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Home-schooling is a great success. That's why many public-school authorities hate home-schooling parents.
Home-schoolers are a direct challenge to the public-school monopoly. This monopoly makes it almost impossible to fire tenured public-school teachers or principals. As a result, tenure gives most teachers life-time guaranteed jobs. They get this incredible benefit only because public schools have a lock on our children's education.
If public-school employees had to work for private schools and compete for their jobs in the real world, they would lose their security-blanket tenure. That's why school authorities view home-schooling parents who challenge their monopoly as a serious threat.
Many school officials also can't stand the fact that average parents who never went to college give their kids a better education than so-called public-school experts. Successful home-schooling parents therefore humiliate the failed public schools by comparison.
Home-schooling parents also humiliate school authorities who claim that only certified or licensed teachers are qualified to teach children. Most home-schooling parents thankfully never stepped foot inside a so-called teacher college or university department of education. Yet these parents give their children a superior education compared to public-school educated kids.
Also, many public-school officials resent home-schoolers because the typical public school loses about $7500 a year in tax money for each child that leaves the system. Tax money is the life blood of the public-school system. Tax money pays for public-school employees' generous salaries, benefits, and pensions. Is it any wonder why school authorities don't want to lose their gravy train?
For these reasons, until fairly recently, most state legislatures either outlawed homeschooling or tried to strangle it to death with regulations. In 1980, only Utah, Ohio, and Nevada officially recognized parents' rights to homeschool their children. In most other states, legislators continually harassed or prosecuted home-schoolers under criminal truancy laws and educational neglect charges.
By 2004, however, pressure from parents, Christian home-schooling organizations, and recent court rulings pushed all fifty states to enact statutes that allow home-schooling, as long as certain requirements are met. These requirements vary for each state.
In spite of these statutes, many states and school authorities still harass home-schooling parents. That is because the Supreme Court slapped parents in the face when they gave local governments the right to regulate home-schooling. As a result, many home-schooling parents are still harassed by local school officials.
If you are a homeschooling parent, you must know how to protect your legal rights. To do this, you should seriously consider joining the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). Founded in 1983, HSDLA provides its members with legal representation against local school officials who might harass you, demand to supervise your home-schooling, or demand to periodically test your home-schooled children. You can join at their web site, http://www.hslda.org.
The Rutherford Institute is another well-known organization dedicated to protecting parents' rights and providing legal help to home-schooling parents. Their website is http://www.rutherford.org.
Joel Turtel is the author of ?Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children."
Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com,
Email: lbooksusa@aol.com,
Phone: 718-447-7348.
Article Copyrighted ? 2005 by Joel Turtel
NOTE: You may post this Article on another website only if you set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel?s email address and website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com
Home-schooling removes children from public school. That alone makes home-schooling worthwhile. Unlike public-school children, home-schooled kids are not prisoners of a system that can wreck their self-esteem, ability to read, and love of learning.
Home-schooled kids don't have to read dumb-downed text-books, study subjects they hate, or endure meaningless classes six to eight hours a day. Home-schooled kids won't be subject to drugs, bullies, violence, or peer pressure, as they are in public schools. Home-schooled children who are "different" in any way won't have to endure cruel jokes and taunts from other children in their classes.
Slow-learning or "special-needs" children won't be humiliated by their peers if they are put in regular classes, or further humiliated if the teacher puts them in so-called spe-cial-education classes. Faster-learning home-schooled kids won't have to sit through mind-numbing classes that are geared to the slowest-learning students in a class. They won't have to "learn" in cooperative groups where other kids in the group do nothing or are not cooperative. Home-schooled children do not have to waste their time memorizing meaningless facts about subjects that bore them, just so they can pass the next dumbed-down test to obey and please school authorities.
Home-schooled kids don't have to endure twelve years of a third-rate, public-school education that leaves many students barely able to read their own diplomas. The notion that tests tell teachers and parents what children have learned turns out to false. John Holt, teacher and author of "How Children Fail," pointed out that most children soon forget what they memorized for a test as soon as the test is over, so the entire test-taking process is usually worthless. Facts or ideas that are not useful or relevant to children pass through them like a sieve and are soon forgotten.
Home-schooled kids don't have to study an arbitrary, meaningless curriculum of subjects imposed on them by public-school authorities. They don't have to be treated like little mindless, spiritless robots that have to learn the same subjects at the same time and in the same sequence as their classmates.
Home-schooled children don't have to sit quietly in a class of twenty-five other students and pretend they like being in this mini-prison called public school, just to avoid being punished by a teacher for "acting-out" or fidgeting in their seats.
Any adult's mind would wander if they were forced to sit through a boring lecture for just one hour. Yet public schools expect children to sit still for boring lectures on subjects that are meaningless to them, for six to eight hours a day.
Home-schooled children do not have to be fearful of displeasing a teacher because they get the wrong answers on meaningless tests. They therefore do not have to be fearful of learning and have their natural joy in learning crippled as a result of this fear.
Infants and very young children embrace life and learning with a passion, which is why they learn so fast. Yet, as John Holt found out, by the time these same children have progressed to the fifth grade in school, most are listless, bored, apathetic, and often fearful in class.
Home-schooled children won't be terrorized by test grades and comparisons to their classmates, and associate learning with this terror. They won't associate learning with always having to get the right answer that school authorities insist on. They won't be made to feel that learning means passing an arbitrary test, and that failing a test is a shame or disgrace.
Home-schooling also gives parents control over the values their kids learn. It prevents school authorities from indoctrinating their children with warped values, pagan religions, or politically-correct ideas.
Unlike public-school students, home-schooled children are not forced to sit through explicit or shocking sex-education classes. School authorities also can't pressure home-schooling parents to give their kids mind-altering drugs like Ritalin.
So keeping a child out of public school is an enormous benefit in itself. Other positive benefits of home-schooling are:
1. Home-schooling lets parents give children a custom-made curriculum that makes learning a joy. Parents can expose their children to many different subjects and ultimately focus on subjects that their children enjoy and benefit from.
Children can also learn about subjects that are not taught in any school, and have time for non-academic subjects like art and music. Parents can choose from a wide range of teaching materials that not only engage and delight their kids, but bring real results.
2. Home-schooled children can learn at their own pace. Slower-learning kids will benefit by their parent's love and attention. Bright children will progress as fast as they want to. Children will learn to read or learn any other subject when they are ready, not according to a prescribed time-table.
Unlike public schools, home-schooling parents treat each child as a unique individual with his or her own special interests, talents, strengths and weaknesses. Parents can also tailor-make the instruction to each child's personality and learning style.
3. Home-schooling parents can give their kids a one-to-one teacher-student ratio. This insures that children get individualized attention from a loving, attentive parent-teacher.
In "Public Schools, Public Menace," author Joel Turtel explains 15 unique benefits of homeschooling your children.
Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of ?Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children."
Contact Information:
Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com,
Email: lbooksusa@aol.com,
Phone: 718-447-7348.
Article Copyrighted ? 2005 by Joel Turtel
NOTE: You may post this Article on another website only if you set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel?s email address and website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com
Duke University's Fuqua School of Business (Fuqua Full-Time MBA Profile) in Durham, N.C., accepted 24 percent of its 3,506 applicants in 2010.Fuqua Admissions Director Megan Lynam (MeganLynam), herself a Fuqua MBA grad, says her team is looking for well-rounded individuals with great leadership potential.Recently, during a live chat event, she fielded questions from Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Francesca Di Meglio (FrancescaBW) and an audience of prospective students about how to shine in the application process. Here are edited excerpts from their conversation.
sabindj: When is the next round of applications for the full-time MBA program?
MeganLynam: Our full-time program begins each August. We are in the process of finalizing our application deadlines for the next recruiting year. These [dates] will be posted in the next month, and our application will be available in mid-July. We are also still accepting applications for our Cross Continent MBA program, which begins in August, and our Master of Management Studies (MMS) program, beginning in July, if you would like to learn more about those programs.
rianagia: I am currently an undergrad at Penn State, and I'm graduating a year early. I am applying to grad school right out of undergrad. I was hoping to get some advice as to my chances for admission without any work experience.
MeganLynam: The Master of Management Studies program is actually a perfect program for someone considering a master's degree in business. It is a one-year, pre-experience program that builds your foundational skills in business to jump-start your career.
SSmith: How much access do students have to professors? Are there specific programs to foster these relationships?
