Articles by: Melissa Herman

Research Suggests Decisions Requiring More Time are Linked to Lack of Confidence

Research Suggests Decisions Requiring More Time are Linked to Lack of Confidence

Standardized Tests, Study Skills December 23, 2014 at 2:22 pm

New evidence from a 2014 study by New York University neuroscientists suggests that decisions requiring more time are interpreted by our brains as being overall less confident decisions. The study found that when we take less time to make a decision, our brains consider such decisions as very confident. WhileRead More

Episcopal High School’s Jay Berckley Espouses the Value of the Arts in the Well Rounded Student

Episcopal High School’s Jay Berckley Espouses the Value of the Arts in the Well Rounded Student

Private Schools, Recommendations, Schools December 19, 2014 at 4:30 pm

How has Episcopal High School managed to earn accolades and recognition locally & nationally? The school’s Dean of Arts, Jay Berckley, would likely use two words to describe EHS’ Arts program’s goals: vision and intention. The view from Mr. Berckley’s office is quaint. The sun is shining brightly and theRead More

Texas Universities and Colleges Rank Nationally, Globally

Texas Universities and Colleges Rank Nationally, Globally

College, Collegiate, Education News, Recommendations December 16, 2014 at 6:03 pm

2014 was a banner year for Texas colleges and universities as several institutions throughout the state earned high rankings in nationally recognized polls listing the best higher education options throughout the country and world. As expected, both Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin are among the mostRead More

Texas Public School Enrollment Numbers Soar in 2013-2014 School Year

Texas Public School Enrollment Numbers Soar in 2013-2014 School Year

The 2014-2014 school year brought Texas its highest ever number of students enrolled in public schools throughout the state.  According to a November 2014 report published by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), Texas public school enrollment has increased by almost 19% since 2003. Currently, there are over 5 million studentsRead More

Tips for Making Test Prep Fun!

Tips for Making Test Prep Fun!

Bubbling answers for hours at a time probably wouldn’t rank very highly for most students if you asked them about their favorite pastime. Most of us have come to understand testing as a necessary evil that must be endured in order to prove a student’s knowledge. If you’re finding yourselfRead More

From Corporate Community Relations Council

Houston Holiday Volunteer Opportunities for Teens

Community Events, Recommendations November 25, 2014 at 9:55 am

The holiday season is upon us, and has been since at least the first Christmas-themed commercials began airing in late September. With Thanksgiving merely days away, now is the perfect time to count one’s blessings and give back. Several local organizations are still in need of volunteers to assist with feedingRead More

Source: iStock

Later School Start Time Debate Continues

Exhausted teenagers may soon see their dreams come true at a later morning hour. The school start time debate has shifted as proponents of later school start times now have greater scientific evidence to back up their claims. In August of this year, the American Academy of Pediatricians recommended thatRead More

Secret College Application Tips from a Former Admissions Director

Secret College Application Tips from a Former Admissions Director

College, Education News, Recommendations October 13, 2014 at 4:19 pm

For parents of high school juniors and seniors, the prospect of sending their proverbial babies out into the real world may seem daunting. Never fear, Thesis sat down with General Academic’s College Admissions Prep Counselor Annekah Hall, former Assistant Director of Admissions for Claremont Graduate University, to answer some ofRead More

The Pros & Cons of Khan Academy

The Pros & Cons of Khan Academy

Khan Academy has taken the world by storm in the eight years since its inception. The online video library hosts a wealth of subjects with video tutorials allowing its users to learn at their own pace. The non-profit organization is backed by some of the largest and most influential foundationsRead More

Personal Perspectives in Education: Rachel Alexander

Personal Perspectives in Education: Rachel Alexander

HISD, Houston Schools, Opinion, Profile, Schools August 27, 2014 at 6:36 pm

As  a follow-up to our previous article profiling Reagan High School’s Rachel Alexander, here’s an op-ed Rachel wrote last year while teaching computer science. In this piece, Rachel discusses how she incorporated unorthodox programming technology to teach her students about computer science.  I have been a Computer Science (CS) teacherRead More

From Wikipedia

Firing up the Engines! How Reagan High School’s Rachel Alexander is Making STEM Matter

Education News, HISD, Profile, Schools August 19, 2014 at 2:40 pm

When deciding on how to best utilize the skills she gained as a bioengineering undergraduate at Rice University, the possibilities seemed endless. But for Rachel Alexander, there seemed to be no better fit than teaching high school students how to use engineering and computer science principles in their everyday life.Read More

How to Prep for the SAT and ACT

How to Prep for the SAT and ACT

College, SAT & ACT, Standardized Tests August 15, 2014 at 1:32 pm

Busy students are just now getting back into the swing of things with the new school year underway. As many high schoolers are making plans for how to tackle their core subjects, the thought of tedious college preparation looms in the minds of students and parents alike. One of theRead More