Student visa cuts will harm universities, ministers told

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/27/visa-cuts-threaten-universities

University leaders are worried that the proposal of cutting visas will reduce the success of universities, as well as give the impression that the UK is unwelcoming. The article also states that the UK is worried that the students well want to stay in the UK when their goal is to reduce the number of immigrants. I agree with the worries of the university leaders. My first impression was that the UK does not want any new students coming in with visas. And more particularily, only English speaking students. My thought was that studying overseas is a great opportunity, that should be taken advantage of. If the number of visas is being cut, it is taking away the opportunity that was once there for those students. The consultations will end Monday, and I look forward to hearing the outcome.

Best Careers 2011: Special-Education Teacher - US News and World Report

Best Careers 2011: Special-Education Teacher - US News and World Report

Not only did I find this article interesting because of the fact that I am a SPED major and it is in the top 50, but I felt it had a decent amount of valuable information as well. I enjoyed the section that was 'real advice from real people.' It stated that it is a good idea to have experience working with children with special needs before entering the field. I strongly believe this as well. Special education is a whole different world from general education. If you do not have experience, you are not going to know what you have gotten yourself into. For me, special needs is a passion, a way of life. I've known since I was little that I wanted to be a teacher, but it was not until I had the opportunity to work with children with special needs, four years ago, that I realized that this is what I was made for.

Freedom Writers Journal

-What are some of the hopes and expectations Erin has prior to starting her first job?

It was a time of racial unrest.  Riots and the Rodney King incident set the tone for unrest and questioning.  Gangs and violence were a part of life for the students she would try to teach.  She had hopes of fighting the battle in the school and not in the streets.

- What realities and challenges confronted her in the beginning of the year?

The reality of what she faced as a teacher started from day one.  It was a world she didn't know or understand.  Angry students fighting for a place in life and teachers fighting to keep them from finding a place.  No one having a chance and no one giving that chance for change.

- What were some of the case scenarios of the lived experiences of the students she had in class?

Discussions of what types of life experiences they have brought more questions than answers.  The idea of giving respect before it was earned as they had come to learn by life on the street.  Life ambitions was to die trying to live not live trying to just live.  Erins first step was to teach them to respect themselves and open up to the other students that were not any different than they were.

- What strategies did Erin incorporate to break down the barriers between the students and the teacher?

The introduction of the game with the red tape on the floor showed the students how much they were the same.  This was one of the first steps she made to get the students to engage and change attitudes and would be the first step to greatly impact their academic lives and lives in general.

- What were the attitudes and challenges from other teachers and administrators in the school?

Erin's first step forward to try and use books that were available, but not for her students, again brought questions and resistence.  It was a reinforcement of why the students she was trying to teach had the self image issue of no one caring.  They were living what they had been taught, not even worthy of using the same books that other students in the school had the opportunity to use.  Here again change would take place by her believing in herself and in them.

- What role did Erin's expectations for the students have on their learning?

Erin's expectations were not only for the students but for the system.  'No' was not acceptable and because of the expectations, it pushed students to be more than they would ever imagine.  

Minn. House Takes Up Alternative Teacher Licensure « CBS Minnesota – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Minnesota

Minn. House Takes Up Alternative Teacher Licensure « CBS Minnesota – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Minnesota


It worries me that we may have teachers in our school systems that are not educated on working with the new generation of students. With many aspects of education progressing, such as technology, there is no guarantee that these "mid-career professionals" will be able to teach the material properly.

Why do you want to become a teacher?

I want to become a teacher, specifically a special ed teacher, mainly because I want to make a difference in this world. I want to pursue a career that I enjoy, rather than one that is just "work." For the past three years, I have been working with children with special needs and it has really changed my life, and the way I look at life. Working with these children puts a smile on my face every morning I see them, and that is what makes my day. I look forward to the challenges that come with becoming a teacher, as well as the wonderful children I will meet.