Articles written by Greg Cruey
All 110 articles written by Greg Cruey
Category: Thailand Travel
Wat Arun (Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahavihara) on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River is one of Bangkok's most popular attractions. more...
Category: China Travel
David Carradine made it famous. Jet Li helped Deng Xiaopeng make it a tourist attraction for today's world. But the Shaolin Temple has been around for 1500 years. more...
Dona Paula Beach in Goa, India: Goa's Dona Paula is Haunted by a Beautiful Lovesick Woman
Category: India Travel
Dona Paula Beach is one of the easiest in India to visit. Transportation from the capital, Panaji, is relatively easy to arrange and accommodations are plentiful. more...
Category: Russia/Central Asia Travel (general)
One of the least noticed natural wonderlands in the tourist world today is Lake Baikal and the surrounding region on the border between Mongolia and Siberian Russia. more...
Kun Iam Temple in Macau: One of Macau's Main Attractions is this Magnificent Buddhist Shrine
Category: China Travel
Macau has a variety of temples worth seeing if you have more than a day or so to spend in the city. Among them, Kun Iam temple predates the arrival of the Portuguese. more...
Category: Lebanon Travel
The Cedars Resort near Bcharre is the best place to see the huge and majestic Cedars of Lebanon. The trees there are known as Arz el Rab - the Cedars of the Lord. more...
Social Networking and Your Professional Future: Why You Should Be Careful What You Put on the Web
Category: Educational Issues (general)
Your Facebook page can get you fired. Just because you think your social network homepage is set for privacy, that doesn't mean parents at your school can't access it.. more...
Knol - the Next Wikipedia?: Google Starts an Internet Encyclopedia
Category: Internet (general)
Knol: a unit of knowledge. It is also, according to Google, an authoritative article about a specific topic. Many observrs expert that it will become the next Wikipedia. more...
Background on North and South Ossetia: A Minority Group Divided by National Boundaries
Category: European Affairs (general)
There are over half a million ethnic Ossetians. They speak a language from the Iranian family (like the Pashto langauge of Afghanistan). Most are Christians. more...
Category: European Affairs (general)
You may have never heard of Dagestan or Abkhazia. They are small political entities left over from the Soviet era. There are about a dozen of them in the Caucasus. more...
The Huangshan Scenic Area: In the Yellow Mountains of Anhui Province
Category: China Travel
With its grotesque rock formations, oceans of clouds, gnarled-pine forests, and clear hot springs, Huangshan Scenic Area is among the most popular park in China. more...
Nobel Laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: Winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize for Literature
Category: World Literatures (general)
Solzhenitsyn stands among the great names in Russian literature - Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, Sholokhov and Gorky. His works brought 20th Century Russia to the world. more...
Respect and Protect Violence Prevention Program: A Review of a Popular School Behavior Curriculum
Category: Educational Issues (general)
Respect and Protect is a comprehensive program designed to stop school violence. Does it work? What are its strengths and weaknesses? more...
Social Stories for Autistic Students: Understanding and Using Modeling, an Excellent Teaching Tool
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Social skills are difficult to impart to many students with autism or Aspergers. The social story has become an excellent new tool for teaching those valuable skills. more...
Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park: The Home of Archer & Anna Hyatt Huntington
Category: South Carolina Travel
If you're looking for a piece of history to visit while you're in Myrtle Beach, there are few better places to visit than Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park. more...
Category: Educational Issues (general)
It may not matter what conclusions are in the recently publish Reading First Impact Study. A number of flaws have been pointed out in the study's design. more...
12-Step Seafood Lasagna: Gourmet Lasagna Great For a Dinner Party or Family Supper
Category: Italian Cuisine (general)
Lasagna is one of the most flexible Italian dishes. Whether you use a traditional beef recipe, a vegetarian recipe, or something more adventurous, it turns out great... more...
Treatment for ADHD Fragile X Kids: A New Non-Stimulate Medication Proves Effective
Category: ADD/ADHD (general)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) have become familiar to us. Either one creates problems, but having both is not uncommon. more...
Khalistan - A Sikh State?: Is A New Nation in the South Asia's Future?
Category: S Asian/Chinese Affairs (general)
The idea of an independent Sikh state ("Khalistan" to its modern proponents) dates back to the 1600's. That idea weakens and strengthens, but never seems to go away. more...