MeganLynam: The engagement of professors with the student body is one of the reasons that I personally selected Fuqua. Our faculty members are incredible researchers, but they are also completely dedicated to their students. It is not uncommon to find them walking the team rooms the night before a big exam or assignment to lend support and guidance. They are also involved in student activities. For example, they act as judges in our annual Brand Challenge and Fuqua Idol contests.
CrystalBrown: What kind of student is happy here? And what kind isn't?
MeganLynam: Fuqua students are engaged, collaborative, and excited to learn from their faculty and fellow classmates alike. There is a strong sense of stewardship here as well. We want students to get involved in clubs, activities, student government, to learn by doing, to give back to the school and to others with their time and energy, and to leave a legacy here and beyond. On the flip side, a person who would not fit in well here is someone who is highly individualistic, or does not value diversity, and avoids team interaction.
Espy0301: Are students able to choose more than one concentration?
MeganLynam: Absolutely. Students are able to select up to two concentrations. Some students will pursue two, some one, and some will not complete a concentration at all. Our goal is to prepare you for your first job after the MBA, but also for your full career. Careers, these days, rarely follow a linear path. Thus, we have defined a flexible curriculum that allows you to focus on the global context for business and business fundamentals in the initial terms, while having the opportunity to customize the remaining year and a half of your studies.
CLTaft: Are there any online information sessions coming up about the Cross Continent program?
MeganLynam: The window of time to apply for the Cross Continent program is actually quite short. We would be delighted to connect with you personally to share more information about the program. Please contact us at crosscontinent-mba-info@fuqua.duke.edu.
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By Alison DamastDaniel Wesley knew as soon as he started applying to business school that he wanted to avoid student loans. He'd already racked up about $45,000 in loans from his undergraduate days and didn't relish the idea of adding another $200,000 or so to that debt load, he says. When he found out he got into the Weekend MBA program at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business (Booth Part-Time MBA Profile), he turned to his mother and father, a retired construction foreman, for help. They agreed to pay for his first year of school, which he just completed, and plan to pay for his second year as well.
"It is a huge advantage and definitely a relief to know that I won't have nearly a quarter of a million in debt hanging over my head when I graduate," says Wesley, 33, chief executive officer of Creditloan.com, a website on personal finance.
Wesley is one of a growing number of graduate business school students who are using their parents as a funding source for B-school, either accepting tuition gifts from them or negotiating interest-free loans. A two-year business program at a top school can easily add up to $150,000, after factoring in tuition and fees, room and board, and living expenses. From 2003 to 2007, the number of prospective students who said they expect their parents to help them pay for business school doubled, and was approaching 40 percent in 2010, according to a 2011 survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council. The lingering effects of the economic downturn, coupled with tighter lending standards, have left many students nervous about taking on more student loan debt, says Haley Chitty, a spokesman for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. The average debt of a college graduate is about $23,000, making the class of 2011 the most indebted class ever, according to the financial aid website Finaid.org.
"Any time there is economic uncertainty like there is now, there is a general reluctance to borrow," Chitty says. "Borrowing from Mom and Dad is going to seem a lot safer than borrowing from the government and taking on a loan which likely can't be discharged in bankruptcy and can follow you for the rest of your life."
For most students, parental support is just one of several funding sources they use to cover the cost of their graduate education; they also depend on loans, personal savings, employer assistance, and grants and fellowships. But recently it has become a more important part of the financing puzzle; on average, prospective students who plan to receive help from their parents expect them to finance 37 percent of the cost of their degree through loans, gifts, or both, GMAC says.
Driving the need for parental aid is an uptick in the business school pipeline of younger students, especially those in the 24-years-and-under age bracket, says Michelle Sparkman-Renz, GMAC's director of research communications. Increasingly, they are interested in one-year specialized degree programs that require little or no work experience, she says. In 2005, only 22 percent of prospective students who took the GMAT exam were younger than 24. Today, 29 percent fall into that age bracket, she notes.
Schools are catching on to the fact that parents are increasingly paying for a significant portion of their adult children's graduate degrees, Sparkman-Renz says, noting that some business programs have information for parents on their websites and even invite them to orientation.
"Parents are really considering higher education, not just the university undergraduate degree but even a graduate degree, as an investment," she says.
Europe has several top-notch business schools. In a field historically dominated by North America, Europe's top schools have been steadily climbing up the rankings for the last two decades. Institutions such as London Business School (LBS Full-Time MBA Profile), INSEAD (INSEAD Full-Time MBA Profile), IE Business School (IE Full-Time MBA Profile), IESE Business School (IESE Full-Time MBA Profile), IMD (IMD Full-Time MBA Profile), and HEC Paris (HEC Full-Time MBA Profile) all have MBA programs ranked in the global top 20. And statistics show these schools match their top U.S. competitors in terms of salaries, GMAT scores, placements with top recruiters, faculty quality, and most other objective measures.
However, there are two key areas in which even the very best European business schools still lag their top-tier competitors from North America: facilities and endowments. Clearly these two issues are linked; improving the former requires growing the latter. But how do we help them change? Are there fundamental cultural differences between Europe and North America with regard to charitable giving? Or is the disparity in donations caused by school-specific differences that can be erased, thereby closing the gap? These are some of the many issues that were discussed at the Graduate Business Forum at ESADE's Barcelona campus last month.
Some say the psychology of giving is fundamentally different in the U.S. and that this will not change. They point out that undergraduate schools and even high schools in the U.S. receive donations that dwarf their European counterparts'. Even world-class universities such as Oxford and Cambridge live off "old money" from property assets and a few key benefactors. Among Europe's top business schools, alumni giving rates at INSEAD and IE are 12 percent, and at LBS the figure is 14 percent. By contrast, U.S. business school giving rates are much higher: 41 percent at Stanford (Stanford Full-Time MBA Profile), 46 percent at Yale (Yale Full-Time MBA Profile), and 67 percent at Dartmouth (Tuck Full-Time MBA Profile).
In my opinion, this "psychology of giving" argument is rendered defunct by the Charities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index, which shows that 73 percent of the U.K. population donates money to charity on an annual basis. This compares favorably with the 60 percent who do so in the U.S., suggesting that Europeans in general, and the British specifically, are not opposed to giving—they are just opposed to giving to educational institutions.
Further to this point, major schools such as LBS and INSEAD are, in reality, global institutions. There is no reason why British culture should have such an impact on giving habits when only 10 percent of LBS students are British (the same percentage as North American students). LBS benchmarks itself against top-tier U.S. schools when making decisions on salaries of professors, admissions standards, and tuition fees. So why would it compare its level of alumni giving to anyone else?
It seems the reason for giving in the U.S. is social proof—"everyone else does it so I should too." Similarly, outside the U.S., there is an attitude of "why should I pay if no one else does?" If this hypothesis is true, then the real question becomes: What would it take to break this cycle and get European alumni giving at higher levels? Of equal importance is the follow-up question: How do we create this shock? For European schools to continue their meteoric rise of recent years, it is imperative we answer these questions.
Nicholas Reid is an MBA candidate and Student Association Executive Committee member at London Business School.Unfortunately, public schools, even in the "best" neighborhoods, can harm our kids in many ways. Here's a list of 15 ways public schools can hurt children (and parents):
1. Public schools cripple millions of children's ability to read by using the "whole-language" instruction method (now called "balanced reading instruction" by many public schools).
2. Many public schools spend almost 50 percent of the school day on non-academic subjects that waste children's precious time. The rest of their time is spent on classes such as sex-education, personal safety, consumer affairs, AIDS education, save-the-environment, family life, study halls, multiculturalism, homeroom, electives, counseling, or sports activities.
3. Public schools teach "new" or "fuzzy" math (sometimes called by different names). These instruction methods can cripple children's ability to learn basic arithmetic. Students who fear math are less likely to pursue good careers like computer science and engineering that depend on a love of and competence with math.
4. These schools force children to read dumbed-down textbooks in English, History, and many other subjects. The textbooks are often geared to the slowest learners in the class and water-down the subject matter. Dumbed-down classes based on dumbed-down public-school textbooks therefore waste children's precious time. This is especially true for children who are quick learners, who must endure 12 years of excruciating boredom in public school classes.
5. Public schools force children to study subjects they might hate, can't learn, will never use in their lives, or which bore them. For example, many public schools force students to study a foreign language. Children learn better when they study subjects that interest them.
