Restoring the Historical Roots of American Education

Two hundred years after the American Revolution, America is still governed by its first Constitution. We are now the longest-running constitutional republic in the history of the world. To give some perspective, France has had eight constitutions in the same 200 years. Italy has had 54 constitutions in 200 years. Why have we survived so long? It is because our founding fathers built our Constitution according to a set of ideals that are unparalleled in the history of the world.

Abraham Lincoln said, "The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next." If our founding fathers had a successful philosophy of government, which obviously they did, then it is very fair that we look back to the classroom to see what they taught.

Harvard: Harvard is the oldest ongoing university in the United States. Harvard produced a number of our founding fathers, including John Quincy Adams, John Hancock, John Adams, and Samuel Adams.

Harvard's original stated purpose for its students was: "To be plainly instructed and consider well that the main end of your life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ...." One requirement of students was that "Everyone shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day that he shall be able to give an account of his proficiency therein."

Yale: Yale also produced many founding fathers, men like Noah Webster, William Samuel Johnson, Abraham Baldwin. One of Yale's requirements for its students read as follows: "Seeing that God is the giver of all wisdom, every student, besides his private and secret prayer, will be present morning and evening for public prayer."

Princeton: Princeton, founded in 1746, produced people like James Madison, Benjamin Rush and John Witherspoon. John Witherspoon became an ordained minister and was president of Princeton University (1768-1776) until New Jersey sent him to Congress. During those years at Princeton, the average graduating class was between 17 and 28 students per year. In the nine years that Witherspoon taught at Princeton, the school graduated one President, one Vice President, three Supreme Court Justices, ten Cabinet members, twelve Governors, twenty-one U.S. Senators, and thirty-nine U.S. Congressmen, plus many who held state offices. A full one-third of the founding fathers were trained at Princeton University.

What was the philosophy of an institution that produced so many national leaders? Princeton's founding statement was, "Cursed is all learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ." It has been many years since we have seen this kind of vision of godly leadership within society set before us.

The Foundational Documents: There are four documents which are considered the organic laws of the United States (i.e., the laws upon which all other laws are built): The Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and The Northwest Ordinance.

The Northwest Ordinance tells a territory specifically what it has to do in order to become a state in the United States. Article Three requires that no territory could become a state unless the schools in that territory were teaching religion and morality as well as knowledge. As a result, many state constitutions contain the following: "Forever in the schools of this state, religion and morality will be taught as well as knowledge." You may want to check your state constitution.

Look at Fisher Ames' philosophy of education: (He was the author of the First Amendment of the Constitution, which today is mis-interpreted to mean we must separate God and government.)
"Why, then, if these new books for children must be retained, as they will be, why should not the Bible regain the place it held as a school book? Its morals are pure. Its examples are captivating and noble. And the reverence for the sacred book that is thus early impressed lasts long and probably, if not impressed in infancy, never takes firm hold of the mind."

However, today under our interpretation of Fisher Ames' amendment, the Bible is not allowed to be studied in schools. We have drifted far from the days when our country was founded. As can been seen in the founding documents of our most prestigious universities, education in America was founded not on the pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but rather on the pursuit of knowledge to glorify Christ. That happened and happens primarily through the study of the Word of God.

The freshman project of each of the founding universities in America was that the student be given a copy of the Greek New Testament and from it make a handwritten translation into English! Blessed are the schools that still teach from the Bible and keep the Bible as the central source of education.

The Australian education system

The schools in Australia are broadly divided into two categories, government schools and non-government schools (private schools). Non-government schools are classified as either Catholic schools or independent schools. Most independent schools have a religious affiliation, but some are non-denominational. All government schools are non-denominational.

Schools in Australia are also classified on the basis of whether they are single gender or co-educational. Although the majority of the school are co-educational, some Catholic and independent schools are single gender, generally at the secondary level.

Australian kids start preparatory school at an age of four or five in order to start primary school by age six. This is followed by secondary school (often called high school). Students generally spend 13 years at school in Australia (including prep school). Further studies can be continued at Universities or TAFE (Technical and Further Education).

Choosing the right school is very important and if you are new at it you will need some professional advice. Regent Consulting specialises in advising parents about school choice. Their unique, independent service will provide peace of mind, save you time and money and make sense of all the marketing material that you have collected. They will demystify the whole process and provide you with the ability to make an informed decision.

They help a wide range of individuals and families, ranging from Melbourne based families requiring guidance, to those newly arrived from overseas and interstate and have been able to successfully help many families clarify exactly what they want in a school and point them in the right direction. Apart from helping parents choose the right school, Regent consulting also conducts culture audits for organisations as well as health and wellbeing assessments.

Branding Lessons: Build School Culture and Identity with A BRAND

You're an educator and you are starting to think about branding. Of course, you can't help but do this. When I am asked in business settings about my ability to work within the business community, since my perspective is informed by education, I simply smile and say..."I've been in the business sales all my life. I've sold "education" to a diverse marketplace: students, teachers, parents, administrators, school board members and the community."

So today, with my sales perspective, I'm traveling the country speaking to educators about the common ground of educators and business people. The ground of selling and living a BRAND for ROI in education.

Let's capture one Branding definition to work with. Branding is a total experience for the user that is based on relationship. It's more than a logo or a tagline.

If we lead with that principle, then as educators, we should feel a good fit. Education is about building relationships. Educators work hard to do honor that, and have their own tools that make this harmony of relationship building happen everyday in schools. SO with that in mind, can a school culture be created through strategic understanding and a champaign to advance a brand? Can this result in brand loyalty among students, teachers, parents, administrators, board members and the community?

To define what education is today is as challenging as defining what a brand is. There are many ways people try to define both, and branding is in essence solid and changing at the same time. That is true for education as well.

The way to make connections right off the bat is through CULTURE. Branding tenets that are from Madison Avenue's hallowed halls are perfect tools to develop language and attitude for building CULTURE across the diverse market for education. The beginning of the work lies in the understanding that branding is based in an implied promise. In schools, the promise is achievement. Savvy principals today can be Madmen...or women leaders by applying Madison Avenue tools to include branding, some marketing and a dash of social media to create culture that feeds a loyalty to the organization. Madman Principles? They work. And you'd be crazy not to try.

Become A Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician

voteMicrosoft has a lot of computer certifications that apply to a lot different expert computer repair technicians to operating system superstars though they also offer certifications in organization as well as engineering. Microsoft Certified Professionals are a level above in the profession of IT since Microsoft certification is broadly acknowledged and recognized by both the service as well as the support industry. Microsoft syllabus features the practical data that just an state of the art established organization can to offer.

MCDST is one of the most wanted after Microsoft certifications on our market today. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician is a title that involves much admiration for employers that desire a very qualified tech to work as a helpdesk expert and give desktop support via phone and also by providing service the individual station. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) with Microsoft Windows XP is a certification which ascertains the fundamental and higher credentials needed to enter the Information Technology profession as a support desk expert.

Due to the recognition that Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) gets a lot of web-based and conventional Information Technology facilities are offering some free tutoring. You'll discover complimentary information technology Microsoft PC training on the internet almost as numerous as you will discover pay certificate courses. There's a long list of electronic schools which offer free study guides, various free electronic instruction as well as complimentary practice exam questions in order to ready you for your certificate.

MCDST certification demonstrates priceless troubleshooting expertise pertaining to the Windows Desktop Operating System to executives and buyers. It gives a regiment for getting the abilities that support technicians require. Being a desktop support technician, you will utilize excellent customer service abilities, teach users, and solve computer hardware or software function and application issues on the desktop. You'll vet irreplaceable skills and good practices related with networks and file sharing and maintaining DHCP communications devices and DNS for Internet applications to translate names into internet protocol addresses.

MCST certification acknowledges the basic qualifications needed to go into the Information Technology field as a support professional. It communicates the technical abilities of the individual to customers and employers and differentiates career potentials from their colleagues. MCDST certification enhances job enjoyment via enhanced technical proficiency as you expand your proficiency and abilities. MCDST certification helps advance support technician livelihood through providing a structured framework for learning abilities, and features a knowledge basis for additional Microsoft certificates, like the MCSA and the MCSE.

Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician Certification Requirements on Windows XP involve passing two core exams that provide a valid and dependable gauge of technical proficiency. The tests are created on the help of professionals in the industry and reflect how Microsoft applications are utilized in businesses throughout the world. The two essential exams are: Exam 70-271: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System amounting to around sixty questions and Exam 70-272: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System being of about 50 questions.

A aspirant for MCDST requires study for a certification. There are non-profit Microsoft classes accessible on the web including costless Microsoft example exam questions, free study guides and free MCDST training tomake your preparation less complicated. Free will only take you so far, you will need to purchase some Microsoft certification training so you'll be ready for your exam. Your education isn't the objective but earning your Microsoft certification is so learn methods to pass your information technology certification exam and because there are good resources accessible, all you require is some exploring.

Educational Leaders in Public Schools

Public schools are well known for careful stratification and segregation of age groups. Public schools are so poorly run (take DPS for example) that all of those kids run across the county line to attend any school that will accept them. These kids are so far behind academically because of the crap that DPS taught or didn't teach, that they will never be academically successful. Public schools are not required to answer to parents, but they do need to heed the words of politicians and school boards-all of whom have their own political agendas. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these agendas are weakening the entire system.

Public schools are operated at the state level through departments of education, and locally by school districts and publicly elected or appointed school boards. Approximately 15,000 different school districts operate in the United States, and most are run by counties.

Educational leaders have focused in recent years on providing safe and disciplined school environments for students and teachers. Many schools have increased expulsions of violent students by adopting "zero tolerance policies" toward serious offenders. Education outcomes become irrelevant. Educators and parents can post a "viewpoint" page on the site that acts as an online profile, and they can participate in discussion forums, share links and resources, and review teaching materials.

Education reformers and policymakers who consider higher academic standards a centerpiece of their movement should not count on teachers to be a driving force, added Wadsworth. It may be that the academic energies of even the most motivated teachers are sapped by what they consider to be the stressful day-to-day demands of the classroom. Education costs have been rising faster than inflation. Many parents want, but cannot afford, these private alternatives. Educating for citizenship, work and the public good has been replaced with models of schooling in which students, especially poor minority youth, are viewed narrowly either as a threat or as perpetrators of violence. When not viewed as potential criminals, they are positioned as infantilized potential victims of crime (on the Internet, at school and in other youth spheres) who must endure modes of governing that are demeaning and repressive.

Educators must recover their higher motivation, a spirituality that comes from faith not in religion but in civilization, humanity's sanctuary from the cruel vortex of nature. Educational alternatives would be unlimited. It would be the source of enormous progress, and a model for the nation.