Killeen Schools

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is highly recommendable for college and high school students. Complex knowledge and skillset is the requirement of a flourishing economy beaming with technological advancement. So, acquiring technical skills and knowledge boosts success in the modern industrial scenario and a broad range of other fields. CTE courses make students ready for both college and career as CTE emphasizes on academic as well as career training. Following are some ways in which students can greatly benefit from career & technical education: Affordability And Scope Of Work: CTE courses are affordable and when coupled with an academic degree, they expand the scope of work for students. It is interesting to note that the modern day companies seek skilled employees equipped with technical knowledge instead of candidates with academic qualification only. CTE students are on a better footing for high pay jobs. Diverse Opportunities: Career and Technical Education courses...

There are many long as well as short-term benefits associated with being a member of the student organization. It not only improves the quality of one’s life, but also has a significant impact on their academic performance. Following are some ways in which joining a student organization can be helpful for students: Personal Development: Students who join student organizations grow up into mature and responsible individuals by the time they step out into real world. They become all-rounder’s and are better equipped to plan their career as well as manage their lives. New Friendships: Student organizations are a great platform for making new friends and dealing with diverse individuals from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Member students learn how to interact with people who differ in their set of skills, goals and personal traits. Also, students are exposed to new ways of thinking which widens their horizons, thus making them adjustable individuals. Fun Activities: The...

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is highly recommendable for college and high school students. Complex knowledge and skillset is the requirement of a flourishing economy beaming with technological advancement. So, acquiring technical skills and knowledge boosts success in the modern industrial scenario and a broad range of other fields. CTE courses make students ready for both college and career as CTE emphasizes on academic as well as career training. Following are some ways in which students can greatly benefit from career & technical education: Affordability And Scope Of Work: CTE courses are affordable and when coupled with an academic degree, they expand the scope of work for students. It is interesting to note that the modern day companies seek skilled employees equipped with technical knowledge instead of candidates with academic qualification only. CTE students are on a better footing for high pay jobs. Diverse Opportunities: Career and Technical Education cours...

Reading is an integral part of education. Establishing reading clubs in schools is a great way of fostering love for reading amongst the students. The small group settings in reading clubs facilitate peer communication, equality in terms of gender, ethnicity and ability level. Let’s take a look at some benefits of the reading clubs in the schools: Exercise For The Brain: Joining reading clubs in schools benefits cognitive abilities of the students. Reading is a great workout for the brain. As a result, brain connections become stronger and new connections are build. It is highly beneficial for the brain as compared to activities like watching TV. Concentration: Reading requires students to sit still and focus for extended periods. With time, it becomes easier and natural for them to focus for longer durations. Expands Their Horizons: Reading a variety of books, makes students learn about different places and cultures. They develop a better understanding of the world around them ...

Extra co-curricular activities play an important role in the development of a child’s personality. Children, who engage in any form of extra co-curricular activity, exhibit positive behavioral changes, better grades and social skills. These activities encourage them to discover their non-academic abilities through activities such as sports, music, dance, art, debate, etc. For the all-round development of a child, it is important to strike a balance between academics and out-of-class activities. Let’s take a look at the different ways in which extra co-curricular activities benefit children: Better Grades: Kids, who are involved in co-curricular activities, show noticeable improvements in their grades. This is mainly due to other skills they take on from such activities. Some of these skills are time management, increased self-confidence and better organizational skills. Time Management Skills: Co-curricular activities teach children how to balance academic and non-academic act...

Learning the art of effective note-making in the class is one of the best ways to remember what you’ve learnt and be less stressed during tests. Taking notes is a skill that can be mastered with little practice. It has nothing to do with your handwriting but depends on how well structured your notes are. Let’s take a look at some tips to take notes like a pro: Know Your Learning Style: Before embarking on the note-taking process, know what your learning style is. This will help you work in the right direction towards making your notes effective for better retention. There are four main learning styles namely visual, auditory, read/write and kinesthetic. Figure out which style suits you best and pursue your note-making accordingly. Be Prepared: The key to effective note-taking is to keep all your supplies handy and ready. These could be things like paper, highlighters, writing pens, etc. Another important part of preparation is to review your previous notes before starting off wi...

Attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood behavior disorders. Students with ADHD are naturally restless, inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive. They are intellectually as smart as other kids except for their inability to focus on a task at hand. Teaching such kids requires certain skills coupled with tons of patience. There are some helpful measures and techniques that have been developed over the years for teachers of students with ADHD. Here are three main measures that should be implemented in a class with ADHD students. These are: Accommodation: Implementing changes that make it easier for students with ADHD to learn. Instruction: Tweaking the teaching methods. Intervention: Tackling disruptive behavior of students with ADHD in the best way possible. Let’s break them up and look at how they can make teaching kids with ADHD more effective: A teacher can bring about some useful changes in the learning environment to reduce di...

Medieval age apprenticeship has evolved with time to take up the form of internship in modern time. Internship is an official program or position in an organization for students or trainees to gain experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification. However, here is a bird’s eye view of the core benefits of attending internship programs in shaping your career. Here are some reasons why students should attend an internship: Window To Reality: Internships impart a real life experience of the job. This helps in exploring our field of choice and thus makes us more decisive and confident about the career we have chosen. Network Building: Internships give us an opportunity to meet the professionals and seniors in our field. The people we meet during our internships add to the nodes of our own business network. They may be the key to our first job, act as a valuable reference to help us seal admission to our dream college or acquire the perfect job. Skills Development: Valuable fe...

Continuous teacher training helps create effective teachers who can match the latest educational trends. When teachers grow professionally with the help of such training, they effectively disseminate educational material to students. Let’s look at why continuous teacher training is need of the hour: Helps Teachers Overcome Obstacles: Such training sessions also help teachers overcome any challenges that they face in the classroom. They get a chance to assess whether there is any area where they need to improve and get knowledge as well as skills to do so. Helps Teachers Develop Their Expertise: Training courses help teachers get better in their field. It is a great platform for teachers to sharpen their skills and develop their expertise. They get access to valuable material that helps them be at par with the latest trends in education and instructional methods. In addition to attaining academic skills, they also gain skills and knowledge pertaining to information technologies, t...

Want to get better grades at school? You can boost your grades at school with a few lifestyle changes and tips to make your study time more productive. Good grades are not the prerogative of the super intelligent only. Anyone can get great grades with the right guidance and discipline. Here are some pro-approved tips to help you improve your grades at school: Be An Optimist: Don’t lose heart if your performance is not up to mark at school. Train your mind to be positive and hopeful for best results. Use positive affirmations for motivation. Maintain a healthy attitude in which you keep striving to outperform yourself each time. Participate In The Class: Avail every opportunity of participating in class discussions and projects. Don’t shy away from asking and answering questions. Talking about what you have learnt in class is one of the most effective ways of forging the information in your brain. Take Notes: Develop your note-taking skills for improving your grades. Taking note...

Athletics has a profound impact on the life of a student in terms of physical, mental and psychological benefit it provides. It blurs the differences of academic performance, ethnicity, financial stature, etc. by bringing students on a common platform. Let’s take a look at some ways in which athletics adds value and meaning to a student’s life: Meaningful Opportunities: Athletics provides students with an array of opportunities. Good performers can avail an opportunity of receiving scholarships for funding their college education. Athletics provides students with many opportunities of meeting other players and coaches. Some of these bonds may culminate into meaningful lifelong friendships or be the gateway to a host of job and investment opportunities. Someday they might just become successful coaches in schools and sports institutes as well. School’s Pride: Athletics helps in fostering a wonderful bond between the student and school. Students often yearn to achieve excellence ...

