cygent
12-31 05:25 PM
My Friends,
I just wanted to share my good news with all of you on the cusp of a New Year. I am ecstatic to announce that my 140 got approved after a nerve wracking 17 months.
I have been rewarded with this blessing at the end of an absolutely horrendous year, to say the least. It started with being on bench for 5 months, to a 2-month contract in another city on H1-B through 3 layers, working hard as a mule whilst at the same time thinking positive, praying and believing in myself. Then extending contract by 3 months, abandoning H1B to use EAD due to ridiculous treatment by my H1 employer of 8 yrs. (it was the proverbial last straw on the back). Finally after this effort, contract extended through 12/31/09 culminating just yesterday by the approval of my 140!! "Hoped for the Best but prepared for the Worst"!
It came at a moment when I was almost ready to give in, throw up my hands in despair and start the tedious process all over again. But I always believed there was a silver lining in the clouds for me and it has just now opened up.
I want to thank everybody for reading and providing a fellow immigrant support and answers throughout this arduous journey. As a token of my appreciation for IV, I will contribute $140 towards our campaigns for next year.
{PayPal Payment Sent to "donations@immigrationvoice.org" (Unique Transaction ID #85N48789NY4311439)}
And lastly - Wish You a Happy & Prosperous 2009!! Be safe everybody.
I just wanted to share my good news with all of you on the cusp of a New Year. I am ecstatic to announce that my 140 got approved after a nerve wracking 17 months.
I have been rewarded with this blessing at the end of an absolutely horrendous year, to say the least. It started with being on bench for 5 months, to a 2-month contract in another city on H1-B through 3 layers, working hard as a mule whilst at the same time thinking positive, praying and believing in myself. Then extending contract by 3 months, abandoning H1B to use EAD due to ridiculous treatment by my H1 employer of 8 yrs. (it was the proverbial last straw on the back). Finally after this effort, contract extended through 12/31/09 culminating just yesterday by the approval of my 140!! "Hoped for the Best but prepared for the Worst"!
It came at a moment when I was almost ready to give in, throw up my hands in despair and start the tedious process all over again. But I always believed there was a silver lining in the clouds for me and it has just now opened up.
I want to thank everybody for reading and providing a fellow immigrant support and answers throughout this arduous journey. As a token of my appreciation for IV, I will contribute $140 towards our campaigns for next year.
{PayPal Payment Sent to "donations@immigrationvoice.org" (Unique Transaction ID #85N48789NY4311439)}
And lastly - Wish You a Happy & Prosperous 2009!! Be safe everybody.
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lrindy
09-19 11:48 AM
Ras, looking at the photo at the rally, I think you got the point. Not much attended and I don't see any other nationals there.
Not everyone could attend the rally! I for one, was not there for my own reasons. IV is for everyone; all nationalities. We should all be contributing in our own way. Mine was making sure congressmen, senators and Americans are aware that immigration isn't just about illegals. I've been calling, writing and maintaining contact with them for 5 years. Senator Lugars office "know me" now. Governor Daniels is one of the 12 that signed the last letter headed by the "terminator" Arnie!!! So, I may not have contributed by attending a rally or monetary donation, but our state leaders here in Indiana, are now more aware of the plight of EB immigrants; maybe, just maybe, with a little help from me...
If IV majority is made up of folks from certain countries, then does that not prove those are the countries with the majority of EB immigrants to the USA? I don't care where you come from, who you are; we are all here for the same exact reason. We are sick of being held to ransom by a broken immigration system. We are sick of whenever you say "immigration" the first thought that pops into peoples minds, US born that is, is illegals. I am sick of it and take the time to try and explain it.
Keep up the good work IV!!!!!!!!!
I have learnt a great deal from this site and will continue, in my own small way, to help the cause.
Cheers,
LRIndy. Crossroads of America!!!
Not everyone could attend the rally! I for one, was not there for my own reasons. IV is for everyone; all nationalities. We should all be contributing in our own way. Mine was making sure congressmen, senators and Americans are aware that immigration isn't just about illegals. I've been calling, writing and maintaining contact with them for 5 years. Senator Lugars office "know me" now. Governor Daniels is one of the 12 that signed the last letter headed by the "terminator" Arnie!!! So, I may not have contributed by attending a rally or monetary donation, but our state leaders here in Indiana, are now more aware of the plight of EB immigrants; maybe, just maybe, with a little help from me...
