Happy New Year 2015

MRCR Education wishes you a Safe and Happy New Year!!! 2015.

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Happy Holidays 2014

MRCR Education would like to wish you

Happy Holidays for this Winter Break.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Winter Break

Winter break can bring to mind some of the following:

• The end of 2014.
• Last school week of the year.
• Last school day of 2014.
• Time off.
• Special time.

People get tired.  Fatigue begins to build up over time.  It accumulates until the point of exhaustion is reached.  Once this point is crossed, complete collapse is, perhaps, the most probable outcome for a person.

This is why people need breaks.  To recharge, to recuperate, to review, to rest.  Breaks are a part of the education process.  The education process, however, does not take a break.  There is great potential for learning, studying, teaching, and becoming further educated during breaks.

This winter break, while resting from being tired, as learners, students, and teachers, continue, as best as possible, the ongoing educational process.  This winter break it is up to the individual to determine how much further to continue along the path to education.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Year End Review 2014

The year is coming to an end, and now, is the time to review what has taken place in education.  This is the time to perform a year end review for 2014!  To look back to the first day of school back in January.  When a new year had just begun, and school was returning from the education winter break of 2013.  It is the time to take account of the many events that have been experienced this year.

Take the time to think, to January of 2014.  Students are back from winter break.  It is a new year.  Soon, the school year will reach its midway point.  It is now spring break.  April and May are at bay, and just around the corner, summer, and the end of a school year.  The goodbyes of a class of students.  These students have now moved on to other classrooms, and a new school year began.  August and September seem so far gone, but they were here not long ago as a new class of students was welcomed through the doors, and now, December is bring 2014 to an end.

• What are your memories of 2014?
• Write a month by month summary of your recollections for the year.
• Look at files and notes you may have kept.
• Take account of what you have learned and how to apply it.
• Make the time to do a year end review for 2014.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Winter Education Evaluation

The time in the year 2014 will soon come to an end.  December brings to a close 2014 and as the year ends it presents an ending point from which an evaluation can be extracted.

Now the question is how do we evaluate what students have learned?  How can we set up a formula or function which accurately measures the growth that students have done over a period of time?

To do this winter education evaluation, it is best to set measurable time frame periods over which growth should have taken place.

• Yearly Evaluation: Growth from January to December 2014.
• Current School Year Evaluation: Growth from 1st day of school to last day of 2014.
• Summer Evaluation: Growth from last day of school to 1st day of school.
• Prior School Year Evaluation: Growth from 1st day of school to end of school year

These four time periods allow for specific measurement of learning at different stages throughout this year.  As the year comes to a close, it is worth taking the time to do an evaluation, and reflect on what has been accomplished.  This is something that can even be done, and should be also done, at a personal level.  

There is no need to develop a complex set of standards and guidelines when doing a self evaluation of our educational growth.  Students, teachers, parents, and all who wish should perform each of the four above mentioned evaluations.  Doing this can provide a clearer view of the growth done in all aspects of education if a fair and through assessment takes place.


Author: Manuel R, CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Winter Education Challenges

What are some of the challenges faced in education during the month of December?  Do we dwell into deep and complex issues, or do we plan free time activities mixed with "educational" movies?  December seems like such a truncated month in the educational calendar that at times it is surprising that there learning going on in schools.

• There is a limited time in which to teach and carry out lesson plans.
• It is flanked by two holiday periods: Thanksgiving & Winter Break.
• The weather shifts toward winter patterns.
• Students are distracted by various activities.

These are some of the challenges that educators face every year when December arrives into the classroom.  There are but a couple of weeks in which to squeeze as much learning as we can before the year is over.  With plenty of activities going on, students tend to loose focus on what they learn, but can easily state what they wish to do or will do with their family and friends once school is out of session.  Many times education time is lost due to poor or extreme weather which is beyond anyone's control.  Outdoor recess time has to be accommodated to indoor facilities like the multi-purpose room, library/media center, and even the hallways.

December is truly a challenging month in education but well prepared and experienced teachers know how to continue capturing students attention.  It can also be a special time during which student social interaction can become a friendship forming bond.  As students, and teachers, begin that countdown toward the well deserved break which ends the year, it is worth taking time to reflect on all that has been accomplish to date, and look ahead to what January of next year will allow us to complete.
 

