WASHINGTON Purdue University President France Cordova was installed today as chairwoman of the Smithsonian Institutions governing board as the museum complex expands with the coming construction of a new black history museum and calls for another focused on Latino American heritage.
As Cordova begins her three-year term, she will maintain her post at the Indiana university. Cordova will lead oversight and support fundraising for the worlds largest group of museums and research centers. Cordova is an astrophysicist and previously held posts in the University of California system and was chief scientist at NASA.
Cordova succeeds Patty Stonesifer, a former Microsoft executive and former chief executive of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stonesifer has served as chairwoman since 2009 and will become vice chair of the board.
The Smithsonian is developing its first institution-wide capital campaign to increase private support. Congress provides about 70 percent of the Smithsonians budget, but funds for programs and exhibits must be raised privately.
Hearken back to junior high and high school for a moment. What “historical documents” were you taught in social studies and American history classes? The U.S. Constitution? Your state’s constitution? What about the Declaration of Independence or the Federalist Papers? The Northwest Ordinance (especially if you grew up in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, or Minnesota)?
My entire K-12 education was in Ohio public schools. When it came to history, I didn’t take any electives or special courses beyond whatever was required for me to earn a diploma. Yet, I was taught all of these important historical texts, multiple times, from seventh grade through twelfth. So I was surprised to see a bill moving through the Ohio legislature that would require schools to teach what I thought were standard fare for Ohio’s students. In fact, at first blush it seemed implausible to me that many schools weren’t already doing so.
My husband, also an Ohio public school alum (from a quote-unquote better district than I attended), had a different reaction when I told him about the legislation. He guessed at leas
For decades, the prevailing wisdom in education was that high self-esteem would lead to high achievement. The theory led to an avalanche of daily affirmations, awards ceremonies and attendance certificates – but few, if any, academic gains.
Now, an increasing number of teachers are weaning themselves from what some call empty praise.
Drawing on psychology and brain research, these educators aim to articulate a more precise, and scientific, vocabulary for praise that will push children to work through mistakes and take on more challenging assignments.
Changing direction
Consider teacher Shar Hellie’s new approach in Montgomery County, Md.
To get students through the shaky first steps of Spanish grammar, Hellie spent many years trying to boost their confidence. If someone couldn’t answer a question easily, she would coach him, whisper the first few words, then follow up with a booming “Muy bien!”
But on a January morning at Rocky Hill Middle School, she gave nothing away.
This might have been the easiest set of rankings I’ve done all season.
Only one ranked team lost to a non-ranked team, and that was Federal Way, which was at No. 10 in Class 4A and now drops to the watch list after falling to Kentwood Monday. The Eagles can be very good at times, but consistency can be a problem. And Kentwood (11-3) is good. I plan to get out and see the Conquerors play again against either Auburn Riverside or Mount Rainier (or both, depending on the schedules).
That would have been an interesting game tonight between Federal Way and Emerald Ridge, but like nearly every other game, that one was postponed. The Eagles could get tested again Friday against Bethel — the only team that has beaten Emerald Ridge (which beat Federal Way). The Eagles won by 18 back in early December, but Bethel has been playing much better since (although I was a bit surprised by Saturday’s 17-point loss to Lakes).
So, the only real dilemma this week, to me, was what team to put at No. 10.