Education

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Japanese language education vital for foreign residents to adjust to society

Noticias

Asia/ Japan/ 04.03.2019/ Source: the-japan-news.com.

In preparation for an increase in foreign workers, it is indispensable to improve Japanese language education for them. The building of a relevant framework, such as establishing bases for study and ensuring the quality of instructors, must be accelerated.

The new types of residence status for “designated skills” will be established in April, with up to 340,000 foreign workers expected to be accepted into the country over the next five years.

It is necessary to encourage them to adjust smoothly to local communities and workplaces. While rooting out bureaucratic sectionalism at the ministries and agencies, the central government should take measures to support foreign workers, in cooperation with local governments and companies that will accept them. A situation in which foreigners form their own groups of compatriots and become socially isolated should be avoided.

The acquisition of Japanese language skills is key to their smooth adjustment. To obtain the new status, they need to attain the level of Japanese language necessary for daily living. It is important to enhance their language ability, even after their arrival in Japan, with the cooperation of their workplaces.

There are about 2,100 bases for foreigners living in Japan to learn the Japanese language, such as language schools and classes run by nonprofit organizations and local governments. But they are unevenly located, with many of them in urban areas, while about 60 percent of the local governments of cities, wards, towns and villages in the country have no such facilities.

Concern cannot be dispelled that foreign workers will flow out of rural areas into urban areas where wages are relatively high. Having no places for learning Japanese language may impede their settlement in rural areas.

Ensure quality teaching

To eliminate areas devoid of language-learning facilities, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry will assign coordinators to prefectural governments and ordinance-designated major cities, starting in fiscal 2019. They are tasked with crafting educational programs suited to local communities, while giving advice and guidance to local classes of Japanese language. Such endeavors should be promoted steadily.

The utilization of public-run evening junior high schools is also important. Originally, the evening classes were attended mainly by Japanese people who for a variety of reasons had not completed their compulsory education. But now foreigners account for 80 percent of the students.

In expectation of an increase in foreign manpower, the government aims at increasing evening school courses, which are currently available at 31 schools in Tokyo and seven other prefectures, by having them established in all the prefectures. Financial support should be advanced in a carefully planned way.

Ensuring the quality of education should not be forgotten. The Cultural Affairs Agency will establish a qualification for teachers of Japanese language. Requiring teaching practice in the training stage is also being discussed. A challenge will be to secure schools where trainees can engage in practice teaching, and to work out the content of practice teaching programs.

Sound management of Japanese language schools is also important. How should these facilities be urged to improve themselves, where the attendance rate of students is low and the performances of language proficiency tests are poor? A framework to check them effectively is essential.

It is indispensable to take care of children who are unable to fully understand classes given in Japanese. The number of such children has reached a total of 44,000 in elementary, junior high and senior high schools, up 70 percent over the past 10 years.

Many of them are elementary and junior high schools with fewer than five such students, making it difficult to give lessons efficiently. There are cases where a teacher who can offer Japanese language instruction circulates among different schools. There are also local governments that offer language programs intensively for a certain period, by having such students gather in one place.

By referring to these examples, meticulous guidance should be expanded.

 

Source of the notice: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005582463

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Plataformas y apps para crear mapas conceptuales y mentales

Noticias

Por: Educación 3.0  28-12.2018

Los mapas mentales y conceptuales son un recurso muy valioso para el aula, pues con ellos es posible representar gráficamente cualquier idea. Las siguientes aplicaciones y plataformas han sido creadas para esta tarea.

crear mapas conceptuales esquemas onlineLos mapas conceptuales y mentales son útiles para representar de forma gráfica el conocimiento, relacionando conceptos entre sí.
Las siguientes apps y webs facilitan la tarea de organizar los conceptos y relacionarlos, resultando más fácil para los docentes elaborar esquemas y mapas conceptuales que estructuren los contenidos a impartir en el aula; además de permitir a los estudiantes utilizar esos conocimientos para dar forma a otros relacionados.

MindJet

Incluye la sincronización con herramientas de uso diario, además de la integración con más de 800 aplicaciones y la posibilidad de compartir mapas conceptuales y crear alineaciones. También cuenta con una vista cronológica, filtros, navegación simplificada y modo instructivo.

