Education

There is no greater financial investment in one’s future than a college degree. While this viewpoint has its critics, the reality is the value of a degree has never been greater. Despite public questions about a degree’s worth, the pay gap between college graduates and those without a degree reached a high in 2013. According to new data, based on an analysis of Labor Department statistics by the Economic Policy Institute, Americans with four-year college degrees made 98 percent more an hour on average than those without a degree. And, the wage gap is only increasing, up from 89 percent five years ago, 85 percent a decade earlier, and 64 percent in the early 1980s. College graduates are also more likely to be employed full-time than their less-educated counterparts, and are less liable to be unemployed, 4 percent versus 12 percent, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Liberal arts graduates are not excluded from this reality. The vast majority with degrees in ...

Special Educators work hard to make sure that their students with disabilities develop and grow during the school year. Special Education teachers encounter different challenges in their classrooms than general education teachers, and therefore they need different tools. Here are 10 great items every Special Needs teacher should have in their classroom. 1. Fidgets, Wiggle Seats, Therapy balls, Therapy bands Fidgets and the above items are critical in the classroom. I utilize all of these sensible things in my classroom to help my students balance their visual system and prepare for academic work. I have often overheard my students talking to their friends and saying, “Mrs. Ferry’s room is fun. She lets us chew gum, and we’re not allowed to chew gum in school!” 2. Highlighter strips/Reader trackers Often, my students with learning disabilities in reading or with attention difficulties struggle to keep track of the words they are reading. They often skip lines which significa...