, are supporting the education policy. Illinois (where Applebatch is located), Indiana, Louisiana, and Tennessee have acted to bring their education policies in alignment with President Obama’s school improvement agenda. California, New York, and Wisconsin are currently not eligible for the grant because of state laws that are limiting the use of student achievement data in teacher evaluation.

At Applebatch we hope to provide all the necessary resources to teachers looking to expand their careers and offer blogs and forums to allow teachers to share their ideas. Feel free to share your opinions and invite your friends to applebatch.com and partake in our Teacher Community.

Do you think that your state should change education laws in order to be eligible for the $4.3 billion federal grant? Share your thoughts on our Teacher Network, find resources, search for jobs, and take advantage of all the free stuff offered by Applebatch.

TEACHERS NEED TO BREAK THROUGH THE LEARNING GAP TO ADOPT TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS

2009-08-11T09:55:00.004-05:00

The NY Times recently reported that schools around the country are taking advantage of technology tools for students to use both in and outside the classroom. At some schools, students use computers provided by the school to get their lessons and even hear podcasts of their teachers’ lectures. At other schools, students can register for “digital sections” of certain classes. Websites with teaching tools like http://applebatch.com are even being personally designed by school districts to encourage educators to create and share their own lesson plans. While schools are beginning to address the need for technology, they have yet to realize its full potential and are putting on band-aids to a national need that requires coordination and grand solutions.

The Applebatch team understands how important it is to stay up to date with the latest trends and teaching tools in the classroom, and we want you to know we are here to help! Applebatch.com is building a national teacher community that will connect educators to address some of their problems.

By leveraging the Applebatch.com teacher network, educators can seek help from other educators and demystify new technologies that can be used in the classroom. Teachers can also break down the isolation barriers to build a broad contact database that can help them save time in their current jobs and find teaching jobs when they look to advance their careers.

Whether you want to acquire the latest online tools or search our exclusive database of, Applebatch is a great site for all your teaching needs.

WASTE AND BUREAUCRACIES LEAD TO TEACHER CUTS IN DETROIT

2009-08-11T09:55:00.002-05:00

The USA Today reported that Detroit conducted an audit of its public school system and the results were not encouraging. The audit revealed that the district is wasting large amounts of money on things that are no longer in use or not eligible for the money. We believe that teachers and schools know best how to spend money that affects student outcomes and they should be empowered with more spending decisions.

The article states that in Detroit, $2.1 million a year in healthcare being spent on over 400 dependents that are no longer eligible to earn the money. Also among the money being wasted are 11 motorcycles, 160 unused BlackBerry phones, 97 two-way phones, and dozens of metal detectors and wands. These products should not be going to waste. These products could easily be useful for educators across the Teacher Community.

Due to this wasted money, the district is thinking of filing for federal bankruptcy protection. Also, the Detroit district has overspent its budget the past seven years while enrollment has declined steadily without the corresponding staff cuts or school closings. Clearly the bureaucrats are not the best decision makers when it comes to funneling money to the schools.

Applebatch created an essay contest to prove that our Teacher Network deserves more spending authority. Through our website, http://applebatch.com, Applebatch provides teachers with a free service to connect, collaborate and share.

In addition, we believe that teachers can leverage professional networks and relationships online to help them find new teaching jobs if/when Detroit and other school districts begin to lay-off teachers.

There are many ways that we can help. But the first step is to recognize the problem with the process and only then can we have an open discussion how to revolutionize the legacy systems which do a disservice to our kids.

USE THE TEACHER COMMUNITY TO SURVIVE THE D.A.R.E. BUDGET CUTS

2009-08-11T09:53:00.000-05:00

The Fort Worth Star reported that School districts in North Texas have dropped out of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program because of school budget cuts and the lack of evidence that the program is effective. School districts share the cost of the program with the city or federal funds. The Arlington district’s director of the Safe and Drug-Free School Program, Tony Arangio, stated that the district had to discontinue the program a few years ago because the city was no longer able to continue funding its’ half of the program costs. There was also a reduction of federal Title IV allocations at the same time, which were used to cover the district’s half of the cost, totaling to about $350,000.

However, the program has improved and is still popular with many students and school officials. With its improvements, the program delivers a message that is designed to be concise, cost-effective and current. D.A.R.E. is also redoing their program in high schools to make it video-based, which allows officers to tailor their curriculum to specific areas of the community. In addition, lectures have been replaced by student discussion, enabling classrooms to become more interactive and students to share their own ideas.