6. Author John Gatto, in his book "Dumbing Us Down" said that a child eager to learn can learn to read, write, and do basic arithmetic in about 100 hours. Yet our public schools keep children locked up for 12 years, yet can barely teach millions of kids to read.
7. Public schools force parents to pay heavy school taxes for an inferior, often mind-numbing education for their children.
8. Public schools are a government-controlled near-monopoly. Bad schools don't close down because compulsory taxes prop them up. Incompetent or mediocre teachers aren't fired because tenure laws protect them. That's why public schools will never improve and will always waste children's precious time.
9. Many public schools subject children to drugs, bullies, violence, and values many parents disapprove of.
10. Public schools pressure many parents who have bright, normal children to give their kids potentially dangerous mind-altering drugs to make the bored kids "behave" in class. Over four million allegedly "unruly" kids line up for Ritalin every day in public schools across America. Methylphenidate (sold as Ritalin) and cocaine are both listed in "Schedule II" of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
11. Public schools are compulsory. They therefore violate parents' natural and constitutional right to control the education of their children. Public school authorities, whose salaries we pay with our taxes, force parents to hand over their children to government employees called teachers and to schools that give an inferior education.
12. Public schools can destroy children's love of learning and self-confidence as learners. This can cripple children's ambitions and desire to go to college. This in turn, can force these children to end up with low-paying jobs for the rest of their lives if and when they graduate high school.
13. Public schools force millions of Christian parents to hand over their children to public schools which are decidedly anti-Christian. For example, many social studies textbooks used in public schools have censored out references to such words as 'family,' 'marriage,' 'religion,' 'fidelity,' etc. Many textbooks today refer to a family simply as people choosing to live together.
14. Public schools force children to witness sometimes shocking or obnoxious sexual material in sex-education classes, without parents' knowledge or consent.
15. The public-school near monopoly and compulsory-attendance laws cripple parents right and ability to choose a quality, low-cost school in an education free-market that has been squashed by the public-school monopoly.
Parents should consider taking their kids out of public school permanently. Parents can take advantage of quality, low-cost education alternatives available to them right now, such as the new Internet private schools that have low tuition costs.
Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of ?Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children."
Contact Information:
Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com,
Email: lbooksusa@aol.com,
Phone: 718-447-7348.
Article Copyrighted ? 2005 by Joel Turtel.
Note: You may post this Article on an Ezine, newsletter, or other website only if you include the email and other contact information to Joel Turtel and his website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com. Also, you must set any email addresses or URLs in the Author's Resource Box as hyperlinks to Joel Turtel?s email and to his website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com.
Probably, not every young person willing to receive good higher education is able today to pay for a college education. Sometimes, it may happen so that an individual lacks the grades which are of primary necessity while entering a university of one's dream. Very often it happens that a person has no opportunity to study in the field he or she is interested in due to a number of reasons. Nevertheless, these problems shouldn't be obstacles for us on the road of receiving the desired education, creating a successful career and making our dreams come true. Still, even when there is some problem, career and technical schools were created specially for people having some career obstacles and will be of great help for those young people who wish to visit a college, no matter what problem may be.
Duration Of Studying In Career And Technical Schools
Career and technical schools offer their students a certificate, a needed diploma or a desired degree, and suggests proper training in a particular field, trade or profession. Well, the process of studying for a degree from a trade school will require approximately two years in duration, while comparing with four years of studying in a regular college. The duration of studying in a trade school is twice shorter because it provides its students with training only on specific abilities and skills. By the way, if you choose to study in a trade school, you will save much on tuition fees as well as on the time spent in the classroom, while the cost of study in a conventional college is much higher. In addition, you will receive more time to spend on having an extra job which you may combine with studying in a trade school.
Cost Of Education Received In Career And Technical Schools
As far as it is known, the cost of obtaining a traditional degree from a public university is minimum $35,000, while you may earn a degree from a career school for only $5,000 which is seven times cheaper. Nevertheless, you should realize that the cost of education greatly depends on the kind of the course an individual will choose, and will fluctuate according to the chosen course. It has also to be mentioned that the greater part of career schools is private, however, these schools do offer different financial options to their students. In addition, these schools also offer placement services to their students, with the help of which they may guarantee that a student gets a good employment as soon as he or she graduates. As a consequence, the debt received in the process of obtaining the necessary education can be quickly returned.
Admission Policies In Career And Technical Schools
As a matter of fact, the greater part of career schools have an open admission policy. It means that any person who is already over eighteen years old and has a high school diploma, or a GED has the right to get registered into a career school. GED is shortened from General Educational Development which are special tests checking up the knowledge of five subject tests. The successful passing if these tests certify that the student has American or Canadian high school-level academic knowledge and skills. Nevertheless, some career schools may require from their future students good grades, and might even require from them to pass SAT or ACT. SAT is abbreviated from Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test which is a generally recognized test for college admissions in the United States of America. The major goal of this test is to assess a student's knowledge which is necessary for entering a college. It was introduced in the year of 1901 for the first time. The present SAT which was introduced in the year of 2005, usually requires three hours and forty-five minutes for passing. The earned scores may fluctuate from 600 to 2400, including test results and three sections like Mathematics, Critical Reading, and Writing. The ACT is an abbreviation of American College Testing. This test is designed to assess high school students' general knowledge and their skills necessary for entering a college. ACT checks up the skills in four major fields including English, mathematics, reading, and science. The optional Writing Test presupposes writing a short essay. Well, it has to be emphasized, however, that the requirements of each career schools greatly depend on the school as well as the type of program you are planning to complete. The greater part of career and technical schools offer their students smaller classrooms, thus more close interaction. These schools also suggest internships and apprenticeships, not seldom in cooperation with the field most students are soon going to be employed in. while studying in a career schools an individual has an opportunity to create new contacts with other people as well as and start networking with businesses at the school.
Accreditation Of Career And Technical Schools
One should keep in mind that before choosing a career or a technical school you are going to get registered into, there are several issues which should to be taken into consideration. The greater amount of states in the United States of America requires all schools to have a special kind of license. So, before enrolling into a school you should check up whether this school has such license. This license usually gives information whether the school has a state accreditation or not. In case if the school is accredited by some educational agency you may be sure that the school follows the standards defined by that agency. If the school doesn't have an accreditation, don't dare to enter it, otherwise your diploma will be nothing more than a piece of paper which is not accepted by any good employer, and you simply won't be able to be employed after the graduation from this school. Even though schools are not required to be accredited in the United States of America, a school that has an accreditation will certainly guarantee that you are going to obtain an education of high quality and will be easily employed after graduation.
Besides, it is extremely advisable to get to know beforehand what the admission requirements are for the school you would like to get registered into. You should be aware of the fact that every schools has its own admission requirements, and one should realize it before applying to any school. If some requirements are too difficult for you to follow you may turn to some other career school which has less admission requirements. In addition, it is preferable to check up whether your coursework and your credits can be transferred to some other school in case if you would like to change the school. This may be useful not only if you will have to change schools for some reason, but also if you will need to obtain a traditional four-year degree.
Summing up, it would be necessary to say that it would be a great idea to see the school before enrolling into it. The personal visit will supply you with the useful information about the facilities offered by the school and to decide whether this school is really the one you are looking for. It is highly advisable to compare different career schools, to weigh their advantages and disadvantages. Only then you may make up your final decision about what school is the most suitable for you. Good luck in your search!
technical career institutes - technical schools
On the upside, we have four newcomers to this year's rankings. The University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management (Carlson Full-Time MBA Profile) and Michigan State's Broad Graduate School of Management (Broad Full-Time MBA Profile), which ranked in the second tier in 2008, moved up to the big leagues, coming in at No. 28 and No. 20, respectively, while No. 29 Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business (Jones Full-Time MBA Profile) and No. 30 Texas A&M's Mays Business School (Mays Full-Time MBA Profile) are being ranked for the first time.
In the slides that follow, we lay out the winners and the losers in the top 30. But it doesn't end there. This year we nearly doubled the size of the list, ranking 57 U.S. schools in all. Click here for the complete ranking.