If IV majority is made up of folks from certain countries, then does that not prove those are the countries with the majority of EB immigrants to the USA? I don't care where you come from, who you are; we are all here for the same exact reason. We are sick of being held to ransom by a broken immigration system. We are sick of whenever you say "immigration" the first thought that pops into peoples minds, US born that is, is illegals. I am sick of it and take the time to try and explain it.
Keep up the good work IV!!!!!!!!!
I have learnt a great deal from this site and will continue, in my own small way, to help the cause.
Cheers,
LRIndy. Crossroads of America!!!
tinuverma
11-09 10:10 AM
First, what is "diwali"? Are you just assuming that all members here understand your language and are same nationality?
There is a website called Google. Its amazing in that it is above nationality and responds to every "what is..."
Second,
180 days after applying for AOS you can use AC21 and change job.
Thanks. So my AOS is which of the two: july 23rd (date courier received) or oct 17th (date checks encashed)?
There is a website called Google. Its amazing in that it is above nationality and responds to every "what is..."
Second,
180 days after applying for AOS you can use AC21 and change job.
Thanks. So my AOS is which of the two: july 23rd (date courier received) or oct 17th (date checks encashed)?
2011 happy irthday quotes for
bandya
05-24 11:58 PM
Have said this before - during one of out earlier web fax campaign. Pls send emails to all the members about this fax!!!
All the more important since we hardly have any time on our hand!!!
All the more important since we hardly have any time on our hand!!!
more...
snathan
02-05 12:09 PM
Hello,
I graduated with a MS degree and I had 4 years of experience (on H1B) as a Test Engineer. I changed the job to a Software Engineer after 4 years. I am now applying for my labor certification for EB2 category. Do I have to apply as MS + 4 years of experience as a Test Engineer position only? (Since my past experience is as a Test Engineer?) OR Can I apply MS + 0 years of experience as a Software Engineer?
Or is there any other combination, that would help approve labor in EB2?
I am aware about the "MS degree requirement" in the position requirements for the case to qualify in the EB2 category and the employer is willing to do that.
Thanks in advance for all your insights.
You need to check with your HR and Attorney for the legal requirements. Make sure you are not breaking any law.
I graduated with a MS degree and I had 4 years of experience (on H1B) as a Test Engineer. I changed the job to a Software Engineer after 4 years. I am now applying for my labor certification for EB2 category. Do I have to apply as MS + 4 years of experience as a Test Engineer position only? (Since my past experience is as a Test Engineer?) OR Can I apply MS + 0 years of experience as a Software Engineer?
Or is there any other combination, that would help approve labor in EB2?
I am aware about the "MS degree requirement" in the position requirements for the case to qualify in the EB2 category and the employer is willing to do that.
Thanks in advance for all your insights.
You need to check with your HR and Attorney for the legal requirements. Make sure you are not breaking any law.
finimits
05-02 11:38 AM
Hello Everyone!
I sent this post a few weeks ago but didn't really get a response. I think it's getting a little urgent for me so any help would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to ask more specific questions this time around.
My information:
----------------------
Citizen of India.
Priority Data: March 2008
I-140 approved
About to apply for 3 year extension of H1B after 6th year( which expires on Dec 1st 2011). Employer will apply for this extension in June 2011.
My Questions
----------------------
I want to move to another company in another region in the US.
1. Should I wait for my H1B extension to get approved and then move, or can I move now with the current H1B (transferred) and then have the new company apply for my extension? In the latter case, can they do that since my I-140 was applied by my current employer? Why I ask is because the opportunity in the new company is now and I wont get my extension till August 2011(I presume).
2. Will the new company immediately have to start my LC and PERM as my current H1b expires on december 1st 2011?
Guys, please help me, I am confused. I really appreciate any help!
THanks!
I sent this post a few weeks ago but didn't really get a response. I think it's getting a little urgent for me so any help would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to ask more specific questions this time around.
My information:
----------------------
Citizen of India.