It is unfortunate that budget cuts have gotten rid of the helpful D.A.R.E. program. At Applebatch, we believe in the importance of keeping young students safe and healthy. The teacher community can continue to spread the knowledge of the dangers of drugs and gangs with the help of one another. In addition to our online community (http://applebatch.com), we are providing a community page for teachers to share their thoughts and ideas about the matter. Education professionals can enhance their careers but sharing ideas with other professionals, building their teacher network, sharing resources, and staying up to date on current education related news. In addition to these resources, Applebatch also provides users with the opportunity to search for teaching jobs through the website.

Teacher Assistants may lose their jobs

2009-07-28T15:31:00.001-05:00

A controversy regarding teacher assistant’s compensation has spread among top Manhattan public schools. During previous years, parents have helped raise money to hire teacher assistants to help with increasing class sizes. However, Mayor Bloomberg wants to put an end to the practice, making teacher assistant positions included in the school’s official budget. The practice has weakened the city’s teachers’ union because teacher assistants, as employees of the Dept. of Education, are able to nearly double their salary. Many schools have announced that teachers may no longer have jobs in the fall or have suspended hiring new employees.

The issue affects many teachers across the country, not only in the Manhattan area. With class sizes that are continuously growing, teachers need the help of their aides to manage the students and give each pupil the individual attention they need. Applebatch understands the importance of giving students individual attention and the stress that teachers undergo. Therefore, we offer a service to help teachers and schools free of charge. Applebatch provides an online teacher community, where educators can share their resources, find current news in education, and advise and support one another. By expanding their teacher network, they can build mentoring relationships with other education professionals. Applebatch can also help these school hire aides the way Mayor Bloomberg would like to. Teachers can use our large list of teaching jobs to find one that appeals to them. Principals can post teacher and teacher aide jobs to the website as well.

Here at Applebatch, we feel it is important that teachers get the resources and help they need to further educate young minds. By offering these services free of charge, we hope to encourage teachers to enhance their careers by joining a safe and professional online teacher network.

Applebatch believes that teachers deserve the power to make stimulus spending decisions and know best how to spend the money. Prove us right!

2009-07-15T15:34:00.004-05:00

As the Applebatch teacher community continues to grow, we listen to our members and their needs. For the first time in a while, the education industry is finally getting some well deserved stimulus funding. However, where are the funds going and what is to be done with all that money?

At Applebatch, we believe that teachers should have more say in how to spend funds that directly affect their everyday lives. So, we created our “Empowerment Essay Contest” for members in our teacher network and all certified educators across the country.

In 500 words or less, please answer the following question: “If your school received a $1 million stimulus package, how would you spend it and why?”

Entries must be submitted as a Word document via email to info@applebatch.com. All entries must be accompanied by the entrant’s full name, email address, city, state, school, and position (teacher/principle/other). This contest is limited to one entry per person.

The prizes are as follows:

1st Place: 2 Southwest Airlines Round Trip tickets (Up to $500 in total value)
2nd Place: $250 Macy’s gift card
3rd Place: $100 Target gift card
4th Place: $50 Staples gift card
5th Place: $25 Starbucks gift card

The contest was started on July 10, and runs to October 10, 2009. The winners will be chosen on October 17, 2009. No essays will be accepted after October 10. I will contact the winners within three days of the drawing to alert them to being chosen.

The essays will be graded on three factors:

Identification of Issue - 30 points
Plan for Usage of Funds - 40 points
Writing Quality - 30 points

We at Applebatch are very excited to review all the essays and promote the winners to the education community as examples of how teachers deserve more autonomy and empowerment. If you are looking for teaching jobs or looking to hire teachers, don’t forget to check us out at http://applebatch.com. Best of luck and continue to enjoy the summer.

DON’T FORGET about our $10 for 10 referral program. The referral program is set up for you to earn money for every person you get to join http://applebatch.com. For more information:

Check out the Terms and Conditions section or email info@applebatch.com for more details. rabi7v3dy6

Principals need to learn brand management

2009-06-29T14:07:00.000-05:00

After spending years in consulting and helping big-name corporations turnaround under performing brands, I came to realize that principals need to think more like brand managers. While there has been a ton of focus on turnaround management in schools, the emphasis has historically been on replacing people to fix the problem. As any good brand manager know, people come and go but a brand image can sustain.

Therefore, I propose that principals take a brand management class and learn how to proactively manage their brands to (1) compete for talent and (2) increase parent engagement. For example, principals can leverage an online teacher community like Applebatch.com to build an online presence and promote the new happenings in the school. Principals need to promote and communicate changes to the old brand, and repeat those communications across channels. It takes time for change to occur and replace old images in our minds.

In addition, principals must broaden their teacher network to attract and find talent in various sources. Principals in new schools must use innovation to compete initially for talent. Principals cannot show up at a job fair or expect top talent to come into their schools while they are in turnaround mode. They must use sites like Applebatch.com to build a professional network of top performers and find talent in unconventional places.