Methodology Note: The ranking is based on three surveys of MBA grads (2010, 2008, and 2006) with 26,389 total responses that combined contribute 45 percent to the final ranking; three surveys of MBA recruiters (2010, 2008, and 2006) with 680 total responses that combined contribute an additional 45 percent; and a review of faculty research published over a five-year period in 20 top academic journals that contributes the final 10 percent. Tuition and fees are for the entire MBA program; where applicable, nonresident figures are used. Pre-MBA pay is the median base salary for the incoming class of 2010; post-MBA pay is the median base salary for the graduating class of 2010. Job offers are the percentage of job-seeking 2010 MBA graduates reporting at least one job offer within three months of graduation. Letter grades are based on one or more questions from the 2010 student and recruiter surveys. A+=top 20 percent; A=next 25 percent; B=next 35 percent; C=bottom 20 percent. No D's or F's awarded.
(Corrects rank for Texas A&M's Mays Business School)
High School Musical 1: Extended Edition: Price: $79.97
The MBA sponsorship program at Deloitte impressed Jason Halupnick when he took a job there in 2001. As long as he earned strong performance reviews, he could eventually apply for an expenses-paid degree, courtesy of the firm, at a school of his choice.
But when his turn to apply came in 2003, he says, the process had become more stressful: Unlike prior applicants, he was required to make a formal pitch about the investment potential of his education before a panel of Deloitte's partners.
"The process was parallel to that of actually applying to grad school," he says.
Today's working MBA hopefuls are facing more rigorous selection criteria and tougher odds than the generation before them when it comes to getting an employer to pay their way through school. Research suggests employers have found new ways to make the most of their graduate tuition investments, and avoid being burned by fickle employees who accept the money and leave anyway.
A growing number of prospective students are without the benefit at all. In 2010, 56 percent of employers offered graduate school assistance, down from 69 percent in 2003, according to annual benefits data collected by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The group's data show an average steady decline in offerings of about 2 percent a year. For companies with 500 employees or more, 75 percent offered the benefit in 2010, down from 80 percent in 2007.
Meanwhile, use of such programs more than doubled between 1992 and 2007, according to a 2010 joint study by SHRM and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), with the biggest boost among employees seeking graduate degrees. Thirty-six percent of employees reporting tuition reimbursements in 2007 said they were pursuing a master's degree, vs. 21 percent in 1992. Business was the top area of study reported in the survey, which included management, accounting, finance, marketing, and business administration degrees.
From their inception, tuition sponsorship programs were expected to improve workers' skill sets and retain talent and foster goodwill, says Colleen Manchester, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management (Carlson Full-Time MBA Profile), who has written two research papers on the topic.
In 2000, 23 percent of employers offering such programs required graduates to pay back their tuition if they left within a year, according to data from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. That shot up to 49 percent in 2006. In her research, Manchester concluded that offering tuition assistance alone—without any payback provisions—had only limited success in retaining employees.
There are fewer full sponsorships at business schools now than there ever used to be, says Dave Gent, executive director of the Evening and Weekend MBA program at UC-Berkeley's Haas School of Business (Haas Part-Time MBA Profile).
When the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School (Wharton Executive MBA Profile) started its executive MBA program in 1975, nearly all candidates had their tuition fully paid by an employer, says Peter Cappelli, a management professor and director of Wharton's Center for Human Resources. Now, less than half the employers agree to pay the full amount, he says.
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You've made the decision to begin searching for a private school for your child. With 25 percent of all the elementary and secondary schools in the nation listed as private or independent, where do you begin? A good place to start is understanding the different types of private schools.
Independent vs Private Schools
Although "private school" and "independent school" are often used interchangeably the two are different. Usually a private school is part of a larger organization such as a church or religious community. In contrast an independent school is just that, independent of other organizations with its own board of governors or trustees. What they have in common, is that both are funded with tuition, fees and donations.
Private School Grade Levels
Most private schools are divided by grade levels. Students in kindergarten through grade five attend an elementary school, while those in grades six through eight go to a middle school. Junior high is a variation of that idea since is serves students in grades seven through nine. Private high schools are for students in grades nine through 12 or freshmen through seniors. College Prep are just that: schools with a heavy emphasis on academics which prepare a student to go to college.
Day Schools/Country Day Schools
Day or Country Day schools are private schools which students attend during the day and then go home at night. Usually Country Day Schools are located in the country or suburbs.
Boarding Schools
When many people think of a private school, they think of boarding schools. Although only one type of private school, boarding schools where students live in dorms or halls on campus, are the stereotypical independent school portrayed in movies or books. A residential school, where students live on campus Monday through Friday or all week long, these institutions offer students a highly structured day with set times for classes meals, athletics, study and recreation. Most American boarding schools are for students in high school. The con of going to a boarding school is being away from home and having the faculty and advisers making some daily decisions usually left to parents. Being away from home is also an argument for boarding school since it allows students to exert their independence and build confidence. Some parents also like the daily supervision their child will receive.
Special Needs Schools
Special needs private schools serve a wide range of students. Some are geared for those with learning or physical disabilities, while others focus on those with emotional needs. Still others offer students who are extremely bright an atmosphere where they can blossom or those who want to focus on one talent - a place where they can hone their ability. Searches for these types of institutions are very specific and should be done with the needs of your child in mind.
Single Sex / Coeducational Schools
At one time most private schools were single sex schools where boys went to school with boys girls went to school with girls. That has all changed. Most private schools are now co-educational with boys and girls going to school together. Some single sex schools remain and many parents and educators are again interested in this type of program, especially for older students. According to some educational experts the single sex school create opportunities that don't exist in the coed classrooms as long as teachers are trained to capitalize on the difference by employing strategies geared for girls in an all-girls school and those for boys in an all-boys school. Administrators and teachers both believe the major benefit of single sex schools is decreasing the distractions to learning with a corresponding increase in student achievement. Educational research has shown the benefits of single sex schools are greatest for at-risk students and some ethnic minorities. More modest benefits are realized for other students. In contrast many educators believe we live in a coed society and students need to learn how to interact with each other.
Military Schools
Is your child dreaming of a military career? Then one of the 30 military schools in the United States might be the perfect fit. This type of private school, which are primarily boarding schools for those in grades nine and up, focus on personal and team discipline along with academic curriculum and technology. Leadership and patriotism are emphasized at these selective private schools. Many include a JROTC or Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps and are a path to the country's military academies.
Religious or Parochial Private Schools
If you have a strong faith or want your child to receive religious instruction, a religious school might be the right choice. Religious schools are supported by one faith and usually teach the tenets, philosophy and practices of that religion. Generally they also offer a strong academic curriculum. Some religious schools are more relaxed, providing classes in world religion or philosophy instead of those about their faith. Others are stricter, requiring students and families to be members of the religion, signing a profession of faith and adherence to its religious practices and beliefs. Catholic schools are sometimes called parochial schools and are the most common type of religious school in the United States. But almost every faith has? religious schools in this country.
Montessori Schools
Based on the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, a medical doctor and educator, this type of private school works to teach the whole child in classrooms filled with hands-on materials that stimulate students' senses and motor skills. Emphasizing multiple-intelligences, Montessori schools promote self-directed learning, independence and individuality. Students of various ages are mixed in classrooms with flexible, non-competitive environments and a lack of grades, rewards or punishments. Most Montessori programs in the U.S. are for elementary age children.
Waldorf Schools
Emphasizing discovery and imagination as a basis of learning, Waldorf schools were created by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and writer. Steiner's philosophy, anthroposophy, states that to understand the universe an individual must understand humanity first. Stressing music, art and language along with traditional subjects, Waldorf teachers encourage students' creativity in learning. Based in a roomy, homelike classroom with a teacher who has progressed through the grades with them, students may focus on one subject for as long as a month as they slowly learn all about it. Students often create their own toys and learning objects in this type of private school and are not graded on their work. Waldorf schools go from preschool through grade 12.
Selecting a private school can feel overwhelming, but PrivateSchoolU.com has the resources you need to make an informed decision.
Over the years, Nigerian school administrators, especially, the lslamiyyah schools had paid Lip services to the proper keeping of records. All these schools do is simply teach and graduate students. However as observed by NTI, (2000:12) in 1964, a headmaster of one primary school in our neighboring Bauchi State was faced with one serious experience. A form containing many questionnaires about one of the old pupils of the school who was nominated to be appointed as the chairman of the Federal Public Service Commissioner was given to him to complete. The pupil graduated many years before the headmaster even went to primary school. Therefore, the headmaster did not know the man personally and did not know what to write about him.
The only solution available to the headmaster was to turn to the school records. The school records showed the year the pupil was admitted, the year he passed out, the records of his good academic performance, records of annual prizes given to the pupil among others.