Priority Data: March 2008
I-140 approved
About to apply for 3 year extension of H1B after 6th year( which expires on Dec 1st 2011). Employer will apply for this extension in June 2011.
My Questions
----------------------
I want to move to another company in another region in the US.
1. Should I wait for my H1B extension to get approved and then move, or can I move now with the current H1B (transferred) and then have the new company apply for my extension? In the latter case, can they do that since my I-140 was applied by my current employer? Why I ask is because the opportunity in the new company is now and I wont get my extension till August 2011(I presume).
2. Will the new company immediately have to start my LC and PERM as my current H1b expires on december 1st 2011?
Guys, please help me, I am confused. I really appreciate any help!
THanks!
more...
JazzByTheBay
09-07 03:36 PM
Here are 5 of the more frequently asked questions, and answers to those by ImmigrationVoice. Note, these also appear on immigration attorney Sheela Murthy's web site (http://www.murthy.com/bulletin.html).
Question 1. What is First Amendment? Does it apply to me? I'm on H-1 / H-4 / EAD / and have applied for I-485, etc.
Constitutional rights of an individual are applicable to everyone, including foreign nationals.
Question 2. Will I get arrested and/or deported for participating in the rally?
No, participating in rally with proper permits from city police and other authorities is legal. You cannot be arrested or deported for simply participating in the rally.
Question 3. Will participation in the rally negatively impact my current non-immigrant status or future green card application?
No, exercising your civil rights does not impact your non-immigrant status or future green card application. There are certain procedures and processes for rejecting or denying petitions and applications, it is not done on whims and moods of agencies or USCIS employees. There is a process driven by federal regulations and rejections and denials are backed up by reasons described in federal regulations and the laws. Participating in rallies, meeting with your lawmakers, exercising your civic duties, and enjoying your civil rights granted by the Constitution are not grounds for denial or rejection of petitions and applications or any other adverse action on immigration petition or application.
Question 4. Can my employer take action against me for participating in the rally? Do we have any obligation to inform my employer if I participate by taking a day off?
No, an employer cannot simply take action against you for having exercised your Constitutional right granted by the first amendment. Whether you inform your employer about your plans for your vacation or day off is up to you and your relationship with your employer. Usually employers do not care what their employee do with their time off from work, as long as those activities are legal.
Question 5. What kind of identification do I need to carry? Will my driver's license be enough?
Yes. Your driver's license or a state-issued identification card is enough for ID purposes.
Question 1. What is First Amendment? Does it apply to me? I'm on H-1 / H-4 / EAD / and have applied for I-485, etc.
Constitutional rights of an individual are applicable to everyone, including foreign nationals.
Question 2. Will I get arrested and/or deported for participating in the rally?
No, participating in rally with proper permits from city police and other authorities is legal. You cannot be arrested or deported for simply participating in the rally.
Question 3. Will participation in the rally negatively impact my current non-immigrant status or future green card application?
No, exercising your civil rights does not impact your non-immigrant status or future green card application. There are certain procedures and processes for rejecting or denying petitions and applications, it is not done on whims and moods of agencies or USCIS employees. There is a process driven by federal regulations and rejections and denials are backed up by reasons described in federal regulations and the laws. Participating in rallies, meeting with your lawmakers, exercising your civic duties, and enjoying your civil rights granted by the Constitution are not grounds for denial or rejection of petitions and applications or any other adverse action on immigration petition or application.
Question 4. Can my employer take action against me for participating in the rally? Do we have any obligation to inform my employer if I participate by taking a day off?
No, an employer cannot simply take action against you for having exercised your Constitutional right granted by the first amendment. Whether you inform your employer about your plans for your vacation or day off is up to you and your relationship with your employer. Usually employers do not care what their employee do with their time off from work, as long as those activities are legal.
Question 5. What kind of identification do I need to carry? Will my driver's license be enough?
Yes. Your driver's license or a state-issued identification card is enough for ID purposes.
2010 Friendship Quotes Comments
admin
01-05 09:49 AM
techy,
Point well taken. We will try to provide as much transparency as possible. But at the same time we need to make sure that we don't give away too much information to the opponents or give away the privacy of the contributors. So we will come up with a way to achieve this. The screenshot looks like a good idea. We will work on it right away.