XMind

Un programa descargable para realizar mapas conceptuales y diagramas, por lo que resulta muy útil para aquellas personas que deseen incorporarlo a sus clases, trabajos o presentaciones académicas. Permite a los usuarios insertar comentarios en sus propios trabajos y en los de otros; imprimirlos en múltiples páginas; y exportarlos en los formatos de Microsoft Office y PDF

Maptini

Permite trabajar de forma colaborativa a través de diversos iPad, iPhone o vía web, sincronizando en tiempo real todos los cambios que se realicen en el proyecto. La app incluye almacenamiento gratuito en la nube de los mapas conceptuales creados, que también pueden descargarse con un solo clic.

MindMaple

Tiene dos versiones: una gratuita y con funciones limitadas, y otra mucho más completa que permite crear documentos ilimitados, añadir hipervínculos… Su interfaz es muy intuitiva y es posible añadir notas, enlaces, imágenes, información adicional en cada uno de los cuadros de los mapas conceptuales… También existe versión para Windows

iMindMap HD

Es una herramienta para crear esquemas y mapas conceptuales que permite añadir a los textos gráficos, dibujos, presentaciones, documentos…  Luego, sincroniza todos esos contenidos entre los diferentes dispositivos que la tengan instalada, para lo que es necesario registrarse de forma gratuita. Su descarga también es gratis, tanto en dispositivos iOS como Android

SimpleMind+

Gratuita y muy fácil de utilizar, brinda la opción de arrastrar, reordenar y editar los asuntos directamente en la propia página del mapa conceptual. La versión de pago, que puede adquirirse desde la propia aplicación, ofrece un editor mejorado con enlaces cruzados, colores personalizados, imágenes, enlaces a otros mapas mentales… Los documentos pueden subirse a la nube, para acceder a ellos desde distintos dispositivos a través del servicio de Dropbox

Mapa Mental

Ofrece un espacio ilimitado para los mapas conceptuales, que se organizan de forma manual arrastrando y soltando nodos, persoalizando tanto la forma como el fondo y el estilo. Es gratuita y disponible para dispositivos Android

MindMeister

Para utilizar esta app hay que registrarse, aunque su uso es gratuito (eso sí, la versión Premium dispone de funcionalidades adicionales). El usuario puede exportar o compartir los mapas conceptuales, que son protegidos contra las amenazas offline

Connected Mind

Posee la particularidad de dibujar diagramas deslizando el dedo por la superficie de la pantalla, eligiendo colores y formas para cada uno de los mapas conceptuales.

Ideament

Para dibujar diagramas, mapas conceptuales… y convertirlos en esquemas o viceversa. El texto puede copiarse desde otras aplicaciones, desde un correo electrónico o un documento, y luego guardarse como fotografía, subirse a la nube o a Facebook. La descarga es gratuita, pero para realizar mapas conceptuales ilimitados es necesario comprar una actualización dentro de la app.

MindGenius

Para tomar notas, crear listas y recopilar información. Se puede utilizar junto con la versión para PC y sus funciones de escritorio incluyen notas, categorías, recursos y fotografías, entre otros.

Popplet

Una herramienta para organizar ideas, recursos o imágenes en forma de gráficos, muros virtuales, mapas conceptuales, líneas de tiempo… Pueden utilizarla varios usuarios, por lo que es una interesante opción de trabajo colaborativo. Cuesta 5,49 euros

Creately

Tiene dos versiones: una en forma de app y otra online. Destaca por las numerosas plantillas que incorpora, más de 50 diagramas, así como por sus posibilidades colaborativas y su biblioteca de ejemplos.

Gliffy

Su uso es muy sencillo va guiando paso a paso: desde elegir la forma de los cuadros hasta las líneas conectoras con sólo arrastrarlas del lateral a la página principal para así crear los mapas conceptuales. Luego, pueden personalizarse en función del color, tipo de fuente…

KWHL Chart

Especialmente pensada para el aprendizaje de nueva información, permite que los profesores utilicen las cartas de KWHL para determinar lo que sabían sus estudiantes antes de la introducción del nuevo material y la comparan a lo que aprendieron.