It was these records that helped the headmaster to correctly and accurately filled the form that assisted the person to be successfully appointed.
DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
School records keeping: This concept according to NTI (2000:12) is the history of the school kept systematically. This means that the systematic growth of the school at various points in time need to be thoroughly recorded and kept by school administrators. it is the authentic register of instruments of officials accounts of transaction or accurance which are preserved in the schools office (Olanrewaju 200S).
Aleiyideino SC et al (202) defined record as a written statement about a happening. School record keeping according to these scholars are records that give a lot of information about the school that will enable the authority to take decisions and asses the progress of the school. Head of School shall refer to both head teacher and principal.
Student: It shall be used to refer to both pupils and students. These records according to Dibu-Ojerinde,00 and Tukur(ed) (2005:21) classified school records into (a) Statutory Records (b) Academic Records (c) Finance Records (d) Staff Record(e) General Records.
Also linking Muslim schools to the category of voluntary agencies interested in educational development, Eke, et al (2000:46) explained that the Izalatil bid'a Wa Iqamatis Sunnah group, the Jama'atu Nasrul Islam, is the Islamic Trust of Nigeria (ITN) among others have contributed immensely not only to the development of education but also to proper school records keeping in Nigeria. Here cognitive and effective domains are highly exhibited unlike public schools that deal with only cognitive domain.
It is in light of the above that we are going to discuss the classification of school records as listed by Dibu-Ojerinde 0.0 and Tukur H.as follows:
A). STATUTORY RECORDS
1. ADMISSION REGISTER
This is a register of admission, progress and withdrawal of students, it should contain the following particulars about the admitted students.
(a) Admission number (b) Name in full (c) Sex (d) Name and address of parent/guardians (e) Day Month and year of birth (f) Previous school attended (g) Last class read (h) Day, month, class, of admission (i) Records of progress (j) date of leaving school (k) Reason for leaving etc (1) Transfer certificate number.
All the entries should be hand-written and corrections should be made in such a way that the original entry and the correction are both clearly distinguished. It should be kept for not less than fifteen (15) years from the date of last entry.
2. ATTENDANCE REGISTER.
This is register that is kept for each class containing the particulars in respect of every student until such student leaves the school. Students' regular attendance or otherwise can be traced here easily, it should contain (a) Admission number (b) Name in full, sure name first etc.
3. LOG BOOK.
This book contains records of important events happening in the school. The history of the school can be compiled from this record. It should be kept under lock and key.
4. VISITORS BOOK
This is a record showing names, address of all important visitors to the school as well as the purpose of such visit.
5. PUNISHMENT BOOK
The education law permits only the head of school or his representative to inflict corporal punishment on erring students. A proper reoord is kept containing (a) The name of the offender (b) The date of such punishment (c) The nature of offence (d) the person who administered the punishment etc.
This record helps to protect the teachers against aggrieved parents. It can serve as witness for the school to trace the trend of such students.
6. EDUCATION LAW
The school should keep Education Law with its regulations to assist the school in operating in line with such regulations.
7 NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION
Each school must have a copy of the National policy on Education.
8, INSPECTION REPORT FILE
This is a record containing the reports of visits to the school by inspectors as it helps during follow-up inspections.
9. STAFF DUTY BOOK.
This is a record that shows a brief report of happenings in the school on daily basis. In secondary schools, the perfects also write daily report in prefect duty book.
10. MINUTES OF MEETING BOOK
There should be a hard cover book to be used for recording of minutes of meeting for easy reference to the decisions taken in meetings.
B). ACADEMIC RECORD
i) Approved copy of syllabus
ii) Academic Syllabus files
1. APPROVED SYLLABUS:
Academic programme of institutions are based on approved syllabus of the course to be run, it could be primary school syllabus, NTI syllabus for teachers colleges, WAEC/NECO syllabus etc. the school need a syllabus to follow.
2. SCHEME OF WORK
This is the aspect that breakdown the syllabus into teaching units. It is broken down into topics, performance objectives, etc. lit has to be kept by every teacher to be marked and endorsed by the headmaster.
3. RECORD OF WORK BOOK
This aspect further break down the scheme of work into weekly records of what the teacher has taught. It should be kept by teachers and cheeked and endorsed by the headmaster.
4. LESSON NOTE BOOK
One may call it lesson plan, it is like the site plan for the architect. It is prepared so that you follow it without forgetting a process. it reduces your energy of remembering the next step to do while teaching. It should contain topic, date, time of the day, duration of the lesson, age, sex, and class. Others includes: aims and objective, previous knowledge introduction, presentation evaluation and conclusion.
5. MARKS BOOKS
This is used in compiling continues assessment (CA) record. It is used to build up CA as it is either on weekly, fortnightly or monthly as the case may be.
6. CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT DOSSIER/REPORT SHEET
Schools used C.A dossier for examination records for every student. Two copies are needed for a student, one for the school and another one for the student. It should contain cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of the student.
7. SCHOOL TIME TABLE
This shows the daily activities of the school, class by class, period by period and the names of teachers handling them. It sums up the number of period allocated to a subject and the number of subjects arid periods taught by a teacher in a week.
8. LESSON ATTENDANCE REGISTER
It is kept by the class captain of each subject to be signed at the end of the period by teachers. It can cheek teachers who do not go to classes as and when due
9. TRANSFER CERTIFICATE
This is in a booklet form issued to students who leave the school before getting to the terminal class. It helps both the school releasing the students and the schools receiving students.
10. LEAVING CERTIFICATE
Unclaimed certificates testimonials etc should be kept under key and luck
11. FILES FOR ACADEMIC RECORDS OF DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTERS NEED TO BE KEPT
C). FINANCE RECORD
The school needs account records such as:
i. Salary and payment voucher:- these are kept in labeled files to show salary payment and other payments made in the school.
it School fees register:- It is kept to give the financial transactions in the school. It gives information about income and expenditure items. It promotes accountability and prevents corrupt and sharp practices.
iii. Fees receipts:- It is issued to students as they pay fees while the duplicates is kept for auditor and inspectors.
iv. Cash Book:- It shows the receipts and payments of the school.
v. Ledger Book:- It is used to record all the debit and credit transacts of the school.
vi. Bank Reconciliation to Reconcile the School Transaction with the bank (to come into agreement)
vii. Stock Book:- It is used to keep the inventory of the landed property and other assets of the school with liabilities shown.
viii. I.O.U Book:- This is used to service short term financial assistance to staff, payable on payment of salary.
D). STAFF RECORDS:
i. Staff Time Book:- This is for staff attendance, it shows the tune each staff come to school (late corners cab be easily detected)
ii. Staff movement Book:- This is the record that indicate when staff move out of the school during school hours and when they returned.
iii. Staff Confidential Report: (ANNUAL EVALUATION REPORT FORM-APER FORM) This is used for staff promotion and reward.
iv. Staff Files: Each member of staff should have a personal file, which contain the record of service with proper references.
v. Staff List:- List of staff suppose to be kept including the school organization.
vi. Files on Subject matter in the accounts need to be kept
E). EJGENERAL RECORDS:
A school also need the following records:
i. Parents Teachers Association Minutes book
ii. Parents Teachers Association Account Book
iii. Board of Directors minutes Books
iv. Suggestion files and Box
v. Instruction Book or Internal Circular File
vi. Correspondence Files on various Subjects
IMPORTANCE OF RECORD KEEPING IN THE SCHOOLS
The importance of record keeping in schools according to Olgboye Cited in Olararenwaji I.T (2009:1) and Dibu Ojermde and Tukur (ed) (2005:27), include;
1. It tells the history of the school
2. It facilitates continuity in the school administration
3. It facilitates and enhance the provision of effective guidance and counseling service for students in the social career domains
4. Provides information needed on ex-students by higher and other related institution and employers of labour for admission or placement.
5. Facilitate the supply of information to parents or guardians for effective monitoring of the progress of their children in school or performance.
6. Provides data needed for planning and decision making by school authority
7. Provide' a basis for the objective assessment of the state of teaching and learning in the school, including staff and students performance by supervisors and inspectors.
8. Provide information for the school community, the general public, employers, researchers for the advancement of knowledge.
