Education

1/9/2018 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

The Latest Educational Approaches to Autism

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can develop skills at a different rate, and they may acquire them in a different order than their peers. This is because the disorder affects the way we interpret and communicate information. A learner with ASD may not be responsive, even when called by name, and they may not use eye contact and appropriate gestures when speaking. They may have difficulty focusing, staying attentive, organizing information, making inferences, and maintaining emotional control. These challenges can create severe barriers in a child’s educational journey — but they don’t have to. As a teacher — and especially as a person of faith — you have an obligation to help learners reach their full potential. There have … [Read more...]

6/20/2017 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

At the Intersection of Faith and Education

Where do faith and education intersect? It’s been a topic of heated debate in the United States for, oh, the last 200 years or so, since public education got its start in the US. Faith is integral to how many people experience personal growth and development, but as the U.S. becomes more religiously diverse — with Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and others — the issues of religion and educational institutions have begun to spur a deeper level of confusion than ever before. Even though conversations about policy can be brutal, at the end of the day, access to college is something we should all be thankful for. As players in this drama, it’s important to understand the history. Let’s start at the beginning of the North … [Read more...]

1/5/2015 By Ben Leave a Comment

How to Train Your Politician: Conservative Ed Hanks Urges Intentional Voting

On December 20, 2014, I chatted by phone with Ed Hanks about his new book How to Train Your Politician: Intentional Voting as a Path to Tea Party and Constitutional Victory. Hanks, an acquaintance and Jefferson County conservative activist who has been one of Colorado's leading voices for Personhood, graciously shared a Kindle copy of his book for me to read prior our conversation. We talked in the wake of the lame-duck Congress passing the corporatists' dream bill, known as Cromnibus, fueling the fires of populist conservative discontent (including yours truly). A mounting frustration definitely brings a growing interest in the strategy Hanks endorses. Yet what I find most appealing about the book and its author is his historical … [Read more...]

1/28/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rossputin: Bill Ritter’s Transparent Try to Set Stage for Another Tax Hike

When I recently pointed out Governor Bill Ritter's public proclamation in favor of transparency, this wasn't the kind of transparency I was talking about. Rossputin explains:There's a reason that the first thing Ritter is proposing to do is cut education and prison funding, and "temporarily" suspend the homestead exemption which lowers property tax for many senior citizens, and it's the oldest liberal trick in the book: He's setting the stage for a tax increase proposal "for the children" and with the specter of violent felons roaming the streets unless we go along. Well, it's time to just say no to more liberal government expansion. Yes, Bill Ritter's announcement should make it rather transparent that he and the Democrats are … [Read more...]

10/28/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

NEA’s Spending Habits Once Again Show Education as a Low Priority

The Wall Street Journal reports:Here's a pop quiz: Who's donated the most money to an effort in California to defeat Proposition 8, an initiative on the November 4 ballot that would define marriage as between a man and a woman in the state? A) Gay-advocacy organizations B) Civil-rights groups C) The California Teachers Association If you guessed "C," you understand the nature of modern liberal politics. And if you didn't, perhaps you're wondering what exactly gay marriage has to do with K-12 public education. The high school dropout rate is 1-in-4 in California and 1-in-3 in the Los Angeles public school system, odds that worsen considerably among black and Hispanic children. So you might think the CTA, the state's largest … [Read more...]

10/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Discussing Education on Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 9 PM

This evening at 9 PM (local Mountain time), I'll join state representative candidate, long-time blogger, and host Joshua Sharf (and possibly another guest) for a half-hour discussion of the latest and greatest education issues in Colorado on Blog Talk Radio. Click here to tune in. The conversation is sure to be lively and informative. And if you miss it live, you can always come back later to catch a recording. … [Read more...]

9/17/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Candidate Evie Hudak: “I Support the Entire Democratic Party Platform”

Perhaps the most closely contested state legislative race of 2008 is the battle for Senate District 19 in Arvada and Westminster. But how close would it be if people really knew what Democratic candidate Evie Hudak stood for? Yes, the same Evie Hudak who has a bizarrely condescending view of homeschoolers and parental responsibility in education. A revealing document goes even further, telling us just how much Evie Hudak is attuned to a rigid, Left-leaning ideology - far more than to the interests of everyday people in Senate District 19. On an online questionnaire for the Progressive Democrats of America, Hudak wrote:I support the entire Democratic Party platform. I have supported the issues in previous elections as an active Democrat … [Read more...]

6/12/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Does Evie Hudak Still Hold Prejudiced and False View of Homeschooling?

One of Colorado's top state legislative races this year - a very high target on the state Republican party's list of potential takeovers - is Senate District 19 in north Jefferson County. The race pits Republican businesswoman Libby Szabo against liberal union activist and state school board member Evie Hudak. Evie Hudak's perceived strength in this race is the education issue, but if a 1999 commentary she wrote for the Denver Post gives any evidence, she holds a narrow, prejudiced, and uninformed view of one major type of education chosen by parents: homeschooling. Here are some excerpts: … [Read more...]

5/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Intellectual Ammunition for Colorado’s State and Local Candidates

Calling all Colorado candidates for state and county office! Want to catch up on your policy homework? The Independence Institute (where I work) is sponsoring an important event on June 11:Want your state legislative candidates to be intellectually well-armed for battle on the campaign trail? Then make sure he or she attends our candidates' briefing on Wednesday, June 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Independence Institute offices. We gather the state's leading free market experts on everything from TABOR, to transportation, to education, to property rights, to energy policy and more. Candidates will leave well-prepared to debate issues and field questions from friends and foes alike. This event is free of change and open to all state … [Read more...]

1/24/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Help Falcon Find a Parent-Friendly, Visionary Education Leader

Looking for a quick way to make your voice heard on the importance of public education reform? Falcon School District 49 is a fast-growing district in El Paso County, a district where more creative choices and options could help make a big difference for families. As its board searches for a new superintendent, Falcon is conducting a survey of what characteristics their new leader should have. There's a few reasons why you should take the few minutes to participate, answer as many questions as you can, and let them know why non-traditional experience and outside-the-box visionary thinking is to be preferred to traditional establishment credentials that offer less chance to bring real reform: 1. If you live in Falcon 49, you will be … [Read more...]