Bubbl

Bubbl es un servicio para crear mapas conceptuales y mentales a través de cualquier navegador, de forma gratuita y muy sencilla. Es perfecto tanto para docentes que quieran enviar contenido a sus alumnos, como para que estos elaboren y desarrollen sus propios esquemas de mapas conceptuales como técnica de estudio.

FreePlane

Software de gestión gratuito para crear mapas conceptuales compatible con Windows, macOS y Linux. Dispone de un motor de addons para añadir nuevas características a la hora de crear y personalizar los mapas conceptuales

Draw.io

Se trata de un servicio web multidisciplinar con una interfaz parecida a Google Drive. Es multidisciplinar y la posibilidad de crear mapas conceptuales es una de las muchas funciones que permite; tan fácil como arrastrar y soltar elementos. Permite exportar los resultados de varios modos, como guardándolos en varios servicios en la nube o enviándolos a través de correo

GoCoqr 

Entre las características de GoConqr se encuentra la posibilidad de crear mapas conceptuales para “facilitar la conexión de ideas y mejorar el aprendizaje”. Para estudiantes de Secundaria y Bachillerato que quieran aprovecharla como complemento a sus apuntes

Mindmanager

Ideado para satisfacer las necesidades de empresas que necesitan crear mapas conceptuales en equipo, Mindmanager es un completo gestor y creador de estos recursos a través de editores, disponible para Windows y Mac, con sincronización en la nube, gestión de proyectos y mucho más.

Coggle

Con Coggle es posible crear todo tipo de mapas conceptuales, esquemas interactivos e incluso cualquier nota con dibujos y diagramas. Muchas posibilidades para una plataforma gratuita con opciones de pago que permiten ampliar las posibilidades añadiendo nuevas funcionalidades. Es posible compartir contenidos

Simple Mapper

Para organizar ideas a través de mapas conceptuales, diagramas de red e interacción o flujos de trabajo; todo a través de un navegador web. Con Simple Mapper todas las creaciones son públicas, de forma que se comparten con lo alumnos fácilmente. Requiere Adobe Flash.

Text 2 Mind Map

El caso de Text 2 Mind Map es bastante curioso y también diferente al de otras opciones contempladas en esta lista. Permite escribir los elementos del diagrama en una caja de texto y la plataforma automáticamente la convierte a un mapa conceptual.

Mind42, mapas conceptuales

Tanto de forma individual como a nivel colectivo, esta plataforma permite la creación de mapas conceptuales partiendo de un nodo principal al que se pueden agregar otros secundarios y información de interés en distintos formatos. Se puede personalizar el diseño cambiando, por ejemplo, el color de las fuentes y añadir hipervínculos e iconos

Wisemapping

Desde una burbuja inicial, situada en el centro del mapa conceptual, esta solución online permite extraer ramificaciones totalmente personalizables (en cuanto a tamaño, color de fondo y tipografía) a las que se sumar imágenes e hipervínculos.Cada creación puede desplazarse por el mapa conceptual cuando el usuario, o alguno de los miembros del grupo de trabajo, lo consideren preciso.

Lipten

Esta plataforma facilita la creación de mapas conceptuales a través de la vinculación de hexágonos en los que se incluyen las las ideas. Incorpora la opción de cambiarles el color para identificar los distintos niveles. Una vez se termine, es posible exportar el resultado, compartirlo, guardarlo en formato de texto o implementarlo en otra plataforma.

PersonalBrain, mapa conceptual y mental

Gracias a su acceso multiplataforma, esta app hace posible la creación y edición de mapas conceptuales desde cualquier lugar y momento. Permite incluir imágenes, documentos de texto y páginas web a cada pensamiento , además de contar con un buscador. Para Android e iOS.

Freemind

Esta página web permite la creación de mapas conceptuales programados en Java. Para su diseño, incluye una amplia gama de herramientas de formato y color. También es posible añadir hipervínculos e importar documentos e, incluso, otros mapas. A la hora de exportar los mapas conceptuales, da la opción de hacerlo en varios formatos (.html, .pdf o .jpg). Para cualquier sistema operativo.