9. It ensures that the headmaster keeps strictly to the education regulations.
10. School records can be used as reference materials for both the teachers and the administrators.
ABUSES OF SCHOOL RECORDS
Some time according to Aleiyideino, Sc et a! (2000:79) some school abuse records keeping by:
1. Non availability of records:- They do not keep such records and cannot produce same when the need arise.
2. Problem of storage:- Some school have these records but are not properly stored according to subject matter.
3. Ignorance on the part of head teachers:- Some head teachers are not even aware of the importance of records keeping in school or how to even keep these records.
4. Poor Supervision by Head teacher or supervisor:- Some Head teachers do not keep records because no body request for such records.
5. If the information given are false or incomplete, it cannot give us accurate information needed.
CONCLUSION:
This means that we must know the importance of keeping records and with truthful and complete information This will enable our schools to be up to date and respond to any question or fill any form about our school without difficulties.
REFERENCE:
Olanrewaju, I.T (2008) Importance of Record keeping In School" being Paper Presented to the Department of PHE University of Ilorin PP 1-10.
2. Aleiyideini, SC et al (2002)"Record Keeping" in NTI (2002) School Management Course Book On Education pp 69-78
3. Eke E(2000)"School Administration and Management" In NTI (2000) education Cycle 4. PP 12-13
4. Dibu Ojerinde, 0.0 and Tukur, H (2005) "Record Keeping" Inspection manual in NTI PGDE by DLS. PP2 1-27.
BY
MAL. ABDULKARIM N. BELLO
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, JALINGO
TARABA STATE, NIGERIA.
I stumbled upon a school website that exemplifies the exact qualities of a fantastic school website. If you go to the website for Bishop Heelan School in Sioux City, IA, you will see what I am talking about.
I have been consulting for schools for over ten years and I have found that many schools have a website and this is great...but there are still some schools that do not have a website, nor do they have the qualities of what makes a fantastic school website! Parents and potential parents are visiting your website whether you like it or not and if you want to impress them one of the things that you need to have is a quality website that offers valuable information. The great part about this is that it is not hard to do at all!!! Just follow the steps below and you will be on your way to giving parents and potential parents what they need and want when they are researching schools!
Here are the top ten items a school website must have to provide the most valuable information for parents and prospective parents searching your school.
1) About Us Page: It is great to have an about us page on your website. This gives people an overview about your school and website. It is kind of like a summary of everything that your website and school consists of. You will be going into more detail in the pages of your website, but people can just look at this at first glance to see what your school is all about; hence About Us. Make the about us page desirable to keep parents intrigued to keep looking at your website. Make it interesting and unique.
2) Pictures: Everyone loves pictures. Provide pictures of the students in sporting events, science fairs, dances, plays - anything you can think of! Provide pictures of the school itself like the grounds of the school, the buildings, and classrooms. Portray anything new that you would like to showcase. These are all very important so that people can get a nice visual aspect without ever seeing your school in person. Providing faculty pictures is also a nice enhancement as you will see below.
3) Faculty / Staff Directory: Make it simple and easy to find the faculty and staff that work at your school. This is important for many reasons. It makes the staff and faculty members feel more important when they see their name and title on the website. It is also very helpful for parents that might be searching for a teacher and wants quick and easy access to their phone number and email address. If you want to take this a step further and really up the quality of your website, then add pictures of the faculty members. This makes it much more presentable and fun for everyone when they can put a face to a name.
4) Admissions Policy: It is always nice to tell people what the school's admission policy is. Providing information in a step by step, spelled out format is the best thing that you can do. Also, provide any forms that the families might need to register their kids. This makes the information easily accessible for the parents. Most schools have their tuition information in the admissions section of the website. Describe all registration fees, payment plans, payment methods, additional fees, and tuition. A nice calendar of events might be helpful too in the admissions section: First day of school, registration day, open houses, etc
5) Ways to Donate to the School: Even in this downturn economy, there are still people out there that are willing to donate to schools. Referring to our example school, Bishop Heelan, if you look at the navigation heading at the very end, you will see "Ways to Give". Listed there are different campaigns that people can donate to. This is excellent because people can donate towards a specific cause. If someone wanted to help out a family in need of tuition assistance, they can click on the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation and their money would go to a family in need. This is one of the most important ways for a school to raise money. It is easier than most fundraising efforts! Put it on your website!
6) At least two descriptions (in detail) of what makes your school different: There are many options for places for parents to send their kids to school. There are public schools, charter schools, online schools, religious schools, Montessori schools, and many more! You have to outline the qualitative that your school has to stand out from the crowd! If your school has a great drama program, or a great music program, or an award winning science team, or an awesome performing musical band - you must showcase that on your website! Anything that you can do to 1) add information and content to your site and 2) make your school standout and answer the question "what makes your school unique". The more you do this, the more compelled parents will be to keep looking at your school as a viable option for their children, instead of another school!
7) School History: People searching your school's website like to see details of how long the school has been around for, what updates the school has gone through throughout the years, and other valuable information associated with the school that made it what it is today. Things like renovations the school has gone through and changes throughout the years are what shape a school and creates more value. I always like to read a school's website before I go into a meeting. If I find out that the school I am visiting has a school and parish that have been around for over 100 years - that is very valuable information and it just makes me respect a school that much more!
8) Mission Statement: A school Mission Statement gives people a good idea of the philosophy and ideology of what the power behind the school is. The mission statement answers the question of what fuels and motivates the school to be the best it can be for the children it educates. A clear cut mission is important because parents want to see the thought process of the people running the school. Of course, the more time and energy that is put into the mission statement, the better the quality your school and website will become.
9) Headmaster / Director / Principal's Message: A message from the person at the top goes a long way for a school's website! This makes the website more personal and it also is a way for the parents to get a good sense of who the commander in chief is at the school. The more you personalize the website, the better it will be. Just imagine what you would want to see on a website - you want it welcoming, you want to meet the people in charge and you want to see firsthand information and images to make a well informed decision.
10) Contact information: It is imperative that the school has a contact us page with the formal address of the school and the main phone number of the school, a fax number and an email address. You can have a contact form, but most people feel more comfortable writing an email if that is their preferred way of communicating with the school. You must have an open outlet of communication so there are no barriers of people contacting your school. Directions to the school are also helpful on the contact us page. These days, it is very easy to add a picture of a map pinpointing the exact location of your school.
If you go ahead and follow these basic guidelines, you too will have a fantastic website for your school. The economy will not stay bad like this forever! Make sure you are ready for the rebound!
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Two years ago I wrote a column about what I would say to the MBA of 2009 if I were selected to deliver a commencement address. That graduation occurred just as the savage effects of the Great Recession were unfolding. Millions had lost their jobs and millions more would fear losing them. Business confidence was nonexistent. More often than not, you heard executives say they'd not seen anything like that before.
So to the MBA class of 2011, let me offer my congratulations. We have turned the corner on the Great Recession. Companies are back in the black and even giving bonuses. Yet too many millions remain unemployed or underemployed.
The world that newly minted MBAs—my son is one—inherit is different from the one my generation faced. Yours is a world of diminished expectations. In some ways, this is very good. You have experienced the worst economic meltdown since the 1930s and you have survived. In a way you have more in common with your grandparents' and great-grandparents' generations. You have known hardship. Sadly, many your age have gone to war.
Today, the world differs greatly from the one our ancestors lived in during the last cataclysmic economic meltdown, the Great Depression. There is a curious though oppositional parallel, however. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the New Deal to rescue the nation. Prior to FDR, no one expected the government to do much of anything. Today the government is expected to do much, but it has far less— its budget is crimped by entitlements, defense, and debt service.
Once again it will fall to private enterprise to right not just the economy, but the entire nation and ultimately the world. You will be the generation challenged to accomplish that. The challenge may seem overwhelming, though you have the smarts to do it. Brainpower is not enough; you need to engage with others to make it happen. Let me offer two suggestions.
One, be pragmatic. The engine of American enterprise is not our smarts; it's our can-do spirit. We know how to make things work. One of my favorite stories comes from car-industry legend Bob Lutz, a veteran of each of the Detroit Three as well as BMW (BMW:GR). When asked why Chrysler, for whom he worked in the eighties, had bought American Motors, Lutz said—partly tongue in cheek—that American Motors (which had been in financial distress for years) had been doing so much with so little that the expectation was it might make things out of nothing. Chrysler incorporated AMC's pragmatism into its operations and helped save itself one further time.
FDR's mantra was: Try something, try anything, but by gosh, do something. Don't expect perfection. Make things happen. That is what pragmatists do.