Peer learning is a method of learning in which a student who is an expert on a subject explains the concepts to another student who is a novice at it. This method of imparting knowledge is used in tandem with the efforts of a teacher. So peer learning does not do away with a teacher’s role but it augments it instead. Peer learning can be in the form of discussion groups, buddy systems, homework groups, pair and share activities, collaborative project work etc. Here is a list of some major benefits of peer learning: Active Learning: Peer learning is a form of active learning as it promotes communication in the form of questions and discussions. The student is not expected to be a passive listener. Reinforcement Of The Peer Teachers Learning: In addition to benefiting the learner, peer learning also helps the peer teacher to reinforce study material. Also, teaching another student improves one’s own concepts. Comfort And Openness: Students feel more comfortable and open with stude...

School going kids are naturally prone to small accidents due to slips and falls. The accidents can be in the form of minor scrapes, fractures, wounds or health issues that require immediate attention. Children with first aid training are capable of handling medical emergencies with ease and confidence. First aid training comprises of various life-saving techniques which can be used in case of a medical eventuality that requires immediate action. It equips students with knowledge, training and tools to help themselves and others in case of health issues like nose bleeding, cut or wound etc. Students are taught vital life skills such as administering first aid treatments, talking to a person in need of help, the amount of pressure to apply on wounds, treating scrapes, burns etc. Imparting first-aid skills to students has the following major benefits: It Is Lifesaving: Having some knowledge of first aid can be very helpful in saving a person in need of immediate help. A well-trained p...

When it comes to teaching, there is no one way of doing it. Different students have different requirements as far as the method of instruction goes. The same rule applies to students with physical disabilities. These students need unique strategies of teaching i.e. courses designed for them, a suitable teaching style and a variety of instructional methods. A physical disability refers to disabilities that affect ones’ mobility, health, medical status and also injuries of the brain. Some of these disabilities are easy to spot e.g. the physical ones, but the medical and health related ones are not as obvious. Let’s delve deeper into this and check out some strategies that have been shown to have a positive effect on making teaching effective for students with physical disabilities: Electronic Transfer Of Study Material: To aid the student in catching up with the curriculum, a teacher should take an extra step to send the teaching material to him/her electronically or by transferr...

Teaching with the help of audio-visual aids is quite effective as it stimulates all the senses of a learner. These aids are used to stimulate the student and foster better understanding of the subject as words alone are not sufficient for an effective learning experience. Audio visual aids have shown to be very useful for studying living bodies, machines, microscopic materials, exotic materials, inaccessible places and much more. Here is a list stating some of the most important reasons for using audio-visual aids in academics: Better Attention In Class: Audio-visual aids are a great means of capturing a student’s attention for a longer span of time. They are engrossing and interesting in comparison to mere bookish knowledge. Help To Stimulate Imagination: Audio-visual devices and materials help in stimulating the imagination of a learner by providing a mental imagery of the lesson. Aids In Understanding: Teachers using audio-visual aids speed-up the process of learning signifi...

Environmental education classes at school are the need of the hour. Kids need to be taught about environment and ways to preserve it. Such classes help kids understand what impacts the environment positively and negatively. This can be done both in the classroom and outside. Let’s take a look at some benefits of Environmental education: More Exposure : Environmental education classes are not limited to bookish knowledge and the classroom. They go beyond the classroom and books into the society, culture, economy, politics and ecology. Kids are exposed to various issues that affect the environment and they learn how everything is interconnected when it comes to the environment. A Thoughtful Generation : The new generation is encouraged to use its critical thinking and creative skills through such studies. Environmental education encourages kids to research about various factors that affect the environment, how they do so, why they do so and what can be done. Such education encourages...