Orzo With Vegetables: This Rice-Shaped Pasta Makes Some Excellent Dishes
Category: Recipes (general)
It looks like rice, but this tender pasta can be used to make some excellent vegetarian side dishes. And it is among the easiest of pastas to work with. more...
21st Century Learning's Focus: Know the Six Elements of 21st Century Learning
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
With the growth of the 21st Century Learning Initiative in education, six elements of learning have become the focus for reform and change. more...
Your Diet and Your Migraines: Is what you eat making your head hurt?
Category: Nutrition (general)
Many migraine sufferers are oblivious to the fact that their migraines are caused largely by the foods they eat. But it's not hard to identify foods that cause migraines. more...
Variations on Grilled Cheese: How to Dress Up the Most Basic of Sandwiches
Category: Recipes (general)
If you've never considered the possibilities that grilled cheese provides, the time has come to consider how this easy sandwich can be made to seem almost gourmet. more...
Math Games: The Many Uses of Bingo: Some Examples of How Bingo Can Be Used to Reinforce Math Skills
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Everyone knows the game. It is for exactly that reason that bingo is such a useful game to play in the classroom. The thrill of shouting out "BINGO!" lasts a long time. more...
Getting a Good Wife Shipped to You: Inside the Mail Order Bride Industry - Part II
Category: Poverty
From Russia to Ethiopia, Manila to São Paulo, people just looking to make a buck are looking for a way to market women. The mail order bride industry is it. more...
Sex Tourism in Kenya: Wealthy Older Women Look for Love on the Shores of Africa
Category: Kenya Travel
Sexual tourism has long been a driving force behind places like Amsterdam, Bangkok, and Manila. Now it is coming to Kenya - with a twist. more...
Profile: Dennis Kucinich: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
After 11 years representing Ohio in Congress, this former Cleveland mayor has become one of the most controversial Presidential candidates in the 2008 election. more...
Profile: Barack Obama: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
A new comer to the U.S. Senate now less than half way through his first term there, Barack Obama hopes to use his political star power to move into the White House. more...
Profile: Hillary Clinton: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
One of the Democratic Party's frontrunners for the presidential nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton currently serves as a U.S. Senator for New York. more...
Profile: Fred Thompson: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
An actor, lobbyist, and former U.S. Senator for the state of Tennessee, Republican Fred Thompson now wants to be President. more...
Profile: Mike Huckabee: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
Once considered a long short for the GOP nomination, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is gaining in the polls and becoming the darling of political conservatives. more...
School Vouchers Fail in Utah: The 2007 Utah Ballot Referendum Lost by a Wide Margin
Category: Educational Issues (general)
A referendum to create a comprehensive statewide school voucher program was on the ballot for November 6, 2007 in conservative Utah. State residents voted no... more...
Teaching Division: What To Do When Johnny or Suzie Can't Divide...
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Not every child has an easy time learning how to divide. There are some basic approaches available for solving this common dilemma for kids in the intermediate grades. more...
What's Differentiated Instruction?: One of Today's Most Important Educational Concepts
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Differentiated instruction is not easy to define. It is more of an idea, more of a philosophic approach than a method or pedagogy. But it is central to instruction today. more...
Tax Reform in America: Why the So-Called Fair Tax Isn't Very Fair
Category: American Affairs (general)
The "fair tax" proposal is promoted by the organization Americans for Fair Taxation, and embodied in a bill in Congress called called H.R. 25. It has problems... more...
The Future of IQ Testing: Will we continue testing intelligence?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The usefulness of IQ testing for identifying learning disabilities is hotly debated. And with changes in the law, issues like cost and ethics are also being discussed. more...
Response to Intervention and IQ: Will we continue testing intelligence?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The new Response to Intervention model raises questions about the role of intelligence testing in the future. Do we need it anymore? more...
Response to Intervention: the Cons: Can we still measure whether a child has a disability?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Who decides if Johnny has a disability? In the past it was mostly math. Parents and educators could point to test results and say a child DID or DIDN'T have a disability. more...