Two, be willing to compromise. Too bad the word has fallen into disrepute, chiefly due to the ideologues who pose as politicians. They have conflated principles with policies and made it shameful to cooperate and collaborate. Fortunately, the business world does not heed Washington in this regard.
Savvy businesspeople make collaboration an art form. Today we see strategic alliances among competitors. In some fields it is not uncommon for competitors to be one another's customers, as well as vendors, and still maintain competition in certain areas. Supply-chain integration is all about compromise, working with the best providers to help you deliver the best products and services.
As bright and savvy—not to mention aggressive and ambitious—MBA graduates, you can find many more things to add. And as you make your way in the world, remember to stop and enjoy it. Work is hard; that's why they call it work. You are entitled to take some time off.
As an MBA graduate, you have proven that you know how to grind it out. Now show us how you can do something else. Spend time in the pursuits that interest you most. Pursue your passion. Indulge in free time. Do not overlook your family. And find ways to give back to your community. The final two are tall orders, yes. As you have done with challenges in the past, you will figure out how to do it.
Good luck and Godspeed. The world is counting on you to succeed.
John Baldoni is a leadership development consultant, executive coach, speaker, and author. In 2009, Top Leadership Gurus named John one of the top 25 leadership experts in the world. His newest book is Lead Your Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up (Amacom, 2009). John also writes the "Leadership at Work" column for Harvard Business Publishing. He can be contacted via his Web site, www.johnbaldoni.com.
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By Francesca Di MeglioFew corporate leaders have as rapt an audience as they do when they speak at commencement, that great rite of spring when graduates get to reflect on the academic life they're leaving behind and the challenges and opportunities ahead. And this year's crop of B-school graduation speakers is no exception. With the job outlook for both college business majors and MBAs improving, the tone this year was generally optimistic—with a healthy dose of reality thrown in for good measure.
The thread that brings together many of the recent graduation speeches is a call to action, a suggestion to look long and hard in the mirror, take stock of the post-crisis world, and move forward as the type of leader who does not seek followers but rather helps cultivate new leaders. From Bob McDonald, CEO of Procter & Gamble (PG), who told graduates of University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School (Kenan-Flagler Full-Time MBA Profile) that there is no surefire formula for making a difference, to John C.Cushman III, chairman of Cushman & Wakefield, who apologized to those at the commencement for University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business (Marshall Full-Time MBA Profile) for the errors of his generation that are costing Americans dearly, there seems to be less sugar-coating and more tough talk than are typically heard in such addresses.
Still, earning a business degree brings with it joy and a sense of accomplishment. Speechmakers urged students to embrace this milestone in their lives as a chance to wipe the slate clean and set forth on a greater mission.
"Whether you choose business, the not-for-profit sector, or government, be passionate about what you're doing," said Henry R. Kravis, founding partner of the private equity firm KKR at the May 15 commencement at Columbia Business School (Columbia Full-Time MBA Profile). "In the current economy, this may seem idealistic and impractical because most of you need to earn a living, reimburse student and other loans, or support or help your families. In this labor market, you might not find a job immediately, but the important thing is to get started, acquire experience, and make connections without losing sight of your longer-term goals. Whatever job you take, be the best at what you do and work harder than everyone else."
The virtues of hard work aren't limited to getting ahead, though. Doing good counts for something, too. Doug Conant, the CEO of Campbell Soup Company (CPB), is planning to focus his June 17 speech to graduates of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management (Kellogg Full-Time MBA Profile) on assisting others and being thoughtful about how you influence them, according to his spokesperson, Anthony J. Sanzio.
An English Language School's key goals, strategies and objectives should provide the fundamental planning and operational tool for the development and continuous improvement of the school.
The business practices that a school chooses to follow will set the boundaries and dynamics of development. This is why it is very important that managers understand the complex nature of this market. In doing so they must establish an organizational structure that creates the best possible environment for both staff and students to develop their capabilities to the fullest.
The underlying reason why any organization (with the exception of non-profitable ones) goes into business is to generate profits. In the English Language School business, managers must balance profitability with educational value. This is to say, profits must be maximized while excelling in product value and quality. In such a sensitive market, schools cannot just focus on cost cutting to become profitable. Managers must concentrate on efficiency and the marketing value proposition in order to optimize resources and performance.
This article's purpose is to show the reader how to structure and utilize business resources that can help increase a school's efficiency, and so its profits.
Management Structures:
The organizational structure that a school follows depends greatly on its size. A small school will have a very much centralized decision making structure, while larger schools are more decentralized. It is common to find roll-overlapping in smaller schools, as resources are scarcer and staff take on a series of rolls. This is neither a weakness nor a problem when the number of students is limited. However as a school grows, its organizational structure must extend to become as efficient as possible.
The larger the school the greater the number of staff in each department resulting in tasks being outsourced.
The optimum number of staff in each department depends on each and every single school. However, managers must always remember that under-staffing is just as detrimental as over-staffing.
Marketing Department:
Any organization which wishes to be successful in the 21st century must follow a marketing oriented strategy. This means, finding out what are the consumers needs first, and then matching them to the schools capabilities. The reasoning behind the marketing concept is that although a school may offer excellent products, if learners are not interested in them and do not want them, the school will make no profits.
Marketing Research
In an English Language School research is extremely important in order to determine key factors such as:
? Market size
? Potential Demand
? Potential Profitability
? Product characteristics that potential customers would prefer
? Who the competitors are and what their position in the market is
Market research must be carried out constantly in order to attract new learners as well as to maintain the current learner's loyalty to the school. However, a strong argument against marketing research is the fact that it may become very costly. Schools should always remember that without research it is very hard to obtain a clear image of the schools positioning and value in the learner's mind. So although outsourcing research can be costly, some forms of research are inexpensive and can be conducted internally. For example start and end of term surveys in the form of multiple choice questionnaires can obtain information on learner's perceptions and their experience.
Advertising and Communications
It is through Advertising that a school can create brand awareness, product awareness and can place the full offering to the target markets. The target markets are not always the learners per se, but parents who wish to enroll their children as well. Through Advertising the schools must communicate its achievements and successes in order to gain students and retain the loyalty among existing ones.
Effective advertising can be achieved by determining who the target market is, and so conveying a message that they would not only understand but be attracted to. This may sound simple, but believe me when I say it is not. Outsourcing advertising is usually the best alternative for all schools who can afford it. Smaller schools usually resort to simple leaflets and word of mouth, which must by no means must be underestimated. Outsourced or not, the Marketing, Advertising and Communications functions must be synergistic and congruent with all the other marketing activities.
Sales and Promotions
It is recommended that this activity is not undertaken by the school teachers, as it happens in many cases. The reason for this being, that it is very confusing for a learner to discuss financial aspects with his/her teacher. However it is recommended that teachers endorse the part of the sale in which academics are discussed. Sales staff must be fully trained, and must have deep knowledge of all the products (courses) on offer.
The school may use as promotional tools not only in-house Attendance Certificates, but also International exam preparation courses such as Oxford and Cambridge ESOL, IELTS, TOEFL and others. The Internet is a magnificent tool for sales and promotions as web-sites let interested consumers have a good look at the school's offerings and have an inside look at its infrastructure and atmosphere without actually visiting the school. So the Sales and Promotions team must always work closely with the ICT department in ensuring that the school web site is clear, has reliable information, is up to date, and keeps a record of all interested visitors.
Public Relations
Public relations activities are designed to generate goodwill and to create a positive image of the school and its courses. The PR function is to ensure that members of the school's community are aware of the events, achievements and future developments of the school. Keeping in touch with ex-students and exposing their achievements is a typical PR strategy.
In general, the marketing activities are meant to generate a positive brand recognition that carries the value and benefits of the school's offerings to the target market. The Marketing Manager must ensure that all marketing activities are coordinated to maximize their effect on student enrolment.
Finance Department:
An English Language School must ensure that it has sufficient financial resources to support its overall strategic objectives as well as its tactical goals. It should also ensure that the school has a comfortable liquidity ratio, meaning that there are no negative cash flows. The finance department is also then responsible for monitoring and guarding the inflows and outflows of cash, the credit provided and the debts obtained.
In terms of credit, the Finance department must ensure that fees are paid timely and that bad debt is reduced to a minimum. Many schools adopt a "cash up front" policy, although it may not always work. Credit records must always be obtained before providing credit to anyone.