As the school image improves, the turnover will decrease and less teacher jobs will be available in that school each year. Which, will give the principal an added benefit of being more selective and spending less time to find talent. School performance will increase and student outcomes will soar. Therefore, you can see that it all boils down to (1) great leadership and (2) great brand management.

To learn more, contact us at Applebatch or go to www.applebatch.com.

Focus On Administrative Leadership Leads to Lack of Innovation In Our Classrooms.

2009-03-04T13:49:00.000-06:00

In our country today, many companies are faced with intense overseas competition, lower pricing power and higher labor costs. In attempts to counter these threats, United States companies have focused on lean manufacturing and operational excellence. But as they emphasize excellent performance in order to create a route to continuous improvement, other nations and systems are still beating the United States in terms of innovation and quality leadership.

Comparisons can be made to assess similar issues and potential resolutions within our very own K-12^th grade education system. All over the world, other countries are outperforming our students in science and mathematics. The ability of our education system to successfully instill this knowledge in our children is directly related to future scientific innovation within many industries. Likewise, lack of innovation in the classroom fails our children and will hand-down to them a country that is behind in the race to compete on a global scale.

As a response to these failures and shortcomings, we’ve been focusing on empowering principals to self manage schools. While this empowerment is a great leap in school-level accountability, the metrics we hold principals accountable to - NCLB standardized tests – is not conducive to future innovation within the classroom. It is important to note that principal performance, as with any profession, can be determined through a bell curve analysis. There are many good principals and some bad. I believe that you get what you pay for. Hence, principals are directed, in the words of Adam Smith, “by an invisible hand” to pressure their most valuable workforce (teachers) to teach to the test.

I founded Applebatch (http://www.applebatch.com/) because I believe that teachers need a venue to connect with a diverse group of colleagues. Through the support and encouragement nurtured in such connections, innovative ideas can surface. By empowering teachers with the resources and knowledge they require to be successful, they can meet the needs of our children and guarantee them a brighter future in the developing global economy. The key is to develop methods that foster and spread innovation throughout our school systems; enriching the careers of teachers and improving our student’s outcomes.

Teacher events are uneventful and miss the boat.

2008-11-03T12:23:00.000-06:00

I attended many teacher events the past few months where K-12th grade teachers were suppose to be receiving training to help them in the classroom. After speaking with hundreds of educators during the events, it became apparent that the potential value of these events is not realized.

Teachers are isolated in their classrooms all week, away from their peers. The best opportunity to bring this extremely valuable community together is through such professional development training days. However, rather than utilize these days to share knowledge and build networks, many of these events are used as information downloads where educators are disengaged.

After spending years in the corporate world, I have first-hand experienced the true value of training events. The secret to our success is not only the information we receive but also the people who we know. Corporations are experts at mixing networking cocktail hours and social events with professional training. They understand the value of a connected community. Why this is so oblivious to the education sector is dumbfounding.

Districts must find a way to leverage the power of the community and engage the workforce. One way to do this is through online and in-person professional networking offered by services such as Applebatch, an professional networking company strictly dedicated to connecting K-12th grade teachers. You can learn more by requesting to join at www.applebatch.com

What are structural holes in teacher networks?

2008-08-25T14:26:00.000-05:00

Teachers are isolated from other teachers by profession and by geography. Professionally, a teacher works with students in a classroom all day. Traditionally, teachers are alone in the classroom however some configurations use team teaching. The majority of teachers are alone with the student to teacher ratio getting higher, teachers need more help.

In the past, a teacher could go to a department in his/her school for support and collaboration. These departments are disappearing because of budget and time issues and rarely meet.

Geographically, a teacher is separated from other teachers and knowledge by schools and regions. Bringing teachers together to share knowledge and build a community is very costly due to travel and geographical restrictions.

Teachers can also share knowledge outside their network through the traditional chain of command however this method is slow and inefficient. For knowledge to flow from one teacher to another teacher in another school, the information must pass from the teacher in school A, to the principal in school A, to the principal in school B and finally to the teacher in school B.

We call this lack of direct connection a “structural hole” in the professional network of teachers. When a structural hole exists, there are great gains to be made through implementing mentoring programs, conducting in-person networking events, and using technology to share and collaborate through professional online networking. All three of these methods are very useful and have their benefits and limitations.

Structural holes must be filled in the teaching profession because teachers are burning out and leaving the profession. There is increased demands and pressure on teachers and decreased support. By connecting teachers directly, the full power of a educator community can be leveraged. This will reduce the barriers to instruction and can lead to a more effective and efficient teacher with the tools for success.

At www.applebatch.com teachers can connect with colleagues around the U.S. to get the resources and support they need for success. Applebatch is the fastest growing professional network for K-12th grade teachers.