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

December 2014

We have now reached December.

It is the end of the year.  Winter is almost upon us.

Winter education begins to take form as we draw the year to a close, and await a new year to begin.

This is when education begins that climb up the steep incline of the middle of the school year.

Education begins to reach its balancing point, and students should have developed a solid foundation of what has been studied thus far.  Teachers should have developed an understanding for the class as a whole, and its composition on an individual student level.

Throughout December MRCR Education addresses the theme of winter education in its posts, and offers a view on how education should be approached during this time.  We hope you find this months theme, and its posts, as a useful source for guidance in education.

Thank You.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Thanksgiving 2014

MRCR Education would like to wish you a 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Giving Thanks to Education

Thanksgiving day is a few days away.
As we gather with family and friends to give thanks,
let us also give thanks to education.

Thanks to education we can read, we can write, we can cook a turkey right.  Thanks to education we can speak and we can talk, sharing traditions with each other.  Thanks to education it is possible to prepare for the many struggles we may face.  Thanks to education it is possible to think on how to become better and do better.  Thanks to education the great abyss of ignorance can be crossed safely by all.

Giving thanks to education means recognizing were we began our journeys, how far we have traveled, and all the support that has been given to us by pioneers, who blazed the trails we are traveling today, and whose trails we may one day expand as we proceed into the unknown future of education.

On this such special time during which we give thanks for all the blessings we have received, make the time and effort, take that extra step, and thank those who have been a part of the education process. From you to your educators, it is also time to be giving thanks to education.




Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Eduational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Whom to Thank for Education

This is a challenge for those who are life-long educators.  Whom to thank for education?  The names pour down our brain like water on a waterfall: Mrs. A, Mr. B, Coach C, Trainer D, etc.

From our early days in education, to the current day of today when we need guidance, they have facilitated the education process for all of us, and we have benefited from it greatly.  

They are the educators, administrators, instructors, and learners who have become intertwined in our interactive web of learning, study, knowledge, and work.  They have endure with us side by side as we have taken step after step up a long flight of rocky stairs, and have been there ready to protect us from falling over the handrail and into the abyss of ignorance.  

It is these amazing and wonderful people, these professional educators, who have lead us throughout the entire length of the education process.  They have also manage the places where this process has taken of from, where our life-long path toward becoming educated began.

They are the ones whom we thank for all they have done.  The encouragement they have given us time and again as we were in need of guidance.  Personal time taken to stay with us just one more minute so we may understand that which we are having trouble grasping.  These are the people whom to thank for education.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

I Thank You. For Educating Me.

To every one who has educated me, Thank You.
You took the time to educate me, and I thank you.


You have helped me learn.
You have helped me study.
You have helped me teach.
You have helped me assess.


It was challenging, but with ease.
It was difficult, but manageable.
It was laborious , but rewarding.


Such simple said words carry so much meaning,
Yet they are not said sufficiently enough to satisfy.


So here I say them so they are heard:
I thank you, so much, for educating me.



Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Why I am Thankful for Education

Each person can respond to the question: Why am I thankful for education? For me, this the first time thinking about this question, writing down the answer, and sharing the answer through this essay posted in this blog.  Each one of us can respond to the question by reflecting back on the educational experiences which we have been through, and this is where I will also begin, looking at what has been experienced in education.

Education is a life long journey.  It begins when we come alive and ends when we have gone to rest.  For almost 40 years education has been a part of my life.  It has provided a safe and secure environment for such a period of time.  Through the years, I have experienced education in a variety of forms: formal and informal, personal and professional, private and public.  It is for these various forms of education, which I have experienced over many years, that I am thankful for education.

For me, education has been formal and informal.  Formal Education brings to mind the names of the places where education has taken place: Hogar Jardin, Liceo Salvadoreño, Lincoln Middle School, Alameda High School, College of Alameda, and Laney College.  Where I was a student with a teacher in a classroom among my classmates.  Where as Informal Education brings to mind backyards, fields, parks, mountains, construction sites, work places, etc.  There was no specific role assigned to me or person in charge, but a great deal of observation and interaction to absorb.