The Roles of Students and Teachers: Finishing a Philosophy of Education
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
What is the place of students? What is the role of teachers? The questions are reciprocal in the sense that you must have students in order to be a teacher. more...
Things Schools Do Besides Teach: Safeguards for society...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Before a child is taught anything in school, the school system provides a service that is indispensable: it ensures that the child has been inoculated against diphtheria. more...
NCLB & the NEA: Will reauthorization bring major changes in the law?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The National Education Association held its annual convention this week and the main topic was the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law - and how to change it... more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy live with symptoms that range from the barely noticeable to the severe and profound. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Michael T. Bailey's new book, "Special Education: A Parent’s Guide for Children’s Success," is an excellent summer read if you have a child with a disability... more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
B.F. Skinner is dead. But his ideas about learning (including aversion therapy) still have a lot of influence. This story from New York shows just how much... more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The time is near when students throughout the country will struggle with pencil and paper to prove whether their school is worth the bricks it's built with... more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The law says that your school system is obligated to provide a student with disabilities with a FAPE – a free appropriate public education. Do you know what that MEANS? more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Special education labels DO matter. A label/placement can determine what teacher a child sees. Different special education teachers may have different certifications. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The law says that your school system is obligated to educate a student with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE) possible. Do you know what that MEANS? more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The law requires a school to "modify" curriculum when necessary for a student with disabilities. Do you know what that MEANS? Technical jargon can get in the way of under more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The law says that a school has to "accommodate" a student's disabilities. Do you know what that MEANS? Technical jargon can get in the way of understanding your child's r more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Many of the labels that educators deal with every day don't immediately come to mind when the general public this about educational disabilities. "Learning Disabilities" are the only disabilities... more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
When it comes to people and disabilities, nobody likes labels. But there are plenty of them out there. Where do they come from and what do they mean? more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
How do you make a sandwich? It seems like a simple question - unless you have to write about it and you have a learning disability. Writing can become a daunting task if you have a disability. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Is having some food rubbed in your face worth $700,000? Or perhaps more importantly, how closely should the principal watch special education teachers. The Gaydos v Cuper more...
Disconnect in Special Ed Placement: Explaining Special Education Syndromes to Parents
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The Disconnect between syndromes, disorders, and conditions on the one hand and placement in Special Education on the other is sometimes hard to explain to parents. This more...
Bangkok's Top 10 Temples: Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Temple of Dawn - There's More
Category: Thailand Travel
When visiting Bangkok, everyone visits Wat Phra Kaew ( the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn), but there are many other good temples to see. more...
Category: India Travel
Colva is Goa's longest beach with 12 miles of powder fine white sand on the Arabian Sea. Calangute was a hippie hang out during the 60s and 70s. more...
Category: China Travel
The city of Lijiang, in China's Yunnan Province, is in rare company. It is one of the few large cities in the world more than a mile above sea level. more...
Category: Malaysia Travel
If pictures of Tioman Island seem reminicient of French Polynesia, there's a reason for that: the island was used in the filming of the movie "South Pacific." more...
Category: Indonesia Travel
On October 12, 2002 a bomb exploded in the Sari Club in Bali's Kuta Beach area, killing over 200 tourists. Many were Australian. But there were victims from 22 countries. more...
Visiting the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto: Otowa Falls, the Jishu-jinja Shrine and the God of Love
Category: Japan Travel
Visiting the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, Japan is among the most popular activities for tourists in the city. According to temple legend you could even find true love. more...
Cloud Computing for the Masses: Internet-Based Applications and Storage Are Taking Over
Category: Internet (general)
Everything that we think of as a computer today is really just a device that connects to the big computer that we're all collectively building, according to Tim O'Reilly. more...
Before You Visit Cambodia: The Country's Exotic Attractions Come with Some Safety Concerns
Category: Cambodia Travel
Cambodia is not the safest place on Earth. But then, safety is not why people visit this region of the world. The country is home to some beautiful temples. more...
Before You Visit Bhutan...: Bhutan's Tourism Policy and its Ban on Smoking in Public
Category: S Asia/China Travel (general)
Shagri la or paradise? The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is an exotic and intiving destination where people are happy and life is generally good. The government makes sure. more...
Background on the Caucasus: The Complex Meeting Place for Europe and the Middle East
Category: European Affairs (general)
The Caucasus Mountains is a geographic region where four countries form the bounday between Europe and Asia - Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. more...
