If you’re reading this, odds are you are not one of the 570,000 people in the U.S. infected with the DNS Malware Virus. Congratulations. Yet, while you can still surf around to your heart’s content, ISPs are working overtime to help those less fortunate users find their way back to the information superhighway.
This morning at 12:01 the FBI shut down its DNS servers, which were acting as the only path to the Internet for hundreds of thousands of computers. s reported by CNet, the whole problem goes back to an online criminal ring from 2007 that was tinkering with computers' settings and then directing users to rogue servers that the criminals had set up. These servers then re-directed users to malicious Web sites. Late last year, the FBI arrested the ring and seized the rogue servers. But since so many infected computers relied on the servers to reach the Internet, the agency opted not to shut them down and instead converted them to legitimate DNS machines. Due to the high cost associated with operating these servers, the FBI has decided to shut them down.
ISP are taking a proactive approach to the problem with Comcast has contacting users with infected computers, according to the Wall Street Journal. Verizon has lined up technicians who can help customers remove the virus and AT&T plans to redirect infected PCs to the correct Web sites.
People who are unable to get online should call their ISP to see if their computers are infected. CNET has also posted a how-to guide to help people detect whether their PCs are pointing to the DNSChanger network.
During my time as an elementary teacher, I’ve seen gifted kids stress out.
I remember the time a student began crying and screaming, saying his “parents were going to kill him” because he didn’t get all As on his report card. One child would crawl under the desk and shake whenever he got less than a 90 percent on a test. Others would just break down, telling me they were tired of everyone expecting too much from them, or complain how the students outside of the gifted program would...
With the beginning of the new school year right around the corner, many new and veteran teachers are wondering about their new students. I remember lying awake at night thinking about how I was going to set up my classroom, change my classroom management, and wondering what the new families would be like and what they would bring to my classroom. I knew it was always about the children and what was best for them...
When I started teaching, I knew I wanted more for my students than even I could imagine. I wanted to expose them to all types of learning, activities, centers, and curriculum. When I was getting my degree, I decided to take sign language because I had taken Spanish in high school. I am so glad I did because I used sign language daily with my students for the five years I taught in public schools. Sign language...
As proven in research, we know that the first five years of life are crucial times for a child’s learning and development. All children deserve a quality education, but before education comes, there are certain things they need from the family and community that surround them. Here are five ideas that are crucial from birth until the age of 5:
As an early childhood professional, I think we all ask ourselves: what do children really need at school? What do children want at school? Some would argue with need and want, saying they can’t be the same thing, but they are the same. As I was teaching and saw different teaching styles and the way classrooms were run, I learned a lot about what I wanted and needed to do because of what my students needed and...
A couple of years ago, I wrote an article about the extinction of play in terms of what everyone considers play and how play has changed over time. As early childhood professionals, we know and understand that play is a child’s vehicle to learning and exploring. It is imperative to understand how the role of play contributes to a child’s development.
Child-initiated play is becoming less valued and even...
In this article, we will reflect on popular interest areas and or centers in the early childhood classroom. It is important to do this because oftentimes, teachers are accused of only having children play. We must ensure that parents understand that play is a child’s vehicle for learning...
What kind of teacher are you?
Would you like to be better at what you do?
As a teacher self-reflection is vital.
Are you at a point where you want to change or can change?
Do you self-reflect and continually change?
What qualities do you possess that make you the kind of teacher you would want your child to have, or your grandchildren to have?
As I taught, I would...