It has been beneficial to have exposure to private and public education.  Each has provided unique experiences and approaches to education, which resulted in different evaluative outcomes, but both have complemented each other.  Private Education help provide a solid foundation and framework in addition to structure and discipline.  Public Education help provide diversity, possibility, and opportunity, in addition to creativity, growth, and development.  I now try to balance both of these approaches as I continue to further myself as an educator.

Personal Education has consisted primarily of reading and re-reading that which has sparked an interest in the pursuit of skills and knowledge.  Professional Education begun when deciding to help others with the development of skills and understanding of knowledge.  They have both required time, dedication, and perseverance, but have also proven to be greatly rewarding and enjoyable.

Why education? Well, education is good.  It has created great civilizations throughout time, proven its usefulness to humanity.  It is a difficult challenge to undertake, but the rewards can last beyond our lifetime.  I am thankful for education for the skills, knowledge, and experience it has shared with me over the years which have passed, and those which it will share with me over the remaining years to come.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Thanks To Education

Thanks to education, I can give thanks to education.

Thanks to education, I have become a better person, a leader, a thinker, a doer.

Thanks to education, I have learned, I have studied, I have taught.

Thanks to education, I have become a better learner, a better student, a better teacher.

Thanks to education, I have met other learners, students, teachers.

Thanks to education, I have helped others learn, study, teach.

Thanks to education, I can be interchanged with you, and we, and us.

Thanks to education, us, you and I, we, together, can solve and resolve the problems of old.

Thanks to education, people can acquire skills, knowledge, understanding, and apply them.

Thanks to education, they, who are up and coming, can have a chance at opportunity.

Thanks to education, those who are humbled by their ignorance can remain humble by awareness.

Thanks to education, the human body, the human mind, and the human spirit, will continue to evolve, endure, and exist.


Author:  Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

November 2014

This month of November, MRCR Education takes time to say: "Thank You" to education.

This is done through the designation of November's theme of Thankful for Education. 

Education is good.  It is a process by which people can bridge the divide which exists between uneducated and educated.  It is through education that we can acquire knowledge and skills that can help us become leaders who make well informed decisions that better our lives and that of others.

From the most basic of skills like reading, writing, and speaking, to the complexities of applied non-linear calculus, genetic engineering, and socio-economic development, it is education which allows us to make connections and applications throughout time and many generations.

We should be thankful for education,and give thanks to all who have help guide us through our path from uneducated to educated.  We thank ourselves, our relatives, our teachers, our coaches, our educational leaders and decision makers for all that is done toward the unending continuous process of education.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Halloween 2014

 
HAPPY HALLOWEEN


From MRCR Education, and thank you for what you do as educators.


Sincerely: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator.

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Education Implementation Overview

MRCR Education has dedicated the month of October to the theme of education implementation.  Three posts have address definition, design, and the how to of implementation in education.  Implementation can be a very useful instrument for educators to have, as it can facilitate the solution of challenges in education, for implementation can be adapted to meet the specifications of what is being faced.

Implementation is a process which requires as many steps as needed to solve a particular problem.  This being said, the process of implementation begins with a primary step: Identification of an educational problem.  A lack of proficiency in a subgroup, low educational success by a student, the need for faculty to be better prepared, are just three examples of problems that can be identified and solved through education implementation.  It is key to begin with the identification of the problem (or problems) so that this may be reviewed, researched, and discussed by those who will take part in solving this issue.

With the primary problem identified, and the need to resolve it clearly stated, it is now time for leaders in education to gather together and design a solution.  How is this problem going to be solved? What is needed to succeed? Who is responsible for seeing the success of the implementation?  Some of the answers to these questions can take the form of after-school programs, community outreach & involvement, tutoring, mentoring, establishment of a council or group, delegation of responsibilities to local educational leaders, and selecting a measure for success.  This is the secondary step of implementation design.