Mapul

Un sitio web que permite a los usuarios crear de forma sencilla mapas conceptuales sobre cualquier tema. Para usarlo, el usuario debe conceptualizar el tema que quiera ilustrar con los mapas mentales. Añadirá las categorías y subcategorías del tema y se van poniendo los puntos de ramificación. Cuenta con la opción de anotar cosas en cualquier punto de ramificación.

CmapTools

Para elaborar mapas conceptuales y diagramas. Este programa se puede utilizar para realizar planificaciones, conceptos generales y específicos sobre un determinado tema. En un simple mapa conceptual, se pueden destacar los puntos más relevantes

 

https://www.educaciontrespuntocero.com/recursos/apps-para-crear-mapas-conceptuales/19624.html

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OVE y LA OTRA MIRADA EDUCATIVA (NUEVA TEMPORADA): Presentan una serie de entrevistas asociadas a las agendas de educación. (Video)

Luz Palomino

Otras Voces en Educación se complace en presentar su nuevo proyecto educativo, esperamos disfruten y nos dejen sus comentarios.

La Otra Mirada Educativa
(Nueva Temporada 2019)

La otra mirada educativa es un espacio de encuentro con los grandes temas asociados a las agendas de educación, reformas educativas, ciencias sociales, filosofía, política y gestión pública. Es una ventana abierta, dirigida por el académico Luis Bonilla-Molina donde todas las semanas nos presenta una edición de sus entrevistas hechas para los canales de “Otras Voces en Educación”, “CLACSO-Venezuela, “La Otra Mirada Educativa” y “Luis Bonilla-Molina” en YouTube. La producción está a cargo de la comunicadora social Luz Palomino y es una producción del equipo de OVE.

En esta oportunidad entrevistamos a Marianicer Figueroa Psicóloga, Dra en Innovación Educativa, investigadora del uso educativo apropiado y crítico de las tecnologías, la educación abierta y a distancia. Activista comprometida por la Difusión Libre del Conocimiento y Ciencia Abierta.

Les dejamos el video completo:

Les dejamos nuestras Redes Sociales por esta vía.
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No duden en escribirnos por nuestros correo:
contacto@otrasvoceseneducacion.org/comunicacion.ove@gmail.com

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Coding drives inclusive education in Africa

Noticias

Africa/Source: gadget.co.za.

Is coding a universal language that can bridge not only the gender and income gaps but enable also inclusive access to 21st century education? For the passionate team of Africa Code Week ambassadors in Mozambique, the answer is a resounding yes. 

“Coding is a language that everyone can – and should – speak in order to be active participants in the global digital economy,” says Sonia Santos, local coordinator for Africa Code Week, which saw activities across the continent over the past month. “With the support of our public and private sector partners, Africa Code Week is delivering on its vision of a 21stcentury inclusive education by reaching Mozambique’s hearing-impaired community for the first time.”

With more than 1.8 million young Africans already introduced to coding skills over the past three years, Africa Code Week has made a lasting contribution to the continent, enabling free access to thousands of digital skills development workshops while building teaching capacity in ICT education through the training of over 28,000 teachers and community members so far.

The universal language of code

Africa Code Week’s coding workshops for hearing-impaired children in Mozambique were part of SAP’s  broader commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), specifically Goal 4, which aims to ensure quality and inclusive education.

The programme also gives credence to SDG goal 17 through sustainable partnerships with its Africa-wide partnership network.  According to Santos, the response to their first foray into providing inclusive  workshops for local deaf communities was overwhelmingly positive.

“Earlier in October, we held hugely successful Master Trainer sessions in Maputo where 24 teachers from several special needs local schools were trained in coding skills. These teachers then led the coding workshops with support from volunteers in Maputo, where a total of 105 hearing-impaired students participated over two days.”

Mozambique has an estimated 305 000 deaf people. However, due to a lack of adequate support structures and ongoing  stigma, many are unable to access formal education or work opportunities.

“Mozambique only has three schools dedicated to teaching deaf children, which leaves most of the community without exposure to digital skills development opportunities. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution gathers pace, those without such skills are at risk of being left behind. It is our goal to empower Africa’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in the global digital economy in an inclusive and sustainable manner.”

A private sector partnership with Mapal, a German industrial manufacturing firm, resulted in a sponsorship of a Train-the-Trainer session that was held at the Institute of Vocational Training in Vilankulo.

