Improving Student Learning Using Business Principles

A Business Model for Students and Teachers: A Paradigm Shift
By National Hall of Fame Educator, Alan Haskvitz
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Ringleaders/al.html

Want to improve student achievement the easy way? Teach them about business. Here is an easy to follow plan that can be done in advisement periods.

There is little doubt that successful business leaders would like to take charge of education. There is also little doubt that none of them have spent time teaching students in a realistic atmosphere. However, that does not mean the students cannot benefit from ideas that business fosters such as a business model. What I am proposing is that each student be taught the basics of a business model and use that information to turn themselves into that business, essentially improving their output.

The business plan for the student is essentially creating a marketing plan for themselves as a person and as a potential employee. As they create this plan they are going to find weaknesses that need to be improved by taking action and they are also going to find areas of strength and learn how they can turn these attributes into strengths that can attract others to their viewpoints. Regardless, the business plan is just that, a plan. It can be changed as needed and the objective can also be altered as age and experiences sway viewpoints. However, it is essentially that the plan be reviewed and maintained so that the goals are fresh and assessable. For example, a student might want to select an occupation that they perceive as high paying and seek to direct their objective in that direction only to find that they do not have that same goal when the amount of time and education required is factored into the equation.
Not be disregarded is the importance of items such as developing communication skills in a variety of ways. Speech classes may have gone the same way as shop classes, and so it is vital that such excuses s being shy or afraid are soothed over by opportunities in school. Students may want to run for school office, but are reluctant to speak before a large group. A good business plan must include these opportunities and, win or lose, builds the basis for a better future.
Teaching business in the lower grades is seldom seen for a variety of reasons of which the most vivid is probably that it isn’t on the state’s standardized test. But, creating a business plan and giving students the opportunity to explore, modify, and grow with it can be incorporated in most core subject areas. For example, in math classes problems that require the student to compare various occupations based on income are simple to use, but what can be added to that problem is the cost of reaching that goal in terms of education expenses. Language arts classes offer the opportunity to create essays that allow each student to express their viewpoint and have it critiqued builds character and communication expertise. Having students present work in every class builds speaking skills that are necessary through life. (add more specifics)
A while back a found a museum that offered an interesting lesson that included the Who Am I poem. I modified that to include that Who Am I and added Who Do I Want to Become. I next added the requirement that the student develop a list of how they would meet this change from present to future and to develop a business plan to reach it. The results were called Investing in Yourself and, based on the letters from students I have received years after my class, were life changing. And isn’t that what a good business plan should be, a plan to improve. As the Japanese call it, Kaizen, continuous improvement.
A Step-by-Step Guide
The first step would be to have each student make a list of their attributes. These could include the obvious such as a grade point average, but also organizations they belong to, sports, activities outside of school, hobbies, and even items such as knowing how to juggle.

They need to list these so they can see if any of these attributes can be applied to what the customer, the teacher, wants in terms of performance.

Next, they need to make a graph of what they spend their time on during the course of the day. This should not be taken lightly and having a parent or guardian sign it would be of value. This is their allocation of resources. They also need to add any resources they feel that they may need such as paper, pens, thesaurus, or technology.

The last step of the preliminary stage is to look at their progress reports for the past few years and set a realistic objective for their business. If a student has a C average setting a goal of a B- would be realistic.

So they have now taken an inventory of skills, available time, and an objective for their business.
The next step is to meet with consultants with their plan. They need to meet with their parents and at least two other students in the class to compare their available time and objectives. Each consultant must sign-off on the plan indicating that the objective is possible.

The second phase is difficult because it requires the student to think about and write about the changes that will be necessary for the plan to be effective and the objectives meet. What is the students willing to give up to have enough time to study and reach that goal? What skills do they need to refine and improve upon?

Again, once this has been done the student needs to meet with the consultants and modify the plan as needed.

The next phase is for the student to make a visual of the plan. They can create a PowerPoint or a story board or even a video. In that way they have a record of what their business hopes to accomplish.

Finally, the plan needs to be implemented. This can be done slowly or all at once depending on the plan. Regardless, at the end of each day the student must make an inventory of what was accomplished in reaching the goal. They also need time to weekly check with the consultants and make any modifications to the plan that are necessary. The student must also take this end of week report to the president of the company (i.e. teacher) so that he or she can mark on the class chart if the target was reached. The teacher should have a graph for each student, made by the student, on which the progress marks are made.

Since students have a variety of classes or products, it is best to implement the business plan for one class at a time. Students should also keep a diary of their thoughts during this process to give to the teacher at the end of the unit so that the ideas can be reviewed from the student’s aspect.

Conclusion: In the end the student shall have a much better understanding of four important elements that successful people share. First, they will learn how to budget time. Secondly, they will gain a better perspective on their strengths and weaknesses. Third, they will be able to modify and change plans and direction as objectives are changed. Finally, they will learn to work with others to improve their product, which is their future.

