NEA Today articles from April 2004

NEA Today archives from April 2004

A thousand words.(Editor's Note)
April 1, 2004... I love cupcakes, especially the kind with swirled frosting and sprinkles. Once, when I was a kid, I brought one home for my little brother from a birthday party, but that magnanimous gesture almost turned into a second helping (luckily, my...

NEA: democracy in action.(President's Viewpoint)
April 1, 2004... You are the NEA! For 147 years, through boom and bust, war and peace, and one education craze after another, the National Education Association has supported the teachers and education support professionals who are in America's classrooms and...

When words burn.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... It's no secret that the Bush Administration has never taken fondly to NEA's slate of ideas about how to improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the so-called No Child Left Behind law. For two years the Administration has...

5 ways to kick back--and relax--during spring break.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and everything is blooming. Spring has arrived! What better way to celebrate than with that ever-precious weeklong break. These ideas will help you maximize your downtime and recharge. 1. RUN...

Leap of faith.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... SHOULD THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY and public schools work together to improve the quality of children's lives--and if so, how? Those were just two of the questions representatives from NEA and the National Council of Churches USA (NCC) explored...

Write it off.(Capitol Report)
April 1, 2004... With April 15 just a few days away, don't forget to claim all of those crayons, pencils, and glue sticks you bought for your classroom in 2003. It's all tax deductible, at least for How. In 2002, Congress enacted a $250 tax deduction for...

Teen readers.(Capitol Report)
April 1, 2004... Middle and high school struggling readers could soon get the help they need to learn to read. The House of Representatives has introduced legislation, which NEA supports, that would provide literacy coaches to students and staff at the...

Fowl play.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... TYSON FOODS, INC., the world's largest supplier of chicken, beef, and pork, saw its earnings increase by a whopping 46 percent in the first quarter of this fiscal year. But that didn't deter the company from demanding a 10-point list of steep...

Er, smile? You're on camera.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... It sounds like something you'd find in The Matrix or read about in 1984. But this isn't science fiction. For the first time ever, cameras that can recognize the faces of child predators and missing children have been installed in a public...

Some choice.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... President George W. Bush may have been hard pressed to find money for arts education and dropout prevention--and some 38 other education programs he eliminated in his FY 2005 budget. But he had no apparent problem unearthing $50 million for a...

Charge it!(upfront)
April 1, 2004... MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF STUDENTS between the ages of 12 and 19 have their own credit card or access to a parent's. Hmm... so much for saving allowance.

No more scarves.(Global Takes)
April 1, 2004... The French National Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to forbid girls from wearing Muslim head scarves in school, in an effort to make more of the country's 5 million Muslims accept France's' secular culture in public institutions. The new...

Strike the hikes.(Global Takes)
April 1, 2004... University campuses in Western Europe have erupted in student strikes and demonstrations recently over who will pay for higher education. College is free in Europe, and students want to keep it that way, reports the New York Times. Students...

College bound.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... The face of public education in the United States is changing--or, rather, changing complexion. BY 2010, students from ethnic minority groups will represent more than half of all high school graduates in many parts of the country,...

No longer alone.(Book focus)
April 1, 2004... "The word colored... need not paint our lives. Indeed, by our own definition we were dear colored people, and the colors were the same as the love that our families and friends had for us.... And so it was that we were able to spread dignity...

Teach again? You bet.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... If they had to do it again, 82 percent of new teachers still would become educators. That's the finding of The Voice of the New Teacher, a new survey from the Public Education Network, a coalition of community-based organizations that support...

Sparking interest.(Nobody Ever Told Me)
April 1, 2004... As a first-year teacher, I went to a veteran colleague and asked for some advice about keeping my fifth-grade students' attention. "Mr. Barzso" showed me a simple science experiment to perform and told me to dispose of the materials in the...

Musical mouse pads.(Two-Minute Tips)
April 1, 2004... I am an elementary strings teacher. Cellos and basses have sharp endpins that slip on smooth surfaces. So, I ask colleagues to give me their discarded mouse pads, which make terrific endpin holders to keep the instruments in place. ...

Now serving number ...(Two-Minute Tips)
April 1, 2004... I use numbered cards to organize students who need my individual attention. I laminate the cards and keep them in order In a basket. When I am busy talking to one student, other students can come up, take a card, and return to their seats...