Point well taken. We will try to provide as much transparency as possible. But at the same time we need to make sure that we don't give away too much information to the opponents or give away the privacy of the contributors. So we will come up with a way to achieve this. The screenshot looks like a good idea. We will work on it right away.
more...
sachug22
09-13 03:25 PM
deleted
hair Birthday Quotes Comments and
reno_john
06-11 12:02 PM
Asked Core Iv A Question And They Deleted The Thread
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I asked IV core on what version of immigration bill they support because I and other people wanted to know since there are so many amendments to the current immigration bill and Now I log in to see , the thread is missing, why, my question was straight forward, again I am asking them on what form of immigration bill they support. I highly doubt In what they are doing looks like they are working for the benefit of them self. Guys please don�t be ignorant and its your right to ask the question don�t be a dumb crowd but ask questions.
I am too in the same GC queue with I140 and I485 filed and pending, so don�t count me as anti � immigrant but also want to see the betterment of others too who are in GC process and will be effected due to the introduction of the new bill.
I searched but could not find it. why.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I asked IV core on what version of immigration bill they support because I and other people wanted to know since there are so many amendments to the current immigration bill and Now I log in to see , the thread is missing, why, my question was straight forward, again I am asking them on what form of immigration bill they support. I highly doubt In what they are doing looks like they are working for the benefit of them self. Guys please don�t be ignorant and its your right to ask the question don�t be a dumb crowd but ask questions.
I am too in the same GC queue with I140 and I485 filed and pending, so don�t count me as anti � immigrant but also want to see the betterment of others too who are in GC process and will be effected due to the introduction of the new bill.
I searched but could not find it. why.
more...
asanghi
03-23 02:37 PM
I live in South Bay. Please let me know how can I help?
THanks
THanks
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kartikiran
01-28 04:06 PM
Anurag Dikshit & Vikrant Bhargava - founders of online gaming company PartyGaming, which owns gaming sites like partypoker.net
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Chris Rock
08-12 01:27 AM
IV core,
Thanks very much for your tireless work.
I have some serious questions to you. Hope you will answer them. I fully understand that you are all volunteers. I am not demanding anything; rather this is a request...
1) Does IV working on any temprory EB visa fix for people waiting for 8 years? Or IV is waiting for CIR to happen?
2) A simple one line amendment (that is easily acceptable by the lawmakers) in a must pass bill will fix the problems of long time sufferers. Does IV have anything in its agenda?
3) Does IV beleive in bringing releif to IV members in steps or do you want to solve all members problem in one shot? If the second case is true, is it possible in this economy?
4) Recently many immigration related amendments are debated in congress; not for one bill but during two bills. There was no single amendment that helps the heavily retrogated categories. Why IV is not successful in requesting the lawmakers to bring up an amendment? Is there a single soul (lawmaker) sympathetic to our cause? If money is the only issue, I will donate first and persuade my friends to do the same.
We (me and many of my friends) were once active members right from the early days of IV. We contributed and involved in every IV initiative before. Now we are in the sidelines. I strongly beleive, members like me will be active again once we see any hope. Right now there is none.
Thanks very much for your tireless work.
I have some serious questions to you. Hope you will answer them. I fully understand that you are all volunteers. I am not demanding anything; rather this is a request...
1) Does IV working on any temprory EB visa fix for people waiting for 8 years? Or IV is waiting for CIR to happen?
2) A simple one line amendment (that is easily acceptable by the lawmakers) in a must pass bill will fix the problems of long time sufferers. Does IV have anything in its agenda?
3) Does IV beleive in bringing releif to IV members in steps or do you want to solve all members problem in one shot? If the second case is true, is it possible in this economy?
4) Recently many immigration related amendments are debated in congress; not for one bill but during two bills. There was no single amendment that helps the heavily retrogated categories. Why IV is not successful in requesting the lawmakers to bring up an amendment? Is there a single soul (lawmaker) sympathetic to our cause? If money is the only issue, I will donate first and persuade my friends to do the same.
We (me and many of my friends) were once active members right from the early days of IV. We contributed and involved in every IV initiative before. Now we are in the sidelines. I strongly beleive, members like me will be active again once we see any hope. Right now there is none.
