School diversity Global cybersecurity threats
Caribbean Life, January 17-23, 2020 11
would have their educational needs and
opportunities met within the context of
the classroom — not removed from it. We
can have a differentiated curriculum that
encompasses multiple learning levels, all
within one classroom — and those modules
can be fluid based on changes in student
performance.
These ideas are not as radical as the
reactions suggest — other districts, cities,
states are employing similar models. New
York City should be a model for progress,
but we need a model that helps all students
progress.
The value of gifted and talented programs
comes through providing students
with opportunities to learn in more creative
ways and at a more individualized pace,
giving all young students the opportunity
to experience the non-traditional curricula
of gifted and talented programs, while also
prioritizing students’ unique skill-level. As
students grow within the program and
advance into secondary education, this
diversity of skill can be recognized through
a modified gifted and talented model, one
that meets students where they’re at with a
collaborative learning model that empowers
groups of students and engages their
interests
Individualized education, specified
schooling, can be accomplished without
identifying an entirely separate track, which
only hurts the overall school and system.
The highest quality education is not
only individual-focused but communityfueled.
New York has an imperative to
provide local school districts with the levels
of funding they need to implement
diversity and enrichment plans, which can
cater to the students in the classrooms
and the neighborhoods around them. This
will require additional training, additional
support, additional classroom aides — but
it’s long past time we gave our classrooms
more aid.
The backlash against proposed reforms
to the gifted and talented program not only
obscured the substance and the truth of the
recommendations, it highlighted a problem
that progressive-minded individuals often
ignore — supporting reforms in principle
but balking at any implementation that
would impact them personally. In housing,
the refrain is “Not In My Backyard;” in
schools it may well be “Not In My Child’s
Classroom.” But these reforms can help all
children in New York City’s public school
system succeed — including your own.
A welcome exception to that mentality
is P.S. 9 in Brooklyn — which has finally
received approval to move ahead with its
plan to move from the traditional model
to one which is more inclusive, fluid, and
community-driven. More schools, more
communities, and more government leaders
should embrace this approach.
With proposed revisions to the gifted
and talented program, and with specialized
high schools before that, knee-jerk reactions
have drowned out common sense conversation
and reform. It’s time for everyone
to come out of their corners and engage in
a positive, constructive way — just as we
hope our students are taught to do.
Continued from Page 10
That means the relevant authorities
need to know “whom to call” during a
crisis, in nearby and, ideally, also in
faraway countries. For small or developing
countries, this is a challenge
that needs international attention.
Many rely on financial services or
correspondent lines provided by global
banks for financial connection.
Developing cross-border response
protocols will help countries understand
their respective roles in a crisis
and ensure a coordinated response in
the event of a crisis.
The Group of 7 countries has made
an excellent start at building collaboration
on cybersecurity, but this effort
needs to be broadened to each and
every country.
Here the IMF can play an important
role. With a much broader representation
than most of the standard-setting
institutions, the IMF has the ability
to raise the concerns of emergingmarket
and developing countries to a
global level.
Because any place is a good place
to start an attack, it is in the ultimate
interest of advanced economies to
work with other countries to share
information, coordinate actions, and
build capacity.
At the IMF, we work with countries
that need to build this capacity, developing
the skills and expertise needed
to recognize and effectively counter
cybersecurity threats. Our international
partners are doing the same,
and we work regularly with an array
of stakeholders in the public and private
sector.
Successful cyber-attacks have the
potential to hamper financial development
by creating distrust, especially if
personal and financial data are compromised.
If we want to reap the benefits of
new technologies that can develop
markets and expand financial inclusion,
we have to preserve trust, and
ensure the security of information
and communications technologies.
With cybersecurity, there is always
more to be done simply because the
pace of change is breathtakingly fast.
*Prior to joining the IMF, David Lipton
was Special Assistant to President
Clinton, and served as Senior Director
for International Economic Affairs at
the National Economic Council and
the National Security Council at the
White House
IMFBlog is a forum for the views
of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) staff and officials on pressing
economic and policy issues of the
day.
The views expressed are those of
the author(s) and do not necessarily
represent the views of the IMF and its
Executive Board.
Continued from Page 10
Types and typical victims of
prostate cancer
Most forms of the disease
progress slowly and are highly
treatable. However, prostate
cancer is deadly, and it kills
quickly. Once a patient’s cancer
reaches its fourth and final stage,
the five-year survival rate is is a
dismal 29 percent.