Upon completion of implementation design, and with the approval of those who participated, the final step of education implementation can be executed.  This final step is the actual action of carrying out the planed implementation and ensuring the success of it.  From here on, it is up to the education community to continue implementation to its fullest, and proceed with all requirements such as accountability, maintenance, prioritization.

Education implementation takes time, requires leadership, needs support, resources, and commitment if it is to succeed.  Education implementation is an instrument of precision which educators should learn to develop and apply at all levels of education, from solving individual student needs, to addressing the needs of future classes of graduates.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Application of Education Implementation Design

Educators are creative.  Educators are designers.  In education it is necessary that educators implement the creative designs they prepare to facilitate a student's learning process.  This creative design, which educators are trying to implement, is the end result of an arduous process, which may begin with the needs of one student, and end as a learning experience for the school as a whole.

It has been discussed in two previous posts "Education Implementation Design" and "How to Implement in Education" how to implement and how to design in education.  These two skills can now be combined so they may be used as an application instrument in the classroom.  Application can take the form of a project, student task, class assignment, field trip, and research, just to name a few of the many forms this instrument can take.

Through the application of an educator's creative design, students can become actively engaged in learning various subjects, standards, concepts, and ideas.  Educators can design how to implement, in their classroom, from fundamental concepts to complex processes.  This is how a Limited English Proficient student can participate in an advance science class, or an athlete can connect on field performance towards a statistical portfolio.

The application of education implementation design completes the creative process which educators create.  It is during the application of education implementation design that students can benefit by making connections which lead to a clear understanding and further learning which can be pursued for life.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Education Implementation Design

Implementation is an instrument which can be used in education to facilitate a learner's development of essential skills and knowledge.  To be able to design education implementation it is necessary to address the following questions:

1) What is going to be implemented?
2) How much time does it take to implement?
3) Who is leading the implementation?
4) How will implementation happen?
5) What is needed for successful implementation?
6) Where will implementation take place?

With these questions taken into consideration, the task of designing can begin.  To examine how each of these elements can be applied to implementation in education, let us take a closer look at each one.

VISUALIZE GOAL
Clearly define the expected outcome of the implementation to be designed.  Include details, requirements, application, and acknowledgment.

SCHEDULE
Plan ahead and coordinate all the resources which are available at your disposal.  Time management is a key to success.

ACCOUNTABILITY
Assign responsibilities to those who are participating in the implementation process and ensure that they accomplish them.
 
COLLABORATION
Work together as a team toward the accomplishment of implementation.  Communication and cooperation are key.
 
BUILDING BLOCKS
Make a list of what is available and what is needed.  These can be items such as funding, supplies, commitment, infrastructure, research, training, partnerships, etc.
 
CREATE EDU-SYSTEM
A positive learning environment in which students thrive and learning takes place should be created as part of the implementation design.



Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

How to Implement in Education

A 4 Step Guide to Implementation

• STEP 1 : Purpose  (Why implement? Benefits?)
• STEP 2 : Action  (Planning, Practicing, Preparing for Implementation)
• STEP 3 : Readiness  (Implementation Simulation & Trial Runs)
• STEP 4 : Implement  (Execution, Analysis, Maintenance, Security)

To properly implement an idea, a program, or a standard in education, purpose must be establish from the beginning.  Purpose is achieved by answering two questions: Why should implementation take place? What are the benefits to education?

With a purpose established and in place, it is now time for action.  This comes in the form of planning, practicing, and preparing for the implementation that is to take effect.

Purpose and Action lead toward readiness, where simulations and trial runs test the functionality of the standard, program, or educational concept soon to be implemented.  Readiness is the step prior to complete and full implementation, and allows for the opportunity to strenghten and reinforce that which now goes into the final step of implementation.

It is when we implement that execution, analysis, maintenance, and security can help ensure success in accomplishing implementation in education.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Defining Education Implementation

Education is a process by which skills and knowledge can be acquired.  For many of us education brings images and memories of going to school where classes are attended, and pending on the level of success achieved, if it is satisfactory, proceed to a further level class on specific subject matter, or begin to apply what we know and what we can do toward a career, job, or hobby which is of interest or benefit for us.