Imparting social and emotional skills at a tender age equips children with the life skills required to manage their everyday tasks as adults. They become better learners, form healthier relationships, are cooperative and caring towards those around them and are less impulsive. Even though these skills are already embedded in the school curriculum, a deliberate effort by the teachers is required to highlight the skills. How To Make Social-Emotional Learning Part Of The Curriculum? Mindfulness : Before students embark on a difficult project/subject, they should be encouraged to practice mindfulness exercise to calm their nerves. This helps in assimilating the knowledge better. As per scientists, this helps students develop hope-an important factor for success. Caring And Safe Classrooms : Educators should ensure that the classrooms environment is comfortable & safe for the students. A classroom should be a place where they feel safe to discuss their feelings. The time spent in ...

Assessment is a tool used by educational institutions to determine where a child stands in terms of his/her growth and development in reading, arithmetic and life skills. This is done by gathering critical information and reviewing the same. The information is then used to plan educational activities as per the mental level of a child. Assessment is usually done in the form of observations, ratings by educators, parent ratings and standardized tests. These mediums of assessment ensure a child benefits fully from the information being imparted. Let’s take a look at various ways in which assessment can be beneficial: Observation And Documentation : Assessment lets an educator understand the child. He/she gets to observe the child closely and determine whether he is catching up with what’s being taught. The same information is then documented and acts as a record of the child’s cognitive, motor, language, social and emotional performance. Guide For Parents And Educators : Regular as...

A concise and practical curriculum ensures that knowledge is imparted to learners effectively and on time. A school curriculum consists of various goals that teachers would like to achieve within a stipulated period of time, a list of tools to be used for teaching, a mode of assessment and comprehensive planning to achieve these goals. School curriculums are important for the following reasons: The Learning Experience Becomes Manageable : Without a curriculum, there would be no plan and no goal to be achieved. The whole learning process would be a haphazard project. A curriculum helps teachers to be organized in their efforts of imparting knowledge. The content to be taught is broken down into small manageable steps that is easier for students to catch up with. Support For Teachers: A school curriculum is a boon for the teachers . It becomes easier for them to know what it is that they have to teach within a given time frame, how to teach and how to assess the students. A curriculu...

Incorporating sports into the lives of children provides many physical, mental and social benefits which also reflect in their lives as adults. It makes them confident, disciplined, hardworking and also works towards their all round development. If you are considering to get your child enrolled in some form of sports, here is a list of the immediate benefits your child will reap by taking part in sports. A Boost In Self-Esteem : When kids with low self-esteem activity engage in a sport, it helps them boost their confidence level as well as self-esteem. They start exhibiting better social and behavioral traits. Improved Physical Health : Kids involved in sports spend more time outdoors rather than slouching in front of TV screens & mobile phones. A sport is an organized and structured form of exercise for kids which helps them stay fit & active. The healthy lifestyle adopted as a consequence also feeds into other areas of their lives as good physical health translates into...

Everyone has a unique style of learning that works best for them. Understanding the different learning styles can help both educators as well as students gain productivity. Learning styles can broadly be categorized as social and solitary. While some people learn best when on their own, others have better grasping and retaining power when they study in a group. A vast majority of people do not fit in a single category, but rather have a mixture of learning styles that they find effective. The key here is that there is no single style that works for everyone. Identifying what kind of a learner one is can greatly enhance results.  There are several models that have been used to identify and describe different learning styles. One of these, commonly referred to as VAK, divides the way people take in knowledge by three different modes i.e. visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Visual learners learn best by seeing, which means that they find learning with the help of pictures, shap...

Student councils are a platform for students to experience multifaceted growth through development of various important qualities such as leadership and problem-solving skills. These skills eventually translate into life skills, enabling students to take on a wide variety of situations with confidence. No wonder most schools have student councils as an integral part of their extracurricular activities. One of the most prominent benefit of joining a student council is that it helps in boosting confidence. It is one of the few opportunities that allows young students to make important decisions and solve problems on their own. By being an active member of a student council and repeatedly being involved in these processes, it starts to come naturally to students, and they feel confident to act proactively outside the student council as well. In addition to developing these important skills, students also gain confidence from the recognition that they receive from their peers and el...