| Education News from Around the World |  |
| Learning and Teaching |  |  |
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- Canadian educators use social media to engage students
In Calgary, Alberta, a growing number of college professors are using social media websites, including Twitter and Facebook, as teaching tools. At one school, students are asked to discuss William Shakespeare's work on Twitter, and in another case, professors are using an interactive website to assess students' understanding of course material. Blogging also has been used to help engage students in lessons. Calgary Herald (Alberta)
(09 Sep.)      
| Professional Leadership | | |
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- Students in the UAE to weigh in on school improvement
In the United Arab Emirates, 30 students selected to attend a conference will share their insights into the quality of teaching in their schools. Topics discussed during the conference are expected to include school improvement, provisions for special education, assessment, leadership and self-evaluation systems. Teachers also will be asked to share details on best practices they have employed in their own classrooms. The National (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
(13 Sep.)
- Should teachers in China receive gifts?
The practice of giving teachers in China lavish gifts on Teachers' Day, celebrated Monday, is raising questions about whether such actions are appropriate. Some parents who send the gifts to school say they expect teachers will favour their children in return, leading critics to question whether the day of celebration has become associated with bribery. International Business Times
(11 Sep.)
| Regional Spotlight | | |
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ASCD Worldwide Edition SmartBrief highlights education practices and policies in specific regions to give readers more in-depth insight into that country or region's education system. This edition focuses on Ireland.
- Ireland students rack up perfect scores on exams
In Ireland, 19 students earned 12 As -- a perfect score -- on Junior Cert exams, including three at one secondary school. One student said she made sure to give herself some free time throughout the year and attributed that strategy to her success. "I think you have to relax too. You can't have your head stuck in a book all the time," Claire Crowley said. Independent.ie (Ireland)
(13 Sep.)
- Ireland ranks high in teacher pay
A recent report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development finds that students in Ireland spend less time studying maths and science on average than those in other countries. Data also show Ireland ranks fourth among 35 nations in teacher pay among primary-school teachers, and between fifth and eighth among secondary-school teachers. The Irish Times (Dublin)
(10 Sep.)
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| Reform and Research | | |
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- Should Britain's schools use CCTV cameras for security?
A recent survey finds that at least 100,000 closed-circuit television cameras are being used for surveillance in Britain's schools. The pro-privacy group Big Brother Watch, which requested the data, now is criticising the practice saying that students' privacy is being infringed upon. Of particular concern is the use of cameras in bathrooms and locker rooms. The Telegraph (London)
(12 Sep.)
- Researchers in New Zealand say students resilient after earthquakes
 Researchers in New Zealand who studied the effects of recent earthquakes on students found that all but eight of the students surveyed had been displaced. Relocating caused students to experience loss of their homes and families, pets and belongings, they found. "What also came through was the sheer complexity of the children's situations; how they rarely experienced a simple A to B move. Some had to move multiple times, with members of their families going in different directions," said Associate Professor Dr Claire Freeman. Stuff (New Zealand)
(13 Sep.)
| ASCD News | | |
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Ours is a singing school (1959)
An archived Educational Leadership article from the '50s describes one school's fruitful partnership with a music consultant. In a recent My Back Pages feature, ASCD reference librarian David Snyder shares highlights from the piece, referring to the story it tells as possessing a "disarming innocence." And although he adds that becoming a "singing school" may not be possible for you, he adds, "It's hard to resist this paean to the infectious power of the arts to improve a school climate." Read on.
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Create a positive school culture
"A school's culture may appear too ubiquitous to define clearly, too pervasive to grasp fully, and too complex to evaluate, but it's too important to ignore," explains educator Brad Kuntz. In his regular Education Update column, Kuntz outlines steps you can take to improve your school culture. Ideas range from creating more opportunities for students to serve their communities to hosting study parties before exams. Read it in the special September issue of Education Update.
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 | Sorrow is a fruit. God does not make it grow on limbs too weak to bear it."
--Victor Hugo,
French writer and artist
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