high school
Innovation is critical to the advancement of our communities, state and society. Yet, relatively little is done to encourage innovation among our youth. We will talk about our “Celebrating High School Innovators” project. The project will identify, describe, and celebrate 100 of the most innovative high school students in the state of Illinois. Our long-term goal is to change how the University of Illinois and Illinois High Schools understand and encourage innovative students.
The Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation currently runs its own program in cooperation with local public school districts 116 and 4 along with many other community partners to clear the way for student success in life post high school. As a comprehensive approach, kids agree to take more rigorous courses, serve as community volunteers, maintain a grade point average, maintain a high attendance rate as well as complete other commitments. Starting its 3rd cohort, this new program has hit the ground running with over 900 participants predicted by August 2013.
"Is Algebra Necessary?", the title of a piece by Andrew Hacker (an Emeritus Professor at Queens University) in a recent issue of the Sunday New York Times is the topic this Friday. It came to my attention because Hacker briefly quotes me in the piece. Hacker argues that the algebra requirement for all high school students is misguided. Hacker's view is hardly new, but it raised quite a bit of traffic in the blogosphere.
Join us for our MSTE Friday Lunch field trip to Champaign Central High School. Jason Deal, a Math Teacher at Central, will guide us through a discussion of the math curriculum, as well as how his class recently used distance sensors.
Rides are available! We are planning to carpool to Central HS at 11:30, hoping to get there at or a little before noon. In your RSVP, you can request a ride or volunteer to be a driver. If you plan to get there on your own, please let us know as well. Thank you!