Two groups of men are
particularly susceptible to prostate
cancer: those over the age of 70,
and African-American men. The
latter are 1.6 times more likely
to develop the disease than white
men, and 2.6 times more likely to
experience prostate cancer than
Asian-American men.
Prostate cancer: Symptoms
and diagnosis
Most alarming is that many
patients with the disease don’t
experience any symptoms.
Experts like Dr. Joshua Halpern
of the Accord Physicians Group
recommends that all men, especially
African Americans, be screened
regularly for prostate cancer by a
doctor once they reach age 40.
Dr. Halpern is a certified radiation
oncologist who received his
oncology training at Roswell Park
Cancer Institute and MD Anderson
Cancer Center, the nation’s leading
cancer treatment center. He has
treated all forms of cancer for more
than 40 years, and has had handson
experience with thousands of
prostate cancer patients. He explains
the processes that urologists use to
diagnose and confirm the disease.
The first step in the rigorous
process of diagnosing prostate
cancer is to draw blood and conduct
a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
test. PSA is a protein naturally
produced in men’s prostate glands,
and abnormally-high PSA levels
may indicate the presence of
prostate cancer, although they
could also be signs of other prostate
issues such as inflammation or
enlargement.
Normal levels of the protein are
usually in the 0.0–4.0 range. But
once the PSA levels are greater than
4.0, Dr. Halpern says, the normal
procedure is to recommend a
biopsy during which a small section
of prostate tissue is removed and
examined for signs of cancer.
Dr. Halpern explains that if
the biopsy results are positive for
prostate cancer, the next step is
to consult a radiation oncologist.
At Accord Physicians Group, he
and his fellow physicians work in
close collaboration to decide on a
course of action.
Prostate cancer treatment
Dr. Halpern is one of the first
oncologists to use a form of treatment
called Image Guided Radiation
Therapy (IGRT). It is completely
non-invasive, and involves 45
10-minute sessions during which a
short beam of radiation is targeted
directly at the inside of the prostate.
“Published reports on IMRT/
IGRT radiation, with careful
administration, have shown the best
results and the lowest toxicity,” says
Dr. Halpern. “In our experience,
tumor control is very high and
tolerance to our treatment is nearly
universal.”
Excellent results of the cancer
control as well as the low side effect
profile are due to the fascinating
physics of this radiation therapy.
The plan that’s used to deliver
the radiotherapy is individually
and specifically designed for each
person. It takes into account the
differences that all people have in
relation to their size, muscle to body
fat ratio, and the physical size of the
prostate and the surrounding organs.
It also takes into consideration any
anatomic changes that may have
occurred due to previous pelvic
surgeries, trauma, and anatomic
abnormalities such as inguinal
hernias. After this detailed plan is
complete, the treatment therapy
begins. On a daily basis during
the therapy, the equipment and
the technician who delivers the
radiation performs a daily minute
adjustment to precisely deliver the
radiotherapy despite differences
such as contents of the colon and the
amount of urine in the bladder at the
time of treatment.
Once IGRT therapy has been
completed, the patient usually
exhibits dramatically lower PSA
levels, indicating that the cancer is
either gone or is fully in remission.
In the occasional case when PSA
levels remain extremely high, the
oncologist will meet regularly
with the patient to track progress
and discuss options. All medical
personnel at Accord Physicians
Group have received special training
to ensure the patient’s comfort
during and after treatment, and to
respectfully and compassionately
assist him with the emotional
effects of a cancer diagnosis and
treatment.
Accord Physicians Group and
prostate cancer
Dr. Halpern states, “Over the
last 10 years we treated hundreds
of prostate cancer patients at
Accord Physicians.” He elaborates,
that “Our cure and remission rates
are between 93 and 95 percent
over this 10-year period, and our
side effect profile is well below the
national average.”
Dr. Halpern urges all men —
particularly African-American
men over the age of 40 — to be
screened regularly for prostate
cancer.
Accord Physicians PLLC
2270 Kimball St #101, Brooklyn,
NY 11234
For more information visit
www.accordmd.com
To schedule consultation
with doctor Halpern
call 718-808-9383
BUS I N E S S , B ROOK LYN S T Y LE – A DV E RTI S E M E NT
How to outsmart prostate cancer!
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in America, ranking only behind skin cancer — and it will affect one out of
every nine American men during their lifetime. In fact, research has shown that more than half of all men in the United States
over the age of 70 are now living with some form of prostate cancer.
/www.accordmd.com
/www.accordmd.com