Have You Considered?
Here we post a few thought provoking items of interest that may challenge some of our traditional views on a wide range of educational topics. Viewpoints of the content posted here do not represent the opinions of the Fairview administration or IB Steering Committee, but rather are designed to encourage critical thinking and positive discussion.
COLLEGE BOARD'S SAT
The College Board announced an overhaul of the SAT, slated to take effect in the spring of 2016, which will eliminate the mandatory essay, revert to a top score of 1600, and create new fee waivers for lower-income students, among other changes. There is no shortage of national ink devoted to this news, but what is really behind the changes? Here is a NYTimes.com article that helps put things into perspective.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE?
Is learning a world language really worth it? Steven D. Levitt is an economist. Stephen J. Dubner is a writer. They co-authored Freakonomics, a book about some of the more bizarre aspects of our culture, but prescient nonetheless. A new Freakonomics Radio Podcast explores the "validity" of studying a world language. It will make you smile if anything else. ;) Listen to the podcast here.
SCIENCE OF INSPIRATION
TEDx Lincoln: Science of Inspiration
XSci Co-Director, Dr. Brad McLain
The Inspire Me film series is both a celebration of the art of teaching and a powerful call-to-action to do it better. Listen to the CU professor's Ted-talk here.