If education is the process by which we acquire knowledge and skills, then implementation is the design of this process.  Education implementation is the designed pathway by which we can become educated.  While the education process takes us from uneducated to educated, its implementation requires that a path be created from the initial steps of education to the final goal we set.  Implementation fill in the gaps of ignorance by introducing, in stages, that which is required to achieve understanding.

Education implementation provides a guided roadmap which can be followed so that successful completion of educational goals is achieved.  This is done with the support and guidance of those who have trail blazed their own path by pioneering a new and unique route, or have had success in traveling existing roads.

How education is implemented is entirely up to us.  We are only limited by the resources which are available and the creativity of our imagination.  Throughout most of our childhoods, the education implementation path which we take is that of going from Kindergarten to 12th grade where, for most of us, the path comes to an end as we become graduates.  It is through implementation that many common obstacles can be resolved.  If it is desinged correctly, education implementation can create a path that over time, if maintained and cared for, can become a road or highway for many to travel.

The more educational paths we developed, and the more we interconnect them, the greater the chance of success in reaching the educational goals which we set for ourselves.  By interconnecting the many paths we create, we allow for a diverse range of unique pathways which individuals can embark upon as they undergo the process of becoming educated.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Eductional Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

October 2014

This month of October the theme is Education Implementation.  To address this theme requires that education implementation be defined.  How to define education implementation can become quite the challenge when taking into account the diverse range of skills and knowledge that education covers.  Not only does education cover a diverse range of skills and knowledge, but it also covers a large array of levels, ages, and purposes.  This is also why education implementation is best defined with a specific set of parameters that must be accomplished in order for implementation to succeed.  Throughout the month of October, MRCR Education is going to be presenting a series of post through the blog that address Education Implementation.  Please join by sharing your views on school implementation.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Education is Labor

As September 2014 comes to a close, we take a look back at what has been the theme for the month "The Labor of Education".  Labor is hard work.  That which requires laboring needs hard workers who are willing to put effort into achieving an objective.  Some labor can be done by individuals who have been given knowledge and have trained in skills that are essential for success.  Some labor requires that individuals work together as a team while grouping those who share similar skills and knowledge so as to develop special units which facilitate the work of the team.  Education is a labor which requires us to learn, study, and teach.  Together, these three stages make up the educational process.

The education process is composed of three stages: Learning, Studying, Teaching.  Each one of these stages facilitates the education process, and can be done with efficiency by following the steps that we discussed in 5 Steps to Efficient Learning, 4 Steps to Efficient Studying, and 3 Steps to Efficient Teaching.  Here is a brief look at the steps which should be taken in each stage of the education process:

Learning
 - Place & Time
 - Appropriate Skills & Knowledge
 - Engage with Others
 - Persevere through Patience
 - Plan for More

Studying
 - Evaluate
 - Correct
 - Apply
 - Repeat

Teaching
 - Be Prepared
 - Be Engaging
 - Be Fair


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

3 Steps to Efficient Teaching

The educational process is not complete if we do not share with others what we have learned and studied. Teaching is how we can best share what we have both learned and studied.  In prior posts it has been written how to be efficient at learning ( 5 Steps to Efficient Learning ) and efficient at studying ( 4 Steps to Efficient Studying ), now here are three steps which can be taken to be efficient at teaching:

1) Be prepared.
It is difficult, if not nearly impossible, to just "wing-it" when teaching.  As skilled and quick thinking as some may be, it is highly recommended that prior to teaching we take the time to prepare on the subject area, skill, standard, knowledge, etc. that is to be covered.  Part of preparation should also include how those who are being taught may react to the material being presented.

2) Be Engaging.
Connect with those you will be teaching. As we teach, we engage in studying, learning, thinking, and communicating.  A good teacher knows how to engage what is being taught by building connections which can lead to searching for further information.  It is by building these connections that teachers make the most valuable contribution to education which is the search for further knowledge and clearer understanding.

3) Be Fair.
It is understandable that developing connections with those whom we are teaching will develop uniquely to each individual, but we must be firm in being fair and balance as we are teaching.  If we are unfair, and treat some with a more favorable approach, we will become responsible for creating an unbalanced education environment where some will succeed and some will fail.

