ABC's of Education

It's been a while since I've been able to get on the blog. I have been busying with birthdays and holidays. Tomorrow you will see more about Lil's birthday's party (Hint Hint "Poor Nana.").
















AP (Advanced Placement): Created by the College Board, these are classes in high school that allow students to qualify for college credit. Typically, student's must test well enough to get into these classes. They are college level, so the workload is must more challenging than typical non-AP classes.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act): Legislation that allows students with special needs to receive fair and equal education like those in mainstream education.

IB (International Baccalaureate)- Started in Switzerland and based on eight learner profiles (Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded
Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, Reflective). A program that incorporates learning and character development.

GAFE (Google Apps for Education): An approach to incorporating technology into the classroom.

LRE (Least Restrictive Environment): A part of IDEA, it requires that each student is placed in a learning environment that is least restrictive. Essentially it boils down to placing students with special needs in mainstream or special day classes. This legislation allows for each IEP to be individualized so that parent teacher teams can decide which classroom setting(s) are most beneficial to the individual with special needs.

NCLB (No Child Left Behind): A program implemented in 2001 by President Bush, an approach to making sure that all students were given an opportunity to achieve high standards. Schools were held accountable for their students' performance on state standardized tests by withholding funding from low performing schools.


PD (Professional Development): Teachers are required to continue their education through the method of acquiring professional development.



Let me know if you have any other vocabulary that is puzzling to you.

The ABC's of Education

 



  CCSS (Common Core State Standards): Adopted by forty three states currently. Our nation's approach to standardized and unify what students are learning across America. Although it has received much flack (due more to the curriculum), Common Core is not a curriculum, by the end result. Districts, schools, and teachers have choices in their teaching approach to help their students' reach these goals.

ELL (English Language Learner): A student whose first language is not English or English is not the primary language at home. Students receive specialized services upon qualification, as based on need.

GATE (Gifted and Talented Education): A specialized teaching approach that encourages and develop students that show extraordinary ability in their learning acquisition. Teachers are required to be certified in order to teach GATE. It is an individualized approach, although students are usually clustered in classrooms.

PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers): One of two standardized test that aligns with the CCSS. A few states have opted to take this approach and allow their schools to participate in this testing (AR, CO, DC, IL, LA, MD, MA, NJ, NM, NY, OH, RH, PA).


PLC (Professional Learning Community): A strategy implemented at districts and school sites to create unity among grade levels and set aside planning time for both immediate and future needs.

RTi (Response to Intervention): The educational systems approach for rehabilitating students that are struggling in school. It allows the student to receive individualized and specialized teaching approaches that will better prepare the students for learning.

Smarter Balanced: One of two standardized tests that are used by states to assess student's learning as it relates to CCSS.

 TK (Transitional Kindergarten): A newer program to California's elementary schools. Students are now mandated to be five by the start of school. Student's whose birthday does not fall on or before that date, may be enrolled in the school site's Transitional Kindergarten program, which allows the students to receive a bridging year between preschool and Kindergarten. Districts and school sites have free reign, currently, in their approach to educating these four, almost five, year olds. It is not a remediation class and is separate from the curriculum learned in Kindergarten.

 
 What other words would you like clarified?

ABC's of Education Part 1

I decided to do a few blog posts on the ABC's of education. This will be derived from my experience in the classroom, but would love input to create an extensive and complete resource for teachers and parents.
Each post will contain between 5-10 acronyms or education terms. It will be featured on a separate page.

BTSA (Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment)- By California state law, teachers are required to go through an induction that is funded by the state that provides new teachers with support and requires them to be assessed in their strengths and weaknesses.

IEP (Individualized Education Plan)- Students who need a IEP need modifications or extra tools needed in their education to reach standards and school expectations.

LH (Learned Helplessness)- a child with a lack of motivation caused by being helped in more opportunities therefore limiting their experience to develop confidence through independence.

PARRC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers)- One of two assessment options that 19 participating states in Common Core are using.

OT (Occupational Therapist)- Working with students who have difficulties in spatial awareness and fine motor development.

SP (Speech Pathologist)-  Also known as a Speech Therapist (ST). Works with students who have difficulties in the area of speech and swallowing (i.e, lisps, unintelligibility).

SPED (Special Education)- For qualifying students that may need specialized instruction, classroom is individualized.

SST (Student Study Team)- A team made up of school staff and parents of a student that may be of concerned due to underperformance or learning differences.




What education jargon would you like to see on here?