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kanta80
04-05 11:39 AM
Thank you very very much, sertasheep. I really appreciate your help.
more...
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OlgaJ
May 25th, 2005, 06:01 AM
I think the starkness of the Cherry Creek Reservoir area makes it difficult to capture its charm. (I lived 1-2 miles away from there for 24 years.) If I still lived there, I would be concentrating more on the cloud formations (which you don't see in too many places) when using the 17-85 lens. I would also take a couple of shots of the same scene, one metered for the sky and another for the shadow areas and blend them in PS.
Olga
Olga
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onemorecame
11-15 04:00 PM
Hi
I am a teacher on H1B. I am here with a company GTRR. If you are a math, science or special education teacher you can get job easily. The company site is gtrr.net.
yes She is Math teacher.
What is process of getting H1B. Is they are applicable for H1B or they need diff VISA. then what is the process of getting that. or if they are applicable for H1b then it is the same process as for S/W Prof.
sdudeja: I sent you PM, Please look it
Is any other thing which we need to take care about.
Thanks
I am a teacher on H1B. I am here with a company GTRR. If you are a math, science or special education teacher you can get job easily. The company site is gtrr.net.
yes She is Math teacher.
What is process of getting H1B. Is they are applicable for H1B or they need diff VISA. then what is the process of getting that. or if they are applicable for H1b then it is the same process as for S/W Prof.
sdudeja: I sent you PM, Please look it
Is any other thing which we need to take care about.
Thanks
more...
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gc_on_demand
03-17 10:39 AM
RFE can be issued even though your priority date is not current. This is because USCIS is processing the case and keeping it ready (pre-adjudicate) to issue GC when dates get current.
Recently USCIS announced that they have less application for US Citizenship.
"In fiscal year 2007, a record 1.4 million legal permanent residents applied to become naturalized U.S. citizens just as the agency raised fees for a variety of services. About a million people received U.S. citizenship the following year.
By fiscal year 2008, the number of citizenship applications in the pipeline dropped to about 518,000 � far below the 730,000 filed in 2006."
Also they hired more employees in 2007. Also last year was election year so USC was priority. We will see more resource allocation to 485 apps. But dates are not current to they are Pre Adjuctiing cases. Also it makes sense that date didnot move in April as there was a huge demand from CIS. I think for This FY we will see more EB based approval.. and from now onward there will not be a huge jump back and forth. Also india Eb2 will get 25k visas for this FY and in last quater people till Mid 2006 will get actul card .. There may be some low hanging fruit from early 2007 or late 2006. ( I expect only 1-2 % )
Recently USCIS announced that they have less application for US Citizenship.
"In fiscal year 2007, a record 1.4 million legal permanent residents applied to become naturalized U.S. citizens just as the agency raised fees for a variety of services. About a million people received U.S. citizenship the following year.
By fiscal year 2008, the number of citizenship applications in the pipeline dropped to about 518,000 � far below the 730,000 filed in 2006."
Also they hired more employees in 2007. Also last year was election year so USC was priority. We will see more resource allocation to 485 apps. But dates are not current to they are Pre Adjuctiing cases. Also it makes sense that date didnot move in April as there was a huge demand from CIS. I think for This FY we will see more EB based approval.. and from now onward there will not be a huge jump back and forth. Also india Eb2 will get 25k visas for this FY and in last quater people till Mid 2006 will get actul card .. There may be some low hanging fruit from early 2007 or late 2006. ( I expect only 1-2 % )
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purgan
03-14 01:28 AM
So now we have it....an official National panel has declared it.
Immigration restrictionists are US schools have been doing just fine and so the country doesn't need scientists and engineers from abroad. Well, this just proves they have been llying all along...just because they don't like immigrants and don't want any competiton.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/13/AR2008031301492_pf.html
===
Panel Urges Schools to Emphasize Core Math Skills
By Maria Glod
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 14, 2008; A06
A presidential panel declared math education in the United States "broken" yesterday and called on schools to focus on ensuring that children master fundamental skills that provide the underpinnings for success in higher math and, ultimately, in high-tech jobs.[/B]
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel convened in April 2006 to address concerns that many students lack the know-how to become engineers and scientists. The 24-member panel of mathematicians, education experts and psychologists said yesterday that students need a deeper understanding of basic skills, including fluency with whole numbers and fractions. It urged more training and support for teachers and called on researchers to find ways to combat "mathematics anxiety."