“With the generous support of our private sector partners, we trained 20 teachers who in turn inspired 200 youth as part of this year’s ACW.”

Partnership with government extends ACW reach

She says that government support for this year’s Africa Code Week activities has been hugely encouraging.

“We have partnered with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Higher and Vocational Professional Education, that has delegations (CPRDs) in each of our provinces with access to computers in regions where many children had never touched or worked on a PC before. With the support of the National Institute of Electronical Governance, we have also trained 345 teachers as part of this year’s Train-the-Trainer activities, focusing on parts of the country where digital literacy is lagging.”

According to Sunil Geness, Project Lead for Africa Code Week at SAP Africa, the in-country support and participation of government and NGOs is one of the cornerstones of Africa Code Week’s sustainable impact across the continent.

“In addition to support from key partners, UNESCO YouthMobile, Google and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Africa Code Week is actively driven by more than 15 African governments and in excess of 150 partner organisations across 36 countries. We believe this shared-value approach holds the key to achieving our vision of building community capacity in ICT education across the continent and equipping youth with the skills and abilities that will drive their – and Africa’s – success in the 21st century.”

Source of the notice: https://gadget.co.za/coding-drives-inclusive-education-in-africa/

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The urgent need to plan for disability-inclusive education

Reseñas

By:  Suzanne Grant Lewis.

When you think of a typical school, do you envisage any children with disabilities? Are the school facilities accessible to all students and the learning materials adapted to everyone’s needs? Is the teacher trained on how to use them?

Devex’s Development Enabled series

Development Enabled explores the daily challenges of people with disabilities, while looking at solutions on how to support a disability-inclusive world.

These questions only hint at the complexities involved in planning for disability-inclusive education — a global imperative in response to children with disabilities being one of the most marginalized groups in education.

There are between 93-150 million children living with a disability, according to the World Health Organization’s 2011 World Disability Report. In low- and middle-income countries, the 2016 Learning Generation report estimates that as many as 33 million children with disabilities are out of school. Stigma and discrimination combined with a lack of data — making them hard to reach — compounds the problem.

Disability-inclusive education is a strong entry point into the broader concept of inclusive education, which UNESCO defines as the process of reaching out to all learners by addressing all forms of exclusion and marginalization; disparities; and inequalities in access, participation, and learning outcomes.

“More and more governments now recognize the important benefits of disability-inclusive education for all members of society.”

— Suzanne Grant Lewis, director, UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning

For children with disabilities, this does not just mean enrolment into a mainstream school. All facets of the education system must be addressed so that it can equally respond to the diverse needs of all its learners. There is no “one-size-fits-all” answer. Every country needs to formulate its own set of solutions that reach down to the level of individual schools.

There are some overarching ideas to consider when planning for disability-inclusive education, however. Here are five:

1. Acknowledge that inclusive education is a human right

Inclusive education — and more specifically disability-inclusive education — is a human right. In fact, 177 countries have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls for the integration of people with disabilities in societies, including in education. The Sustainable Development Goals further recognize the crucial role of inclusive and equitable quality education in building a better, more equal world.

2. Encourage a system-wide approach

Inclusive education requires an inclusive approach. This means looking holistically from administration and management down to what happens inside and outside the school. This includes looking at pedagogy and assessments, financial and human resources, as well as less tangible issues such as attitudes and norms. At the same time, other causes of marginalization cannot be ignored, including gender, location, ethnicity, language, displacement, and security.

A cross-sectoral approach is required as children with disabilities may also encounter constraints related to health and transport, for example. As highlighted in a 2018 technical round table on disability-inclusive education, hosted by UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning and UNICEF, an effective response therefore requires the participation of the community-at-large, development partners, persons with disabilities, parents, and other ministries. This kind of collaboration is taking place in a range of countries including Cambodia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Nepal, South Africa, Vietnam, and others.

3. Promote meaningful data collection to reach the invisible

A lack of quality data on children with disabilities makes it nearly impossible to both locate out-of-school children and ensure that those in school are receiving the support needed to succeed. Both national governments and development partners are playing an increasingly important role in encouraging the collection of information on disabilities through household surveys and education management information systems. The Washington Group on Disability Statistics and UNICEF have also enabled a shift in focus from medical categorizations of disability to a focus on the types of difficulties a child may have in the classroom.

