No, that image to the left is not an iPad surrounded by SmartCovers. That is the Microsoft Surface. Not to be confused with the giant table-sized computer the company released a while ago, the Surface is Microsoft’s entry into the tablet market.
Attempting to take a page out of Apple’s playbook on several levels, Microsoft revealed the Surface during a mystery press event in California. What those in attendance saw was an iPad knock-off that is heavier, boasts shorter batter life and an inferior chip. To be fair, the Surface does have an impressive cover that contains a fully functioning keyboard, but that is an accessory that must be purchased.
Microsoft has two versions of the Surface in the works, each for a very different audience. There’s a “consumer version” that will run Windows RT and a “business version” that will run Windows 8.
Microsoft isn’t saying exactly when the Surface will be available for purchase, or how much it will cost, but experts are predicting the “consumer version” to fall in the $500 price range with the “business version” to come in at over $1,000. The pricier version does have better overall tech specs than its cheaper brother, but that improved performance comes at the cost of weight and, of course, cost.
It’s no secret that social studies regularly takes a back seat to other academic subjects. If teachers are honest, they will admit that they struggle to find time to teach social studies, and if they do, it’s crammed into the last minutes of the day, or perhaps creatively combined with other lessons.
What if there was another way to approach social studies? What if there was model that could provide students with meaningful, relevant social studies instruction, while at the same time...

UCLA’s 2015 survey of US students found that “interest in political and civic engagement has reached the highest levels since the study began 50 years ago....

In a technology driven, infinitely connected world, the roles of teachers and parents in the learning process are changing. Good communication is arguably more important than ever before. A teacher-parent relationship that’s in sync is the best way to create a positive experience and learning environment for each student. So how do...

“The more that financial education initiatives are developed, both in and outside of school, the more important it is for governments and other stakeholders to evaluate and prioritize such initiatives and to scale and spread good practice.” — Andreas Schleicher
To thrive in today’s innovation-driven economy,...
As summer vacation nears, principals begin scrambling to fill teaching positions. College graduates start sending out resumes and trying to interview for jobs. Working with final interns (last semester of the program), I have begun to explore how to help these aspiring teachers land a job, preferably at a school of choice. Part of this process (we also work on crafting a resume), involves successful interviewing. To gather information on the topic, I started asking principals to speak to my...

“Like many things with parenting, it’s a near-impossible job description, but most of us do our best with it (and beat ourselves up if we get it wrong).” — Justine Roberts
“Parenting is probably the most important job most of us will ever do,” says Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO of Mumsnet....
Flag Day is coming, a day to honor the flag of the United States. Flag Day is June 14th.
“Memorable learning is the consequence of creative teaching, and creative teaching embraces the arts. If you are fortunate, you had a few creative teachers—ones like those who challenge students to write long division raps, choreograph geometry dances, perform World War II radio commercials, and paint literary quotes on ceiling tiles.”
(From: Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts)
As a teacher, picture how you...
While I shared his tale during a few presentations, I never committed the story of “Joe” to writing. I feel his story can inspire and perhaps encourage adults (teachers, parents, coaches) to help young people reach their potential by setting up the proper conditions. Gifted students, for instance, often spend half the school day or more learning curriculum they already know―hardly the conditions for excellence to blossom. In Joe’s case, he knew the curriculum (as evidenced by...

“My role is to ensure that every child and young person in Scotland gets the best education and the same opportunity to succeed, irrespective of their background.”— John Swinney
Prior to his election as Westminster MP for North Tayside in 1997, John Swinney held a number of posts in the...