Istanbul's Blue Mosque: The Symbol of the Ottoman Empire's Glory
Category: Turkey Travel
Istanbul's Blue Mosque was built partly as an effort to show Christians that Ottoman culture could produce something to rival the Hagia Sophia. more...
Review of Teaching for Tomorrow by Ted McCain: Problems Solving Skills and Project Based Learning
Category: Educational Issues (general)
Problem solving skills, critical thinking, and other 21st Century Learning Initiative ideas for the classroom have become an important focus for professional development. more...
Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants: Is Technology Creating Changes in Learning Styles?
Category: Educational Issues (general)
If you grew up with a disk in your hand and an MP3 player in your pocket, you're a digital native. Digital natives are different. They learn differently... more...
Historic Brookgreen Gardens: A Living History of American Sculpture Surrounded by Nature
Category: South Carolina Travel
Once the haunt of Archer & Anna Hyatt Huntington, this botanical garden south of Myrtle Beach is now the home to over 1,200 art works. It is a beautiful, relaxing place. more...
Review of Teaching Literacy by Hugo Kerr: Cognitive Psychology, Dyslexia and More...
Category: Educational Issues (general)
Hugo Kerr's new book on literacy instruction is a good introduction to some of the important ideas in the teaching of reading today. But it is not without controvery. more...
Reading First Impact Study: Analysis of the May 2008 Interim Report on Reading First
Category: Educational Issues (general)
The recently publish Reading First Impact Study has attracted a lot of attention and been used to show that Reading First is ineffective. What Does the report really say? more...
Teaching Subtraction: Base Ten Blocks Help Make Subtraction Concrete
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Base 10 blocks can make abstract ideas like place value and regrouping visible and tangible for your primary school students when the time comes to teach subtraction. more...
What is Plagiarism?: Academic Dishonesty and Copyright Violations are College Concerns
Category: Campus Life (general)
If you get caught, plagiarism can end you college career. But if you don't get caught, plagiarism can be the reason your college never succeeds in teaching you to think. more...
The Erotic Temples of Khajuraho: Famous For Their Graphic Art and a Leading Tourist Destination
Category: India Travel
A complex of temples about 350 miles southeast of New Delhi, near the village of Khajuraho, is one of India's most popular tourist destinations. more...
Teaching Place Value: Base Ten Blocks Help in Making Abstract Ideas Concrete
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Base 10 blocks can make abstract ideas like place value and regrouping visible and tangible for your primary school students when the time comes to teach math. more...
21st Century Learning Initiative: Looking Into a Movement for the Future of Education
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
The 21st Century Learning Initiative is a growing effort to bring together ideas on school reform, constructivist learning theory and modern brain research. more...
What Foods Can Trigger Migraines?: You might be surprised at what can make your head hurt
Category: Nutrition (general)
There are a huge number of foods that trigger migraines in some people. And while some are easy to identify, others require you to read the ingredient labels... more...
Why Play Math Games?: When Learning is Fun, Students Often Learn More
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Old fashioned drill and practice is being replaced in the classroom with games that are often competitive in nature and help motivate children to master skills. more...
Bangkok's Soi Cowboy: The Heart of Bangkok's Sleaze District
Category: Thailand Travel
The Soi Cowboy is part of what makes Bangkok what it is. It's not pretty. It's not culturally flattering. But it's very popular with tourists. more...
Shopping for a Wife Online: Inside the Mail Order Bride Industry - Part I
Category: Poverty
Are you looking for a wife? Someone small and quite and maybe half your age? You can probably order her from the Philippines... more...
Profile: Bill Richardson: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
After being Ambassador to the U. N., Secretary of Energy, and being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson wants to be President... more...
Profile: Mitt Romney: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
A successful businessman and former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney is one of the GOP frontrunners. He hopes to become the first Mormon to be elected President. more...
Profile: John Edwards: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards was the Democratic Party's candidate for Vice-President in 2004. He hopes to head the ticket in 2008... more...
Profile: Rudy Giuliani: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
He was "the Nation's Mayor" during the 2001 terrorist attack on NYC. Queen Elizabeth made him a knight and TIME named him "Man of the Year." He wants to be President... more...
