COVER STORIES
Meet The Regents:
New York's Education Policy Makers
Compiled by Marie Holmes
If you have visited a museum, attended school or seen a doctor
or other medical professional in New York State, your experience
has been impacted by the work of the Board of Regents, the
policy making body of the University of the State of New
York, the State’s
unique integrated system of education. As the following Board
members can attest, the Regents do much more than mandate
high school examinations.
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A Brief History of the New
York Board of Regents
by Robert Stiles
The New York State Board of Regents came into being on May
1, 1784 as a corporation that served as the trustees of Columbia
College. In 1786, the Regent’s committee broadened the
Board’s responsibilities so that their own board of trustees
would then oversee all colleges and academies. READ
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The Outstanding Teachers of the Month
for January 2003 - NEW!
The Outstanding Teachers of the Month for January 2003 have
each been nominated by their colleagues, students, parents,
principals and superintendents. Education Update has selected
five nominees for their outstanding work on the “frontiers” of
education... READ
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SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS
Arlene
Alda Charms Children at Bellevue’s
Reach Out
and Read
by Sybil Maimin
Waiting can be fun, even for children in a hospital waiting
room, thanks to Reach Out and Read (ROR), a national pediatric
early literacy intervention program that sees... READ
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Brooklyn D.A. Joe Hynes
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Is it possible that one of the best known district attorneys
in the country—Charles “Joe” Hynes, from
Brooklyn, was once so indifferent to school, let alone law
school, that he... READ
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First Mathematician to Win the Nobel Prize
Takes an Interest in Pre-College Instruction
by Alfred Posamentier,
Ph.D.
With all the publicity that the film A Beautiful Mind brought
to Nobel Laureate John Nash (Economics 1994), who was only
the second mathematician to win a Nobel Prize... READ
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Geography Corner
by Chris
Rowan READ
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Grandparents’ Council
at NYU Child Study Center
Nearly four years after its creation, the Grandparents Council,
an educational outreach program of the New York University
(NYU) Child Study Center under the directorship... READ
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The Rhodes Scholarship
by
Leah Bourne
Rhodes Scholarships are one of the most prestigious and sought
after study awards in the world. They offer their recipients
the resources to explore scholastically, study... READ
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Supt. Reyes Irizarry, District
76, basis
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Though he has been Superintendent of Brooklyn and Staten Island
High Schools (BASIS) for only a short time, Reyes Irizarry,
whose career began as a bilingual teacher... READ
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Lessons Learned
by Joan
Washington
The special needs children of PS 811Q Marathon School wanted
to do something positive to honor the heroes and those who
lost their lives on September 11, 2001. READ
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Education and Philosophy:
The Abraham Lincoln School
by Marie Holmes
Howard Schott adores his job. He reads the Bible, Plato’s
Republic and other canonical works to elementary and middle
school students, teaches 7th grade science, and also... READ
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Supporting the Development
of Effective
Reading Teachers
by Peggy McNamara
“When you teach comprehension, you are teaching students
how to think, how to make connections, and how to think about
their thinking. I don’t ever want to teach... READ
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Mayor
Bloomberg & Richard Cook
Give 100 Year Association Awards
Recently, President Richard A. Cook, of the 100 Year Association
presided over a ceremony at Surrogate Court in which $80,000
in public service and college scholarships... READ
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Special
to Education Update:
Mission Not Impossible
by Chancellor Joel Klein
My mission for our schools is simple: to educate every child
effectively. To achieve this, I commit to an unrelenting focus
on teaching and learning inside the classroom. READ
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Phi
Delta Kappa Gives Awards to
Four Outstanding Educators
The Faculty House at Columbia University was the recent scene
of a glittering array of 220 educators gathered to pay homage
to Superintendent Shelley Harwayne, District 2, Superintendent...
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Let’s
Remember All Our Children
by Matilda Raffa Cuomo
The tragic, recent earthquake in San Giuliano di Puglia came
in the wake of our own unforgettable catastrophe of 9/11,
just as we brace ourselves for still more death and destruction...
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Learn to Coach, Learn to
Live
by Ian Taubin
I was waiting behind the three-point line when there were five
seconds left in a tied game. I caught the ball with four
seconds left, and I was open to take the winning shot. However...
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COLLEGES
University Dean at City University of New York:
Nicholas Michelli
by Joan
Baum, Ph.D
In a way, the University Dean for Teacher Education at
The City University of New York (CUNY) Dr. Nicholas M.
Michelli has been preparing for this position—which
includes a joint appointment as Professor in the University’s
Ph.D. program in Urban Education—all his life... READ
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What’s a “Provost”?
by Joan Baum, Ph.D
Once upon a time someone noticed that when you go to buy large
olives you have a hard time trying to distinguish large from
giant, colossal, or super. READ
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MEDICAL UPDATE
Beyond
the Stethescope - Donald Feinfeld, M.D.
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MORE
Lasers: State-of-the-Art
in Dermatology
by Sybil Maimin
Ever wonder what happens to Westinghouse (now Intel) Science
Talent Search winners? Well, one, Dr. Arielle N.B. Kauvar,
board certified dermatologist and a fellow of... READ
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Optimal Therapy for High
Blood Pressure
by Herman Rosen, M.D.