 

Sample test taking sites to improve student exam scores

Prepare for high stakes test with test-making sites

by Alan Haskvitz

for additional free resources go to http://www.reacheveychild.com

Online tests are one of the best ways to prepare students for mandated state and federal exams.  These sites provide samples of older tests that can be used in class.  I have found these to be a powerful tool for preparing my students for high stakes tests because students’ confidence increases as they become used to the pressure and format.

The following sites offer a variety of tests by subject area.  It’s best to spend some time looking for those sites that cover your subject matter, regardless of grade level, as many states have different curriculum patterns.

http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/test-making.html

Quiz-making sites
REC resources
State-released tests

 

Hyundai Tucson: Crossover SUV

Hyundai Tucson:  Good First Try

By The Car Family

For more reviews go to http://www.motorists.org/new/carreviews/index.html

For free educational resources go to http://www.reacheverychild.com

Hyundai’s Tucson is an exceptionally fine compact sized SUV that is well priced, well mannered, and sure to generate interest with a more refined exterior and well-done interior. Available with either four or six cylinder engines, the Tucson is built on a sedan car platform for a svelte ride and adequate acceleration that makes this of interest to the more gentle SUV driver but not to those who like to duel the snow plow driver for first rights on winter roads.We tested a $30,000 model and were very impressed with the Tucson’s ability to handle both family transportation issues and its ease of driving. Of course, we would much prefer if Hyundai put the 3.5 engine in the Tucson, but than why would anyone consider their other SUV, the
Santa Fe. Indeed, Hyundai knows this and is extensively redesigning the more upscale
Santa Fe to help keep the separation clear between the two. The problem is going to be in the pricing where both SUVs are certain to tread on each other’s MSRP listings.You can get the Tucson with either front or all-wheel-drive and in Base, Elite and Elite S configurations. The base comes standard with the 140 horsepower four-cylinder engine and a five speed manual transmission. We recommend you buy the slightly more expensive six cylinder powered Elite and Elite S that have a 173-hp V6 and an automatic transmission if you intend to do anything more than drive this Tucson on paved roads with light loads.

Mom’s view: Close your eyes and you feel like you are in a Toyota RAV 4. When you look at the outside it has Honda CR-V lines. In other words, the Tucson looks like a mating of the two most powerful sellers in the compact SUV field.Nevertheless, the family lineage stops there because the pricing of the
Tucson is significantly less than the Japanese brands and the warranty is significantly more. Hyundai has done a fine job of putting together this product to a price point of about A$30,000. The standard features, as usual with this company, are quite generous and include full-length side curtain airbags, front air bags, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, traction control, stability control, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, keyless entry, cruise control, heated outside mirrors, roof rack side rails, a rear intermittent wiper and a CD stereo system. Now that is a well-equipped vehicle at any price, but when you are talking about the A$30,000 range and they throw in a limited 10-year/100,000-mile warranty you are talking serious bargain.Driving the
Tucson is very sedanish. The suspension is soft, the ride compliant, and the effect is quite Toyotish. When you need to fold the rear seats down you can do so quickly and that creates a level cargo floor. You don’t even have to take the rear seat headrests off to do this. Inside, the Tucson offers nearly 23 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the rear seat up, and about 66 with the seat folded. That is quite decent and the rear hatch isn’t too difficult to reach, open, or close. The best exterior feature is the fact the Tucson does not have one of those dangerous and difficult to handle rear hatch mounted spare tires.We did not test the four wheel drive model, but it does have an Electronic InterActive Torque Management system that routes up to 99 percent of the available power to the front wheels under ideal traction conditions for the sake of fuel economy. When the going gets rough all you need to do is relax. The system automatically sends up to 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels. If you wish, you can use the dash-mounted lock button to lock the driveline into a 50/50-split when driving in snow or heavy rain. Overall, I would rate the Tucson as the best compact SUV value for the money, but note that we have not yet evaluated the new Kia Sportage SUV that has many similar traits to the Tucson and is priced competitively. I would tend to believe that the Hyundai’s resale might be stronger than the Sportage.Dad’s view: Not my favorite compact SUV, the Subaru Forester is, but this is my favorite Hyundai and perhaps the best bargain in the niche. Unless you only use the Tucson for commuting stay away from the 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine that even with continuously variable valve timing, only makes 140 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque. Order the optional 2.7-liter V6 engine that produces 173 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. I really enjoyed the larger engine in combination with the automatic transmission. It wasn’t fast, but it wasn’t a snail either. We got about 22 mpg with this combination and on regular fuel. If you are into comparison shopping I would guess that the V6 engine is comparable to the four cylinder powered units in the RAV4 and CV The larger fuel tank on the V6 Tucson enables you to make 350-mile highway trips.The main selling point, outside of the pricing, was the
Tucson’s ride quality. It was quite composed even on mildly rain-gutted roads and only bottom-less potholes disturbed its nature. On the other hand, I did not like the feel of the brakes. They were too mushy feeling and you need a while to get accustomed to its slow stopping when fully loaded.There is little doubt the Hyundai has become an acceptable manufacture in the SUV field. Hyundai’s Santa Fe is an exceptionally priced vehicle and the Tucson is even better. It does make you wonder if the next model is going to be named for a trendy city in Texas or California.