Equally important is data collection that addresses the school environment, such as physical accessibility to schools, information on inclusive policies and rights, learning materials, teacher training, and the availability of support specialists in schools.

4. Remember that implementation is what really counts

Foundations of disability-inclusive education sector planning: New online course from IIEP-UNESCO and UNICEF

Starting October 2019, ministries of education can register for a new course on planning for disability-inclusive education. The first course, lasting 6-8 weeks, will focus on eastern and southern anglophone Africa. Ministries will be invited to present teams of 4-6 members. Stay in touch with IIEP-UNESCO for updates.

We know that genuine inclusive education requires a broad systemic rethinking of education systems and school cultures. However, the ultimate test will come in how countries develop, implement, and monitor inclusive policies and plans.

There is also a growing consensus among development partners on the need for action to address inclusive education and to go beyond policy advocacy to actual implementation. On this front, IIEP-UNESCO is working with a broad group of partners — including the GLAD network, and UNICEF in particular — to help address planning issues through the development of regional training courses around planning for inclusive education.

5. Think of inclusive education not as a challenge, but an opportunity

More and more governments now recognize the important benefits of disability-inclusive education for all members of society. Not only does it open doors for children who were once excluded, it is more cost-effective than special needs schools that only reach small populations, promotes social cohesion, and enables all children and youth to appreciate diversity.

Many countries are still in the early stages of planning for this, but the round table this past July brought several examples of progress to the forefront including an inclusive education policy in Ghana, robust data collection in Fiji, and an enhanced budget for inclusive education in Cambodia’s new education sector plan.

Let us share these success stories as we continue toward 2030. And, as reflected in UNESCO’s guide for ensuring inclusion and equity in education, let us not see individual differences as “problems to be fixed,” but as opportunities for “democratizing and enriching learning” for all.

Source of the article: https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-the-urgent-need-to-plan-for-disability-inclusive-education-94059

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Adolescents are being cheated by sex education

Maggie MacDonnell

By: Maggy McDonel.

 

Most people who went to school in the United States are all too familiar with abstinence-only sex education. Since fifth grade, this ineffective approach to sex education has been shoved down our throats, and it all begins when they teach girls about periods and boys about erections, yet refuse to share the same information with the opposite sex.

Bill Clinton passed the Welfare Reform Act in 1996, which allocated $50 million to sex education classes that focused on abstinence-only education. These programs aim to teach students that abstinence is the only way to prevent pregnancy or STIs, tiptoeing around the blatantly obvious fact that some teenagers will likely experiment with sex.

Despite lackluster results, these programs continued to gain popularity. In 2006, George W. Bush budgeted $206 million for abstinence-based programming, meaning that schools teaching other forms received little to no federal funding for sex education classes, according to the American Medical Association.

These programs have proven to have the opposite effect that one might expect. The U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and STIs in the developed world, according to a study conducted by the U.S. Public Library of Science. The study also found that there is a positive correlation between abstinence-only education and teen pregnancy — and that doesn’t even begin to explore the world of private religious schools.

So, why has nothing changed? Why does government funding still promote programs that are working negatively for U.S. children? Perhaps it’s because the U.S. hasn’t separated itself from its puritanical roots as much as we’d like to believe. Honest talk about sex isn’t part of the American lexicon. America has a deep obsession with porn and movies about sex — practically anything that simulates the real thing. It’s great to see two hot actors having sex, but when it comes down to having an honest conversation with your child or significant other, it’s suddenly too awkward.

As a society, we have become so separated from the realities of sex that it seems easier to ignore it altogether. Many parents would rather pretend that sex only happens between two married adults — missionary position only, with the lights turned off — than talk to their children about sex or have teachers talk to their children about sex. The harm caused by this widely-held delusion is insurmountable.

Only 13 states in the U.S. require sex education to be medically accurate, and only 25 require it at all. 19 include some information about contraceptives, and five schools are on the books as having a negative focus on sexual-orientation education.

How can we consider ourselves an advanced society when our sex education stems from the Middle Ages? Church and state aren’t as separated as we might like to think they are. The deep-rooted tendrils of the church still permeate throughout American culture.

