Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 4, 2008 10:26:31 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Harry Charms Students Into Success

Posted Nov 22, 07 5:42 AM CST in World,  Arts & Living 

(Newser) – The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry it is not, but a suburban Nottingham school is using Harry Potter’s magic to get results. Primary students chose JK Rowling’s enchanted novels as their curriculum theme, a system school officials launched to raise lagging test scores. Subjects are laced with riffs on the books, and activities plunge students into Harry’s supernatural world.

The theme system, which has also embraced chocolate and the Titanic, worked: The school languished in the lowest quarter of English schools but has surged into the upper echelon, Time says. Officials branded the school “outstanding,” noting its success with students with learning disabilities and behavioral problems. “It’s made school a lot easier and better,” gushed one 10-year-old Hermione-in-training.

Source Time

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Rowling's New Book Drops Tomorrow

    Dec 3, 08 1:43 PM CST
    Rowling's New Book Drops Tomorrow A new book by JK Rowling, patterned on one mentioned in the final Harry Potter installment, is set to be released tomorrow, Reuters reports. Profits from The Tales of Beedle the Bard will go to Rowling’s charity for Eastern European children. In addition to a global print run of 7.5 million, Amazon will release a collector’s edition facsimile of a handwritten, illustrated copy it bought at auction for $4 million. More »

  • Meyer: the New JK Rowling

    Nov 28, 08 9:39 AM CST
    Meyer: the New JK Rowling Have we finally found the next JK Rowling? Even Brits are starting to admit Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer is coming close, the Daily Telegraph reports. The 34-year-old Mormon author of a series of swoon-worthy novels about teen vampires has a similar “out of nowhere” story, and her book and movie sales are starting to give Harry, if not a run for his money, at least cause for concern.
    More »

  • 10 Writers Who Turn Books Into Bucks

    Oct 4, 08 2:43 AM CDT
    10 Writers Who Turn Books Into Bucks So you think people don't read books anymore? Tell that to JK Rowling, No. 1 on Forbes' list of top-earning authors. The woman behind the Harry Potter juggernaut raked in $300 million in the past year, thanks in part to the movies based on her books—which have sold 375 million copies worldwide. The prolific James Patterson came in second, with $50 million.
    More »

  • Rowling Gives $1.8M to Beleaguered Labour Party

    Sep 20, 08 9:00 AM CDT
    Rowling Gives $1.8M to Beleaguered Labour Party Beleaguered British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has at least one big fan: JK Rowling gave a whopping $1.8 million to the Labour party at its annual meeting today, the Guardian reports. The Harry Potter author, who is estimated to be worth a little over $1 billion, said she gave in light of Brown's record on tackling child poverty; Rowling was a struggling single mom when she wrote the first of her best-sellers.
    More »

  • Rowling Wins Copyright Case

    Sep 8, 08 3:03 PM CDT
    Rowling Wins Copyright Case A fan-written "Harry Potter lexicon" will not be published, a federal judge in New York ruled today, finding for author JK Rowling that the reference guide was an infringement of copyright. The ruling held that the book would cause Rowling irreparable harm as a writer, the BBC reports. The Potter creator had characterized the unpublished work as “wholesale theft.”
    More »

Harry Potter fans scramble to get a copy of the final volume in the magical saga.   (Getty Images (by Event))
A Harry-Potter-themed curriculum has turned things around at a school struggling with a poor reputation and low test scores.   (KRT Photos)
J.K. Rowling with the students who were chosen to ask her questions during the J.K. Rowling Open Book Tour at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. (Photo by Matt Sayles for Scholastic...   (Associated Press)
Boy reading "Harry Potter."   (Getty Images)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Other Harry happenings

Tags

England • Harry Potter • school • JK Rowling


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Arts & Living Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »