Sunday, June 05, 2011

FIFTH grader arrested for breaking teacher's nose in California

An 11-year-old California boy at an alternative school for at-risk students is accused of punching his fifth-grade teacher in the face and breaking her nose.

San Bernardino County sheriff's investigators say the teacher was attacked around 9 a.m. Thursday at the Adelanto Community Day School in Adelanto, about 85 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The teacher was taken to a nearby Mojave Desert hospital for treatment.

The boy was arrested for assault with injuries and was taken to the High Desert Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center. He has not been named because of his age.

Investigators tell the Victorville Daily Press that the boy became upset when the teacher asked him to move to another seat in the classroom. The boy allegedly refused to move and yelled at the teacher before getting up and punching her.

The alleged incident was said to take place in one of the classrooms in the school, which is located at 11824 Air Expressway.

Christine McGrew, spokeswoman for the county Superintendent of Schools, told Victorville Daily Press: 'There was an incident that took place at the Adelanto Community Day School. 'At this time, my understanding is that the teacher’s nose is broken'.

Initial reports incorrectly stated the boy was in the fourth grade, as school officials later confirmed he is a fifth grader.

Ms McGrew told the paper the Adelanto Community Day School is an alternative school for at-risk students, many of whom may have been expelled from other institutions, had attendance issues or were otherwise not doing well in traditional settings. The classrooms are smaller to foster more individual attention.

Ms McGrew said: 'This is a rare and isolated incident. Some of the programs have security officers on site and that’s dependent on the number of classrooms. 'This is a rare occurrence that this would happen'.

It is not known if any security personnel were on school grounds during the alleged incident.

SOURCE




Gormless British graduates need more time at the university of life? They lack basic workplace skills, claims study

Employers believe too many graduates are unfit for the workplace, according to a study. They lack skills in communication, problem solving, presentation, customer relations and even punctuality.

Bosses believe all universities should be required to teach employment skills as part of degree courses, say researchers.

Universities were also urged to set up more work experience placements and internships for students to ensure they don't join the dole queue when they graduate.

The study, commissioned by the education charity Edge and carried out by Glasgow University, highlighted a 'notable majority' unable carry out duties in the workplace.

It warned of a systematic failure to 'promote employability across higher education.'

The report follows the publication of statistics which show the number of jobless graduates rocketed to a 15-year high in 2010.

A fifth were out of work in the third quarter of last year which was double the number when the recession began.

The latest study shows one in six employers is unhappy with graduate 'skills and competencies' when they apply for jobs.

It says:'Employers are frustrated that higher education courses do not meet their needs,' says the report.

'Employers expect graduates to demonstrate a range of skills and attributes that include team-working, communication and often managerial abilities or potential.'

Around 40 universities run programmes where students gain official recognition if they complete 100 hours of voluntary work, job placements or carry out extra-curricular activities.

The report says degrees should be more tailored towards the needs of businesses.

SOURCE




New British university to rival Oxbridge will charge £18,000 a year

Subtext: A way for rich families to buy a university place for their kids

A group of the world's leading academics have launched a new British university which they hope will rival Oxford and Cambridge, it was announced today.

New College of the Humanities (NCH) will charge fees of £18,000 a year and offer the "highest-quality" education to "gifted" undergraduates, according to its creators.

The privately-funded independent seat-of-learning will be based in Bloomsbury, central London, and open in September 2012. It will initially offer eight undergraduate humanities degrees taught by some of the globe's most prominent intellectuals, college officials said.

Professor AC Grayling, the philosopher who will be the college's first Master, secured millions of pounds of funding from investors to set up the institution which has been likened to America's elite liberal arts colleges. He said: "At NCH we believe in the importance of the humanities and excellence in education. "Our priorities at the College will be excellent teaching quality, excellent ratios of teachers to students, and a strongly supportive and responsive learning environment. "Our students will be challenged to develop as skilled, informed and reflective thinkers, and will receive an education to match that aspiration."

The college claims to offer a "new model of higher education for the humanities in the UK" and will prepare undergraduates for degrees in Law, Economics and humanities subjects including History, Philosophy and English literature.

Students will also take three "intellectual skills" modules in science literacy, logic and critical thinking and applied ethics. Practical professional skills to prepare them for the world of work including financial literacy, teamwork, presentation and strategy will also be taught.

College chiefs say students will receive a "best in class education", with one-to-one tutorials, more than 12 contact hours a week and a 10/1 student to teacher ratio.

Prof Grayling said that budget cuts and dwindling resources are likely to limit both quantity and quality of teaching in the UK, leaving the fabric of society poorer as a result. He hopes the college - a registered charity - will counteract this. "Our ambition is to prepare gifted young people for high-level careers and rich and satisfying lives," he added.

The 14 professors behind the project include evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and eminent historian Sir David Cannadine. All will teach.

NCH chairman Charles Watson said: "Higher education in the UK must evolve if it is to offer the best quality experience for students and safeguard our future economic and intellectual wealth. "New College offers a different model - one that brings additional, private sector funding into higher education in the humanities when it is most needed, and combines scholarships and tuition fees."

He added: "As well as securing the highest-quality education for hundreds of students, we believe an independent university college, established right in the heart of London, will contribute to the long-term economic welfare of the capital, attracting students and professors who are contributing to the local economy as well as equipping our graduates for jobs in the service economy, such as the financial sector, professional services, the media and the creative industries, all of which are such vital contributors to the UK economy."

Prospective students can apply immediately, with the college offering assisted places to more than 20% of the first year's intake.

SOURCE

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