The rapid rise of e-books could lead to a "reading divide" as those unable to afford the new technology are left behind, even as U.S. reading and writing skills decline still further. At particular threat are African-American communities where many students are already falling behind their majority peers in terms of literacy, said award-winning writer Marita Golden -- and this despite the growing ranks of noted African-American writers, such as Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison. Read the article by Elaine Lies at Reuters' website.

States should raise the status of the teaching profession by recruiting more qualified candidates, training them better, and paying them more, according to a new report on comparative educational systems.

Andreas Schleicher, who oversees the international achievement test known as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), says in his report that top-scoring countries like Korea, Singapore, and Finland recruit only high-performing college graduates for teaching positions, support them with mentoring and other help in the classroom, and take steps to raise respect for the profession. To learn more, read the full article by Sam Dillon in the Education section of The New York Times.

Apple launched a new program Tuesday with Teach for America, a non-profit organization working to improve educational opportunities for students in low-income areas around the United States, in which iPad 2 buyers can donate their original iPad for use in low-income school districts. To donate your iPad, simply visit any Apple retail store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On April 6, 2010, Jack O’Connell held a press conference to announce that California faced a teacher shortage. The state’s superintendent of public instruction cited anticipated retirements over the next 10 years, teacher attrition through layoffs, and a break in the supply line from teacher preparation universities as major factors in creating a critical shortage of teachers in the state. After a lull in the past five years, student enrollment in California is predicted to grow, creating a mismatch between supply and demand for teachers. To learn more about the potential teacher shortage, read the full article by Eamonn O'Donovan on the District Administration website.

Two teachers from every state have been selected as sweepstakes winners by Scholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCare program. The winners will each receive 200 books, many of which can and will be chosen to be donated to charities and other places in need of children’s reading material. According to Judy Newman, president of Scholastic Book Clubs, "By entering the Care Where You Are Sweepstakes, teachers and their classes are showing their desire to help make a difference in their own community by reaching the people most in need of quality books."

The program’s annual sweepstakes promotes millions of book donations every year. The program has grown to encompass over 100,000 schools, and more than 8 million books have been read by children in these classrooms since 2010. Read more at this Scholastic website.