As educators we are constantly taking part in the different stages of the educational process: Learning, Studying, Teaching.  To become efficient educators, it is key that we also become efficient in each of the stages within the educational process.  The better we are at each stage, the better we will be at the overall process and in turn, we will be able to help others go from being uneducated to becoming life-long educated.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

4 Steps to Efficient Studying

Education is a process by which individuals go from uneducated to educated.  This process can be broken down into three steps: Learning, Studying, and Teaching.  There is great labor involved in becoming educated.  It is not an easy task.  There is so much knowledge and we are limited by the time we have available in which one can become educated.  In a prior post, 5 Steps to Efficient Learning, we covered some steps which can be taken toward efficient learning.  Now it is time to move from learning to studying.  It is not enough that we learn various skills and a vast amount of knowledge, we must study what we have learned.  Studying helps to further understanding of what we have learned.  Studying is the second step that should be taken when becoming educated.

1) Evaluate what has been learned.
 Make a through evaluation of what you have learned.  Although grades, GPA's, and other forms of evaluation are available, come up with your own method of measuring the value of what you have learned.

2) Correct what has been learned.
Fix any mistakes which may have been learned.  It is possible to misunderstand or not be clear when we learn, which is why we study and correct any errors in our learning.

3) Apply what has been learned.
Put  what you have learned to work.  Don't let your learning become stalled and inactive, find our what happens when you apply what you know to real life problems and situations.

4) Repeat what has been learned.
Try and try again until becoming comfortable with what you have learned.  One of the best ways to both study and learn is to practice until reaching perfection.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

1st Day of Autumn

Today is the first day of autumn.
The foliage is changing colors,
soon the leaves will fall.

But which leaf will fall first?
Who will be the first leaf to leave 
the tree branch where it once was held?

The chlorophyll is slowly waning.
Soon the clouds will begin raining.
Green yields to orange, red, and brown.

They will no longer be photosynthesizing,
but they will still be metamorphosizing.
Decomposing its nutrients into the top soil.

Today is the first day of autumn.
The foliage is changing colors,
Soon the leaves will fall.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

5 Steps to Efficient Learning

Learning is quite laborious.  It is a challenge to learn, and for some of us, it can be a difficult challenge to overcome.  To help those who struggle with learning, and to make the labor of learning more efficient, we present he following 5 Steps to Efficient Learning.

1. FIND A PLACE & MAKE TIME.  It is important for those who are learning to have an adequate place where learning can take place.  This can be the library or media center in school or city.  One can also choose a place in the house, for example a study place, the living room, bedroom desk, etc.  The place chosen should provide a positive learning environment and be free of possible distractions which may interfere with the educational process.  Time is also an important factor to take into account. Too much time will lead to overwhelming and burnout.  Too little time will not allow for proper learning development. Choose an amount of time which is adequate for the task. Recommended time ranges from 30 minutes up to 3 hours.
2. CHOOSE APPROPRIATE SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE.  As students progress through their education they must choose which skills or knowledge are appropriate for them to learn.  Learning builds on learning, and it is recommended that students begin with a basic introduction before moving on to more advanced subject areas.
3. ENGAGE WITH OTHERS.  Share what you learn.  Argumentation is a great way for learners to share what they have reviewed, practice, and studied.  By engaging with others we can expand our knowledge and skills, while providing the possibility for innovation and imagination.
4. PERSEVERE THROUGH PATIENCE.  Patience is needed to learn.  Much of becoming educated comes from attempting that which may be either unknown or unfamiliar to us.  It comes from taking risks and being wrong at times even in front of our classmates.  But we keep trying and trying and ask for help until success is reached.
5. PLAN FOR MORE.  Learning is never ending. It can take a lifetime and one can dedicate their life toward the pursuit and development of an area of interest.  There is more learning to be achieved through the many established educational levels: Grade school, High school, College, Grad school, Work and Employment, and some learning which is entirely up to us to master and unlock.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Learning is Education's Labor

It takes a great deal of learning to become educated.
Learning is a great deal of labor.
It follows then,
that in order to become educated,
One must labor a great deal through learning.

Although labor is hard work,
it is worth doing, worth pursuing,
for its output is often a great reward.

