The Answer Sheet: Elementary School


Posted at 08:00 AM ET, 09/24/2010

Turning schools into robot factories

By Valerie Strauss
Longtime educator Joanne Yatvin writes about how too many public schools are being turned into robot factories.

By Valerie Strauss  |  08:00 AM ET, 09/24/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Elementary School, Elementary School | Tags:  joanne yatvin, school reform

Posted at 10:41 PM ET, 06/04/2010

In Arizona, a school mural controversy
By Valerie Strauss
In Arizona, an elementary school principal is said to have ordered that the faces of some children depicted in a giant mural be lightened after complaints were made about the ethnicity of the kids.

By Valerie Strauss  |  10:41 PM ET, 06/04/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Elementary School

Posted at 03:07 PM ET, 04/21/2010

Should public schools teach gun safety? Virginia schools may
By Valerie Strauss
What with the deep concern in the country that too many kids can’t read or write on grade level, and that most kids don’t know anything about financial literacy or can’t name the first five presidents, guess what subject the Virginia General Assembly wants public elementary schools to teach? Gun safety.

By Valerie Strauss  |  03:07 PM ET, 04/21/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Elementary School, Elementary School | Tags:  National Rifle Association, National Rifle Association and gun safety program, Virginia General Assembly and schools, Virginia schools, Virginia schools to teach gun safety, teaching gun safety, the NRA and gun safety

Posted at 06:30 AM ET, 03/09/2010

A guide to help you advocate for your child
By Valerie Strauss
Here's a new guide for parents to help them advocate for their child's education, as well as for education advocates and policymakers.

By Valerie Strauss  |  06:30 AM ET, 03/09/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Elementary School, Elementary School, Elementary School, Elementary School | Tags:  education advocacy

Posted at 05:10 PM ET, 03/04/2010

Race to the Top finalists and the 'ick' factor
By Valerie Strauss
The Obama administration today formally, irrevocably, launched its Race to the Top brand by naming the first 16 finalists in the funding sweepstakes. How unfortunate that funding schools has been turned into a contest. How unfortunate this contest has such bad rules.

By Valerie Strauss  |  05:10 PM ET, 03/04/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Elementary School, Elementary School | Tags:  Race to the Top

Posted at 10:19 AM ET, 02/04/2010

Recess and academic achievement

By Valerie Strauss
A new Gallup poll out today shows that most elementary school principals report that recess has a positive impact on academic achievement AND that students listen better and are more focused in class after being out on the playground. Did we really need Gallup to state the obvious--the obvious being that taking a break from an intense activity (such as math class) can be reenergizing? Do you ever take a break at work for this very reason? This poll tell us at least as much about the value of recess as it does about the state of educational thinking today.

By Valerie Strauss  |  10:19 AM ET, 02/04/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Elementary School, Elementary School, Elementary School | Tags:  recess