Profile: Ron Paul: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
A medical doctor and 28-year veteran of Congress, Ron Paul ran for President before - in 1988, as the Libertarian Party's candidate. more...
Profile: John McCain: The Presidential Candidate and the Issues
Category: US Elections
A GOP maverick and Vietnam Era prisoner of war, John McCain hopes to become the oldest President in American history. more...
Teaching Division Alternatives: The Partial Quotient Algorithm
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Traditional long division is a mechanical, abstract process that many elementary students oftem find difficult. The partial quotient method is one popular alternative. more...
Teaching Multiplication: What To Do When Johnny or Suzie Can't Multiply...
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
Not every child has an easy time learning how to multiply. There are some basic approaches available for solving this common dilemma for kids in the intermediate grades. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
While the vote means that NYC will have to pay Tom F.'s bills for the private education of his son, Gilbert, the issue remains unresolved for most Americans. more...
Drugs: A Quick Guide to ADHD: Which one is right for your child?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
There are a number of choices if you are considering a medication for your child to treat ADHD. What do you know about them? And are you aware of the side effects...? more...
Identifying Learning Disabilities: Will we continue testing intelligence?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
If there's any doubt about whether the response to intervention process by itself constitutes evaluation for a disability, §300.302 of the regulations clears things up... more...
Response to Intervention: the Pros: Helping the dull-average kids and working together
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
If your child's IQ is between 76 and 90 (that's between 15% and 20% of all kids) the Response to Intervention model probably brings them help they're not getting now... more...
Response to Intervention: A New Model for Identifying Disabilities
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
When the regulations for IDEA 2004 become official, there'll be a new model in town for identifying students as having a specific learning disability. more...
A Philosophy of Curriculum: What should we teach?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Three basic educational approaches competed in the second half of the 20th century to shape our views on WHAT we should teach and HOW we should teach it... more...
A Philosophy of Education: Why do we have schools, anyway...?
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Summer is a good time to think about WHY we do what we do. Whether you're a teacher of a parent, time off gives us all time to reflect... more...
Book Review: Feeding Teacher: If You Don't Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students!
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
"If You Don't Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students!" by Dr. Neila A. Conner. The book is subtitled "Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers..." more...
Placed? Who decides, and how?: How Eligibility Committees Decide
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
When you talk about the decision making process, about determining (in the words of the law) "whether the child is a child with a disability," who decides, and how? more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Like many genetic disorders, TSD is concentrated in specific communities. It is a fatal disorder that causes a lipid, or fatty substance, to build up in the brain. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Also known as trisomy 21, Down syndrome (or Down’s Syndrome in the UK and many countries) is the most common genetic cause of mild and moderate mental retardation. more...
Drugs: Daytrana Patch for ADHD
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The FDA granted approval in April for a product that delivers methylphenidate (the active ingredient in Ritalin) through a "transdermal delivery system" - a skin patch. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is among the most controversial and troublesome of educational and child health issues of our day. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Does it matter how your child is classified as a special education student? I mean, after all, Special Ed is SPECIAL ED: right? more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
What is a 504 Plan? Do you need one? How is it different from an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)? These are important question if your child has a disability. more...
Summer Lessons for Teachers: Summer school for professional development
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
What do teachers do during the summer? Would you believe it: they go to school! Well, a lot of them, anyway. And now is about the time each year that much of it gets plan more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - 20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) and selected other laws on confidentiality make me leery of sharing details about my students. But this story is one I think I can share without giving away any private information... more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
The concept of a spiral curriculum has changed the way I teach this year. I suspect thatthe concept will change the way most teachers teach before too much longer. And special needs students will benefit from that. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
This seems to be the year for Asperger's Syndrome court rulings. So far there have been two important ones in the first three months of the year... more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Time. I love it when I have it. I hate it when I don’t have enough of it. And education is one of the most time bound activities humans participate in. more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
Among the less talked about disabilities encountered in education today is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD. The fact that it is not a topic of conversation doesn more...
Category: Special Needs Education (general)
A genetic test for dyslexia could be available soon. This article looks briefly at the news from genetics and the possible impact of such a test on education. more...
How to subscribe to Greg Cruey's article feed