When learning is the labor,
education is the output,
and education is a great reward.
It is worth pursuing, it is worth doing.

A student should work, and work hard, at learning.
Students should learn how to learn.
Students who learn how to learn
can become educated sooner
and with less difficulties
in a supportive learning environment.

How can a student work hard at learning?
1) Find a place and make time to learn.
2) Choose appropriate skills/knowledge to be learned.
3) Engage with others and share what's been learned.
4) Persevere through patience.
5) Plan to learn furthermore.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

September 2014

Education is the fruit we harvest at the end of a long season of learning.  As educators we hope that the seeds of knowledge which we plant in our students take root and grow to produce a bountiful harvest.  As students we hope that the knowledge presented to us feeds us into the future.  Support is also needed from parents and the community to nurture and care for students and educators all throughout the learning season.

Learning is a long and arduous journey whose season is just beginning.  We are in the early stages of this journey and care must be taken to prevent fatigue from overcoming us as we undertake this journey.  Patience must also be an important component through this process, as it takes time for seeds to germinate, and young blooming saplings to become fruit producing trees.

Learning is the labor which must be done to achieve education.  If students want to succeed, it is recommended that they labor throughout the school year.  This they can achieve through self-dicipline and self-sacrifice as well as vision and organization. Students must also know that although they bear the responsibility of learning and studying, they are not alone in their educational labors.  As educators, part of our responsibility to help our students succeed lies in our availability to the students.  As we commence this journey let's do our best to become available resources of support  for our students, so we may both take pride in the fruit to be harvested come our journey's end.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

New School Year 2014-15

The 2014-15 school year has begun.  Students, teachers, parents, administrators, and educators have gone back to school.  The first day of classes has come and gone, so has the first week, and soon enough both the first holiday will arrive as the first month will depart.

There is much work to do and growth to achieve.  Not all will be starting at the same level, but all should be finishing on par.  By making education our priority we can create a learning environment where study, creativity, and interaction can take place.

This cannot be achieved without a plan or preparation.  It is worthwhile to take some time and come up with an implementable roadmap that can serve as a guide throughout the school year.  This roadmap should also allow for exits and entrances in case it is needed to go off road.

It is also imperative that trust, safety, and security be established as part of the learning environment.  By preparing for possible emergencies and disasters, which could take place in the classroom, school, or community, these three imperatives can become established as a natural part of the educational process.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

1st Day of School Stories

August, it seems, has become the month of "Back to School".  We mark the return to education this month.  Before the first day of school, students go to bed the prior night knowing that the next day is the start, and continuation, of our education.

As students begin to wake up that first day, some eagered to get started while others struggle with thoughts of what is to take place, they begin to make a series of choices: Wake up, Snooze, Shower, Have Breakfast, Pack Lunch, Walk, Bike, Be Ready for the Ride, etc. All these choices and not even in school yet!

As a student and an educator I have had over 33 years of back to school covering four decades (80's, 90's, 2000's, 10's).  Each year beginning with a first day of school. Each first day of school unique, with nerves and butterflies in the stomach, a permanent part of my educational path, my educational history.

Five stories come to mind when reminiscing about the first day of school.  Memories of that day we go back to school. That day we return to education. See if these sound familiar to you too:

1. The new student in school.
2. Being late to school.
3. Walking into the wrong classroom.
4. Not wearing the propper attire.
5. The new student who can't speak English.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Returning to Education (Part 3)

How can we succeed
in preparing for
our return to education?

Here is some advice,
which can serve as a guide,
to prepare and succeed
in the upcoming school year.

For all students:
STUDY.  So you can learn.
For new students: Become familiar.
For returning students: Be welcoming.

For all teachers:
LEARN. So you can teach.
For new teachers: Ask for assistance.
For returning teachers: Offer assistance.

For parents:
PARTICIPATE in the educational process.
For educators:
FACILITATE the educational process.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm. All Rights Reserved.

Returning to Education (Part 2)

How we prepare for our return to education
can become a factor, in our departure from it,
at the end of the school year.

If we do a good job
of preparing for our return,
at the end of the school year
our departure should be a successful one.