So this year, when you’re having a sexy Valentine’s Day, think about the sex education — or lack thereof — you got throughout your school career. It’s time for a real solution. It’s time to ditch abstinence-only education.

Source of the article: http://www.newsrecord.org/opinion/opinion-adolescents-are-being-cheated-by-sex-education/article_3ae58316-2f9f-11e9-abd6-d3e17c3b2523.html

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The Denver teachers strike is over. They won.

Alexia Fernández Campbell

By: Alexia Fernández Campbell.

Denver teachers snagged $23 million in pay raises during a three-day strike.

Denver’s teachers may soon be returning to school.

More than 2,000 educators, who have been on strike since Monday, said they reached a tentative deal Thursday with the local school district.

Details are not yet available, but the deal includes an average 11.7 percent pay raise and annual cost of living increases, according to the school district and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, a labor union representing more than 5,000 educators in Denver public schools. It will also include raises for school support staff. Bus drivers and cafeteria workers may also get a raise, but that’s not part of the official agreement with the teachers union.

It also addresses the teachers’ biggest concern: the need to overhaul the merit-pay system, which relies heavily on annual bonuses that fluctuate from year to year. The new system will place more emphasis on education and training when considering promotions, while keeping some bonuses in place.

Where will they find the $23 million to pay for this? The district agreed to cut back on administrative costs, and will eliminate about 150 positions in the school’s central office. Five-figure bonuses for senior school administrators will also come to an end.

The pact was reached after an all-night negotiation marathon between the union and school administrators. Henry Roman, president of the union, described it as a “historic” deal. “No longer will our students see their education disrupted because their teachers cannot afford to stay in their classrooms,” Roman said in a statement Monday morning.

Teachers did make some concessions, but the deal represents a remarkable win for Denver’s teachers, who have been picketing and rallying in the streets for the past two days, while school administrators struggled to keep classes on schedule. It’s also a sign of the overwhelming momentum teachers have on their side from months of widespread teacher strikes across the country over school funding cuts and low teacher pay.

Arbitrary bonuses and low pay

Teachers were most upset about Denver’s incentive pay system, which started more than a decade ago. The district pays bonuses based on teacher performance, and to encourage teachers to work in high-poverty schools.

But the union says the bonuses vary too much from year to year, creating financial instability for educators and their families. They also say it’s unclear how the district measures good performance and determines bonuses.

Instead, teachers wanted the district to lower bonuses and increase their base salaries, and to give them salaries based on education and training, like most school districts do.

Colorado teachers are among the lowest-paid in the country, earning an average of $46,155 in 2016 — ranking Colorado 46th in average teacher pay, according to the National Education Association. The state also spends about $2,500 less per student each year than the national average. The new deal would boost starting pay for teachers by 7 percent, but the average pay raise for all educators, nurses, and counselors will be 11.7 percent.

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The Denver Classroom Teachers Association voted to authorize a strike in January with support from 93 percent of its members. At the time, the two sides were about $8 million apart in reaching an agreement.

After authorizing a strike, the school district fought back. Officials asked Democratic Gov. Jared Polis to intervene, a legal move that delayed the strike as the state government weighed its options. But last week, the governor declined to take part in the dispute, which could have further delayed a strike by up to 180 days.

That wasn’t the first attempt to keep teachers from going on strike, though. Far from it.

Republican lawmakers tried to make striking illegal

In April, two Republican state legislators tried to shut down a potential teachers strike in Colorado with the threat of jail time.

The bill, introduced in the state Senate, prohibited districts from supporting a teachers strike and required schools to dock a teacher’s pay for each day they participate in a walkout. The teachers could also have faced up to six months in jail and a $500 daily fine if they violated a court order to stop striking.

The bill was a reaction to the teacher strikes sweeping red and purple states, including Oklahoma, West Virginia, Arizona, and Kentucky. Thousands of teachers in Colorado had joined the grassroots movement, holding rallies at the state capitol to demand a pay raise and more funding.

The bill failed. The strike happened — and it worked. Now, it looks like Denver teachers are going back to class.

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Source of the article: https://www.vox.com/2019/2/14/18224848/denver-teachers-strike-over-deal

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