Young working woman’s view: Very tempting indeed is my pronouncement about the
Tucson. It clearly fits with my life style, does not have that overbearing look of large SUVs, is much more environmentally friendly, and is neat and proper looking both inside and out. Very tempting just as it sits, but when you toss in that warranty on the drive train, you have a compact SUV that is going to be difficult to ignore by smart shoppers not caught up in the brand name game.There were some need for improvement areas such as the lack of storage space in the cabin, brakes that reacted too slowly for me, and the amount of cold air seeping through the large window insulation moldings. In addition, you need to watch your head when opening the rear hatch if you are tall, and although the rear hatch window opens for easy access, it is difficult to tell when it is closed. Finally, when you ask for more out of the V6 engine it lets you know with a painful growl. Of course, I wouldn’t worry with that powertrain warranty covering me well into my mid-30’s when my financial security would be assured by frugal purchases such as this
Tucson.The long and short of it are that the Tucson is on my short list of vehicles to seriously consider buying. I can haul what I need, get that raised seating position I like, and can enter and exit without any problems regardless of what I am wearing. My only caveat would be to wait until the government crash scores are published, but the Tucson’s big sister, the Santa Fe, fared well and I expect the
Tucson to continue that family tradition.

Young college going male’s view: Not too bad, but certainly not as athletic as it could be with firmer styling and larger than 16-inch rims. Although my CD continues to sell well on Tower Records (Simple Thoughts), I still have not reached the level of financial security where a bargain priced vehicle does not draw my attention. What I most liked about the Tucson was how not like a Hyundai it looked. Gone was the guppy grill of the
Santa Fe and the let’s use every thing on our French curve template side panels. The removable mat in the cargo area was said to be washable, which is a nice touch. The spare tire is where it belongs and not clinging to the reach hatch like a pimple, and the tool kit is nicely fitted into a tray.
There was a lot of first-rate, and some bad for the
Tucson’s report card. The gauges were easy to read and reach. The steering wheel had a nice feel to it and it even tilted. However, the seats weren’t all that comfortable for me. They needed more lumbar padding and I was also not enamored with the reduced visibility to the sides because of the size of the rear pillars. The interior looked light and airy, but I would have preferred a darker selection due to the inevitability of dirt and stains. The interior is not that quiet and the radio reception was only adequate.Would I buy a
Tucson? Yes, and no. I like a more rigorous handling vehicle and the
Tucson is not. I like pep and it isn’t here. Consequently I would say no. As for the yes part of my brain, I would say warranty, value, cargo capacity, looks, and ride height.

Family conference: The Tucson is only a few percentage points away from being a top rung vehicle. Unfortunately, bringing those few demerits up to snuff would require more money added to the bottom line. This Hyundai rests in the good enough column with the Honda CR-V, and the Toyota RAV4 and a notch below the segment leading Subaru Forester. Regardless, we could have never imagined a Hyundai being so successful with SUVs this rapidly when their sedans have struggled so long. Drive it and the Kia Sportage, which is a little sportier, obviously. For a list of all vehicle websites go to http://www.reacheverychild.com and click on business.

 

How to Improve School, Student Test Scores

How to improve test scores for schools, students

By Alan Haskvitz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Haskvitz 

These links cover such ideas and methods as:Test taking strategies, homework help sites, federal government information, sample tests, test taking tips, ideas for beginning teachers, a free video on methods, motivating young readers, strategies for test anxiety, stress management of the learning disabled, tips for taking multiple-choice tests, and why students cheat. They are all located here:

http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/tests.html

 

Why Students Cheat in School

Why Students Cheat

by Alan Haskvitz

USA Today All American Educator, Reader’s Digest Hero in Education, national inservice provider

http://www.reacheverychild.com

Students cheat in school for several reasons, including the following:

Pressure to get good grades;

Being unprepared;

The challenge of trying to get away with it.

Unfortunately by cheating the student is setting a pattern for life.  Instead of accepting the challenge of learning, they accept the challenge of not getting caught.
Impact of Cheating

Students cheat in numerous ways. Some methods include:  crib notes,  plagiarism from existing papers/reports or the Internet, copying, or giving test questions to a classmate. Students rationalize complex reasons from “I didn’t understand the question” to “He copied from me.”  The latter is especially difficult because students often don’t think it is wrong to help a friend; they misapply the sharing concept learned in younger years to rationalize their actions. In reality, the majority of students who cheat do so to improve their chance for success in the long run.  Students feel good grades will get them into a good college or university and into a good job. In other words, the means justify the end. ….

Because of the length of this article and the shortage of space please click on this url for the entire article. There are no gimmicks, cookies, , ads, or pop-ups on this site……..it has been widely published.

http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/cheating.html