HOWEVER,

If we fail to do a good job
of preparing for our return,
at the end of the school year
our departure,
if we reach the end of the year,
can only become successful
through a great deal of self-sacrifice
and the help
of those
who care for us
to succeed.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Returning to Education (Part 1)

We are returning to education.
We have had our Summer Break,
and now,
it is time to return to education,
so we may become educated furthermore.

This we do
as we transition from Summer Sessions and prepare for "Back to School"
in anticipation
of that first day of school
which indicates
the start of a new school year.

We have reached the time in which we return to our places of education.
Places where we spend time: Learning, Teaching, Studying.
Places where knowledge is exchanged
by those who are part of the Educational Process:
Students, Teachers, Learners, Administrators,
Adults who serve for the betterment of education for all.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

August 2014

August is the month in which education transitions from summer sessions to the return to education. By the Labor Day holiday, education is back in session, and a new school year has begun.  Students, Parents, Teachers, Administrators, and all those who take part as educators, prepare for back to school: Classrooms have to be prepared, supplies have to be stocked, lessons need to be planned, last year is so long time ago, and next year is so far away.

MRCR Education is also preparing during this transition time.  This is done so that the posts which are shared have great value to you.  We hope that you find them informational, insightful, and inspiring.  Our focus continues to be on the betterment of education for all, and we share our experiences, research, and ideas on English Language Learning, STEAM Education, and HAST Education, as well as a diverse array of other educational themes which are a part of the growth and development of education.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Independent Education Evaluation

We are able to educate ourselves independently.  We do not need to wait until someone else decides if we are to be educated, when we are to be educated, and on what we are to be educated.  We can make the time and go to a place, with access to knowledge which is available for all to know, where we feel secure, and there are no dangers.  We are able to educate ourselves independently if that is what we truly want.

That upon which we become educated becomes our knowledge.  Knowledge which originates independently, when it is not presented, remains in private.  Knowledge which originates independently, when it is presented, becomes public.  Our knowledge, whether originated independently or not, is what allows us to become educated.  As we become educated we, we must also decide which is to become public, and which is to remain in private.

Being educators of ourselves requires that we endure great self-sacrifice.  It is a life-long process which many have attempted, and a process in which you can go on for as long as one has access to education.  Independent education must also be evaluated as part of this process.  Evaluating our independent education will help us better assess which areas of education need further development, and which need to diversify, so that our education is in balance.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Independent Education Establishment

"Independent Education Establishment is a process by which the learner lays the foundation for the development of their independent education.  This is a process which varies based on the specific learning needs of the student.  When a student wants to establish their foundation toward independent education, the student should take care to consider many factors which are needed to be a successful independent learner.  Four factors that are key to this establishment are: Place, Time, Dangers, and Safety."

PLACE
Where is the student going to do most of their independent education?  There are many places where a student can become engaged in independent education, with school being the traditional principal place.  A student should not limit their learning to what takes place in school.  Students can also become engaged in independent education at home, when traveling through the great outdoors, with the use of technology by going on-line, and even as they are undergoing trainings at the office.

TIME
When is the student going to make time to pursue independent education?  Setting aside a few minutes, or an hour, each day, for the purpose of  independent education, can be enough to establish a positive path toward becoming a true independent learner.  The student must also consider the overall length of time that is needed as they progress through this path, whether it is a life-long pursuit of education, or personal education as early learners, higher education students, or adults and elders.

DANGERS
What can endanger the establishment of independent education?  Factors to consider include the conditions in which the student is attempting to establish their independent education.  Inconsistency and distractions can become a challenge for any student who is pursuing independent education.  There can also be external factors of a social, political or environmental nature which are either unforeseen, or beyond the control of the learner, and can pose a challenge to the student's independent education.

SAFETY
How can a student safely establish independent education?  Learning in a safe and secure environment can be a positive step toward the pursuit of independent education.  Any time and any place in which the student is attempting to become an independent learner should be free of dangers.  Safety during independent education can allow the student to learn without fear.  Students who are able to learn in an environment of safety need not worry about anything but to succeed as they pursuit independent education.


Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.