The Finance Department is also responsible for determining and forecasting costs for every term. These costs are the basis on which fee structures are developed for each course. When developing fees, the Finance Department must set realistic enrollment targets that are congruent with the facilities available and the optimum teaching class sizes.
In the case of schools that are privately owned by a small number of partners, pressures on performance are not as high as for schools owned by large numbers of shareholders. The Finance Department must not only follow cost cutting strategies to improve performance, but should focus on efficiency. In education, quality must never be compromised.
An English Language School should attempt to establish financial policies and standards to provide a systematic approach to financial resource management, and evaluation of performance and accountability by:
? Maintaining and regularly reviewing the following financial policies:
- Accounting Manuals
- Accounting Policies
- Budgeting Procedures and Guidelines
- Corporate Manual
? Yearly analysis on audited financial statements
? Ensuring the contents of all financial policies are communicated to relevant members of the staff.
It is common in small schools, where decision making is centralized, for accounting services to be outsourced. In such cases the financial decisions would be taken by the CEO.
Information Communication Technology:
The importance of this department is sometimes undermined, but doing so can be strongly detrimental for the success of the business. An English language school must understand the importance of keeping up with the technological changes of the market, both inside and outside the classroom.
The ICT department can ensure that the school has the appropriate technological infrastructure by implementing an ongoing system for assessing the school's technological needs. This department is also responsible for generating a budget that obtains approved funding from school fees.
This department is responsible for implementing security programmes on all:
? database access
? document recovery
? document backup
? web page access
An English Language School should attempt to design and develop a universal platform which allows interfacing of all existing and new computer-based systems by:
? Maintaining standard specifications of hardware, software, networking and communication equipment.
? Practicing standard operating procedures throughout the school.
As discussed earlier, it is essential for the school that the ICT department provides constant support to all other departments and their needs. In order to do that, all members of staff must have a certain level of technological and ICT skills. In house or outsourced training must be provided in order to constantly improve the general level of ICT skills throughout the school.
ICT is an ever developing arena, so when necessary ICT services must be outsourced in order to keep up with change. It is also important that the school benchmarks the levels of ICT used by other school nationally and internationally to ensure its success.
Human Resources:
An English Language School should attempt to attract and select a suitable, highly qualified and competent workforce, through effective human resource planning, innovative recruitment programmes and appropriate selection techniques by:
? Identifying annual manpower recruitment needs:
-identifying sources of recruitment
-recruiting appropriately qualified staff
-reviewing remuneration packages to ensure competitiveness with similar employers.
Through effective line management, and a system of recognition, rewards and incentives, together with career and growth opportunities the school should be able to retain a high percentage of its workforce.
The HR department is responsible for:
? Ensuring that all staff share an awareness that the core business of the school is teaching and learning.
? Encouraging greater staff stability.
? Providing for career advancement of all staff in ways that are consistent with their own professional needs of the school.
An English Language School should attempt to provide opportunities for staff to participate in relevant training and development programmes so as to continually enhance staff expertise. This can be achieved by providing appropriate training for academic and non academic staff, as well as by encouraging teachers to upgrade their qualifications. A way of doing so is by maintaining and improving the Professional Review and Development Programme.
The HR department is also responsible for nurturing a supportive and productive work environment that fosters teamwork and promotes optimum benefits to the individual and the organization. The organizing of events that foster better relations among staff can help in ensuring a harmonious working environment. Providing an attractive and physical environment which allows staff to work effectively is also an important responsibility for thus department.
Academic Department:
The Director of Studies should attempt to recruit teachers of the highest quality in terms of academic and professional qualifications and who possesses the qualities of an ideal teacher by:
? Ensuring that individual teachers' qualifications and professional experiences are relevant.
? Providing a salary and benefits package which attracts teachers of the highest caliber.
? Ensuring that the recruitment and induction programme is conducted to the highest professional standards.
Under the supervision of the Director of Studies the department is divided into 3 different areas (that will depend largely on the courses offered by the school). Each area has a designated coordinator i.e. Business English Coordinator, Young Learners Coordinator and Adult Learners Coordinator. Each coordinator is responsible for the running and organization of their designated arenas.
The Academic department is one of the most important departments because its staff are responsible for creating and delivering the service (English language teaching) to the consumers. This is why an English language school should ensure that teachers constantly review and deliver the following:
? A broad and balanced curriculum which is subject to ongoing review and development.
? Information and advice concerning education, career opportunities and development.
? A love of learning and encouraging students to develop as responsible members of society.
? Recognizing that the acquisition of academic, personal, social, emotional and health skills and knowledge are central to realizing individual potential.
? Ensuring that academic policies are regularly reviewed and updated in relation to the needs of students.
? Recording, reporting and utilizing the results of assessment in order to set targets to enhance teaching and learning.
? Promoting parental links.
? Identifying and addressing the academic, personal and social needs of individual students.
? Providing challenging and open-ended tasks promoting independent and critical thinking.
? Supporting and praising individual effort and achievement to develop self-esteem and confidence.
Physical Infrastructure:
An English Language School must equip and maintain its campus facilities and amenities, ensuring that they are functional, aesthetic and provide conducive and safe environments for students and staff.
A capital expenditure budget must be set in order to have physical infrastructure development priorities and provide for maintenance and upgrading of physical resources.
It is fundamental that the school provides sufficient classroom and specialist accommodation appropriate to the age of the students to meet curricular requirements. The facilities must be sufficiently attractive to encourage interest and application from prospective entrants to the school. From a business perspective, effective maintenance must be followed to retain the capital value of the site, buildings and equipment.
An English Language School should attempt to systematically monitor standards and quality against established benchmarks and industry best practices. The constant review and use of new technology is vital for improving the functionality and efficiency of physical resources. It is also important that the school carries out its business in a socially responsible way. So it should attempt to promote good energy management and maintain a clean and healthy environment by:
? Providing sufficient, high quality and hygienic washroom facilities for both students and staff.
? Providing catering services which are hygienic give value for money and encourage healthy eating.
? Promoting efficient use of energy and minimize wastage.
? Providing an attractive and clean school environment.
An English Language School must comply with statutory and regulatory requirements including those relating to safety and health, environmental standards and other industry-related requirements. A good method of control is auditing. The school should attempt to audit space needs and usage on a regular basis for optimum use of physical resources and to ensure cost effectiveness in their upkeep and maintenance by:
? Carrying out a physical infrastructure condition audit.
? Determining the basis of carrying out an annual audit of the use of all school facilities.
Overview of Business Practices:
An English Language School should attempt to ensure that the management system is comprehensive and generates appropriate information in a timely manner for decision making by:
? Periodically reviewing the type of information that is required for efficient decision making and ensuring that the management information system can provide such information.
? Maintaining an information system which allows all required information to be easily stored and retrieved.
? Promoting links with other related agencies to set-up potential customer information.
? Establishing direct links with other schools and institutions to update knowledge of new management technologies.
An English Language School should attempt to continually streamline and update systems and processes to enhance effectiveness and efficiency through use of technology by:
? Developing a systematic process for good practice and management of change by fully utilizing ICT facilities.
? Establishing consistent quality processes and standardized frameworks throughout the system.
? Ensuring all implemented systems benefit the development of teaching and learning.
An English Language School should attempt to ensure that the system and processes implemented accord all customers the highest level of service, benchmarked against leading English Language education providers by:
? Establishing a quality system that focuses on student and community needs.
? Ensuring that the system implemented is an effective means for control and monitoring for effective corrective action.
? Establishing the feedback channel within the school for effective corrective action.
? Benchmarking with other English Language Schools and with English Language Teaching bodies.
An English Language School should attempt to establish internal and external communication processes which are capable of receiving, responding to and disseminating information in a timely manner by:
? Identifying areas of weakness and ways of improving the existing communication system.
? Implementing new communication technology facilities.
? Organizing events that help promote relationships between the different divisions.
An English Language School should attempt to enhance internal controls and audit mechanism to better manage risks and improve productivity by:
? Improving and streamlining the internal audit system.
? Establishing methodology for measurement and accountability based on real data for effective decision making.
An English Language School should ensure that the systems and processes incorporate adequate security features to protect intellectual property and maintain system integrity by:
? Conforming to national and international regulations on intellectual property rights.
It is here stated that no profit maximization strategies should be followed if their result is detrimental towards the quality of the courses. But where to draw the line between cost cutting and lowering service quality depends on the nature of each and every single school.
Jason Geyser
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