Results of the largest study ever to determine the optimal
treatment of hypertension were published December 18, 2002
in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The...
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Weill Cornell Medical Advances:
First Robotic Urologic Surgery Done on Child in NYC
Edited
by Herman Rosen, M.D.
Dr. Dix Poppas, Chief of Pediatric Urology at New York-Presbyterian
Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center performed the first robotic
urologic surgery on a child in... READ
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CHILDREN'S CORNER
Best
Toys for New Year’s
Fun and Learning
by Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. [Dr. Toy]
Look for Dr. Toy’s Recommendations next month
Parents and teachers should look for products that have
enduring qualities, are reasonably priced and will help
children to learn. We want to provide children with learning
and fun... READ
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Out
of the Mouths…
by
Dr. Carole G. Hankin with Randi T. Sachs
A Congressional redistricting brought in a new (to us) Representative
who promises to be a strong supporter of our schools and our
community. I had the pleasure of... READ
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No Child Left Behind: Research and the Art of Teaching
by
Dr. Lorraine McCune
Enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law
107-110) will ensure that all children learn by supporting
educational activities evaluated by... READ
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SPECIAL EDUCATION
“Circus
of the Senses”
Brings Children with Disabilities Under the Big Top
by Marie
Holmes
The Big Apple Circus recently held its annual Circus of
the Senses for hearing and visually impaired students under
the circus tent set up at Lincoln Center. The show happened... READ
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Living and Overcoming Learning
Disabilities
by Rob Langston
I spent many miserable years as a “handicapped” child
and I have spent many wonderful years as a “successful” adult.
Somewhere in between lies living and overcoming... READ
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Students Spread Cheer to Group Homes
Nearly 30 young adults with developmental disabilities were
treated to a holiday party recently, courtesy of the eighth-grade
confirmation class at Holy Innocents Church. READ
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BOOKS
Website
Encourages Parents to Bond with Baby through Reading
Developing Hearts, the non-profit educational publisher,
has launched its new website (http://www.bondingwithbaby.org/)
to help parents give their newborns... READ
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Kid-Friendly Translation of Constitution
A nationwide survey in May 2002, found that a shocking number
of voting age Americans have serious misconceptions about
the Constitution. On October 1, the House of Representatives
passed a resolution recognizing the importance of history
and civics in a...
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MORE
Logos
Bookstore’s
Recommendations READ
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MUSIC, ART & DANCE
Artists,
Innovators, and Teachers Hold “Imagination Conversation” at
Lincoln Center Institute
by Marie Holmes
Do schools suffer a lack of imagination?
The audience full of teachers and other education professionals
in attendance at a panel discussion entitled “Imagination
Conversation,” held
recently by the Lincoln Center Institute, likely rely upon
their own imaginative powers every day. READ
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Mark
O’Connor: From Nashville to San Francisco, Musician
Extraordinaire
by
Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Though Itzhak Perlman and Isaac Stern have both lovingly
referred to their violins as “fiddles,” Mark
O’Connor
may have the world’s indisputable claim to the term.
By all... READ
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Arts
Educators Learn Tools of the Trade
by Sybil Maimin
Art teachers from the five boroughs recently met at Fiorello
LaGuardia High School for Music and Art and Performing Arts
for the 22nd annual New York City Art Teachers Association
(NYCATA) conference to share talents, techniques, and perspectives
and to honor... READ
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METROBEAT
New York
City Is Doing Better With Less
by Mayor Michael R.
Bloomberg
During the current fiscal crisis, City agencies can’t
afford to operate at anything less than top efficiency. Over
the last year, we’ve met that challenge. We’ve
reduced City... READ
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Gay
Rights Bill Ends On Bright Note Focus Now
on Renewed Push
for Dignity for All Students Bill
by Assemblyman Steven Sanders
In mid December, after ten years of no action by the State
Senate on “SONDA”—the Sexual Orientation
Non-discrimination Act, which I sponsored and saw passed in
the Assembly ten times, the State Senate finally allowed the
bill to come to a vote. The bill passed and was... READ
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MOVIES AND THEATER
Just
Love: Evelyn
Perky Potter: Chamber of Secrets
by Jan Aaron
Atmospheric, interesting and enjoyable family entertainment,
Evelyn is the true-life saga of an Irish father Desmond Doyle
(Pierce Brosnan) who battled the Irish government for legal
custody of his three children in a groundbreaking court case
in 1953. It’s David and Goliath theme might even carry
over to classroom discussion. READ
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CAMPS AND SPORTS
St.
John’s Marcus Hatten
Sets Sights on NBA
by Tom Kertes
Is there such a thing as a “quiet leader”?
On the basketball floor there is: “I don’t
know what happened out there,” St. John’s All-American
candidate guard Marcus Hatten whispered softly after the
Red Storm dropped an unexpected decision last week to Manhattan
at Madison Square Garden. “But whatever it was, I
take responsibility. I am the leader of this team and,
when I got out there, I found myself just going through
the motions.” READ
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