Larry R. Faulkner, chairman of the panel and former president of the University of Texas at Austin, [B]said the country needs to make changes to stay competitive in an increasingly global economy. He noted that many U.S. companies draw skilled workers from overseas, a pool that he said is drying as opportunities abroad improve.
"Math education isn't just about a school subject," Faulkner said as the panel released its final report at Fairfax County's Longfellow Middle School. "It's fundamentally about the chances that real people all across this country will have in life. And it's about the well-being and safety of the nation."
Scores from the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment showed 15-year-olds in the United States trailed peers from 23 industrialized countries in math.
The panel stressed that many students are simply befuddled by fractions. And one panel member noted that a recent survey of middle school students found that 84 percent would rather clean their room or take out the garbage than tackle math homework.
President Bush charged the panel with examining ways to ensure that students have a strong grasp of the building blocks needed for algebra, a gateway to higher math. Students who complete Algebra II are more likely to attend and graduate from college.
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said the report's release was a "seminal moment" in math education and urged teachers, school boards, colleges, interest groups and parents to use it as a guidepost to refine instruction.
"I want every stakeholder in the equation of education to look at all of this and act on it," Spellings said. "I think there are very actionable steps right now. Teachers, starting today, can pay more attention to fractions."
The panel concluded that the math curricula and textbooks in elementary and middle schools typically cover too many topics without enough depth. It noted that countries in which children do best at math, including Singapore and Japan, emphasize core topics.
The panel identified benchmark skills that students need for a strong math foundation -- for example, that students be able to add and subtract whole numbers by the end of third grade. By the time students leave fifth grade, the panel said, they should be able to add and subtract fractions and decimals.
"I think the main message of this report is simple -- content is king," said Tom Loveless, panel member and director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution.
It's not just lessons that need to change, the panel said, but also the nation's attitudes about math. In a culture in which parents say they "weren't good at math either," children assume they don't have the talent for numbers. The panel said that research shows that practice pays off and that adults need to give students that message.
The panel also weighed in on the long-running battle between traditionalists, who favor a focus on memorization and drilling, and those who prefer stressing concepts and letting students make connections on their own. Students need to know math facts and have automatic recall, Faulkner said, but they also need "some element of discovery."
"I think this panel has gradually evolved to the view that most members believe that most effective teachers draw from both philosophies at different times," he said.
The panel met a dozen times, heard testimony from groups and individuals and reviewed thousands of research papers. The panel said that it is "self-evident" that teachers need to have strong math skills but that more research must be done to find the best ways to prepare them.
Local educators, business leaders and interest groups were delving into the report yesterday afternoon. School officials in Montgomery and Fairfax counties said the recommendations mirror efforts underway to help more children successfully complete an algebra course by the end of eighth grade.
Roy Romer, former governor of Colorado and chairman of Strong American Schools, said the report illustrates a need for states to voluntarily agree on standards that are "uniform for all of America and benchmarked against the rest of the world." The nonpartisan group seeks to make education a priority in the 2008 presidential election.
"We include too much, we're much too broad and we don't go deep enough," said Romer, who also served as Los Angeles school superintendent. "We put out these textbooks with 750 pages, and if you're a fourth-grade teacher, you can't teach 750 pages. You have to be selective."
Immigration restrictionists are US schools have been doing just fine and so the country doesn't need scientists and engineers from abroad. Well, this just proves they have been llying all along...just because they don't like immigrants and don't want any competiton.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/13/AR2008031301492_pf.html
===
Panel Urges Schools to Emphasize Core Math Skills
By Maria Glod
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 14, 2008; A06
A presidential panel declared math education in the United States "broken" yesterday and called on schools to focus on ensuring that children master fundamental skills that provide the underpinnings for success in higher math and, ultimately, in high-tech jobs.[/B]
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel convened in April 2006 to address concerns that many students lack the know-how to become engineers and scientists. The 24-member panel of mathematicians, education experts and psychologists said yesterday that students need a deeper understanding of basic skills, including fluency with whole numbers and fractions. It urged more training and support for teachers and called on researchers to find ways to combat "mathematics anxiety."
Larry R. Faulkner, chairman of the panel and former president of the University of Texas at Austin, [B]said the country needs to make changes to stay competitive in an increasingly global economy. He noted that many U.S. companies draw skilled workers from overseas, a pool that he said is drying as opportunities abroad improve.
"Math education isn't just about a school subject," Faulkner said as the panel released its final report at Fairfax County's Longfellow Middle School. "It's fundamentally about the chances that real people all across this country will have in life. And it's about the well-being and safety of the nation."
Scores from the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment showed 15-year-olds in the United States trailed peers from 23 industrialized countries in math.
The panel stressed that many students are simply befuddled by fractions. And one panel member noted that a recent survey of middle school students found that 84 percent would rather clean their room or take out the garbage than tackle math homework.
President Bush charged the panel with examining ways to ensure that students have a strong grasp of the building blocks needed for algebra, a gateway to higher math. Students who complete Algebra II are more likely to attend and graduate from college.
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said the report's release was a "seminal moment" in math education and urged teachers, school boards, colleges, interest groups and parents to use it as a guidepost to refine instruction.
"I want every stakeholder in the equation of education to look at all of this and act on it," Spellings said. "I think there are very actionable steps right now. Teachers, starting today, can pay more attention to fractions."
The panel concluded that the math curricula and textbooks in elementary and middle schools typically cover too many topics without enough depth. It noted that countries in which children do best at math, including Singapore and Japan, emphasize core topics.
The panel identified benchmark skills that students need for a strong math foundation -- for example, that students be able to add and subtract whole numbers by the end of third grade. By the time students leave fifth grade, the panel said, they should be able to add and subtract fractions and decimals.
"I think the main message of this report is simple -- content is king," said Tom Loveless, panel member and director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution.
It's not just lessons that need to change, the panel said, but also the nation's attitudes about math. In a culture in which parents say they "weren't good at math either," children assume they don't have the talent for numbers. The panel said that research shows that practice pays off and that adults need to give students that message.
The panel also weighed in on the long-running battle between traditionalists, who favor a focus on memorization and drilling, and those who prefer stressing concepts and letting students make connections on their own. Students need to know math facts and have automatic recall, Faulkner said, but they also need "some element of discovery."
"I think this panel has gradually evolved to the view that most members believe that most effective teachers draw from both philosophies at different times," he said.
The panel met a dozen times, heard testimony from groups and individuals and reviewed thousands of research papers. The panel said that it is "self-evident" that teachers need to have strong math skills but that more research must be done to find the best ways to prepare them.
Local educators, business leaders and interest groups were delving into the report yesterday afternoon. School officials in Montgomery and Fairfax counties said the recommendations mirror efforts underway to help more children successfully complete an algebra course by the end of eighth grade.
Roy Romer, former governor of Colorado and chairman of Strong American Schools, said the report illustrates a need for states to voluntarily agree on standards that are "uniform for all of America and benchmarked against the rest of the world." The nonpartisan group seeks to make education a priority in the 2008 presidential election.
"We include too much, we're much too broad and we don't go deep enough," said Romer, who also served as Los Angeles school superintendent. "We put out these textbooks with 750 pages, and if you're a fourth-grade teacher, you can't teach 750 pages. You have to be selective."
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sk.aggarwal
05-20 12:11 PM
I think you can apply for H1 before 12 months but requested start date in LCA should be 12 months from the day you last left US
singhsa3
01-07 11:17 AM
It is a family event also, so please feel free to bring your spouses, fiancee , kids, etc..
Axilleus
10-23 10:42 AM
EAD application sent Aug 26 (Arrived Aug 28)
RN Sep 17
FP Oct 20
Current Status: Case received and pending
I am supposed to start working on Nov 5 and I pray and hope to get my EAD by then.
RN Sep 17
FP Oct 20
Current Status: Case received and pending
I am supposed to start working on Nov 5 and I pray and hope to get my EAD by then.