Daily tip.(Two-Minute Tips)
April 1, 2004... When students walk into my driver education Class they see the "Driving Tip of the Day" on the board, which they must write down in their notebooks. While they do this, they have time to settle down, and I can take attendance. Afterward. We...

Lending a helping hand.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... Covering life's necessities can be a tall order for members of the Special Education Employees Association (SEEA) in St. Louis County, Missouri. The average paraeducator in the district makes about $17,000 a year--hardly enough to make ends...

Buckle up!(upfront)
April 1, 2004... Tune in to your local PBS station on any given day, and you might catch a glimpse of students from Jim Wojcicehowski's broadcasting class talking about the good news of seat belt safety. The students from Corry Area High School in...

Power up your brain: need your brain to work better? Don't be a racist.(upfront)
April 1, 2004... New research from Dartmouth University shows that people who harbor racist attitudes burn precious thought fuel trying not to appear prejudiced. Truly open-minded people get better mileage. In a study, white participants completed a test...

Chew on this: could gum chewing (the bane of teachers and school custodians everywhere) improve learning?(upfront)
April 1, 2004... New York University dentistry professor Kenneth Allen hopes to find out. Allen didn't plan on getting into the Bazooka business. He originally wanted to compare two different methods of teaching dental anatomy, but he couldn't find any...

As a family and consumer sciences teacher.(Upfront)
April 1, 2004... As a family and consumer sciences teacher, I constantly am amazed at my students' listening skills and cooking knowledge. I gave my eighth graders final directions for making soup and reminded them to peel the carrots and slice them into...

Our freshmen were working on a project.(Upfront)
April 1, 2004... Our freshmen were working on a project in which they had to find biographical information about Mark Twain from a source other than an encyclopedia. I noticed two girls working diligently, but they appeared perplexed. As I coached them...

California Teachers Association.(California)
April 1, 2004... The longest supermarket strike in history ended in February, when 70,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union in Southern California ratified a new three-year agreement with three grocery chains. Helping the...

Nevada State Education Association.(Nevada)
April 1, 2004... The Nevada State Education Association (NSEA) is collecting signatures to qualify a November ballot initiative that, if approved by voters, would require the state the fund public education at the national average. "We would not presume...

Wisconsin Education Association Council.(Wisconsin)
April 1, 2004... A bill that would make subcontracting a "non-mandatory" subject of bargaining came under fire from Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) negotiations specialist Greg Spring during a state senate hearing in January. Spring...

Massachusetts Teachers Association.(Massachusetts)
April 1, 2004... Governor Mitt Ronmey's proposal to eliminate $12.6 million in funding for school-based health programs is "shortsighted and irresponsible" and will lead to nurse layoffs, said Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) President Catherine...

Virginia Education Association.(Virginia)
April 1, 2004... As Virginia Education Association (VEA) leaders publicly join with partners in the Virginia Education Coalition to call for a "fair share" of state funding for education, VEA members are speaking about the school funding crisis in town...

Tennessee Education Association.(Tennessee)
April 1, 2004... When activists from the Tennessee Education Association's (TEA) "bargaining" locals conferred in November, talk quickly turned to the value of collective negotiations with school employers. Bargaining gives educators the "freedom of...

Where there's power in numbers: an Alabama local's membership drive and new spirit of solidarity influences school district policies.(getting organized)
April 1, 2004... NEA LOCAL AFFILIATE: Sumter County (Alabama) Education Support Professionals (SCESP) THE NUMBERS: After two rounds of state-mandated budget cuts depleted its ranks in the 2002-03 school year, SCESP mounted an aggressive drive that...

The kids can't wait: in Maryland, public school supporters rally for full funding of a landmark school finance plan. The message? A promise is a promise.(Leading the way)
April 1, 2004... Maybe it was a sign. As thousands of public education supporters jammed a crowded square outside the Maryland State House to demand full funding of the state's landmark school finance law, a statue of legendary jurist Thurgood Marshall loomed...

'Under God' under attack: will the Pledge of Allegiance be expelled from schools? As the Supreme Court decides, NEA reiterates its position.(Rights watch)
April 1, 2004... Michael Newdow is a doctor, a lawyer, and a self-described Reverend of the First Amendmist church of True Science. In March, he stepped up to the podium before eight justices of the U.S. Supreme Court and argued, on behalf of his 9-year-old...

Para quality: not so simple anymore: a local and district work to get paraeducators 'highly qualified' under federal law.
April 1, 2004... As a paraeducator in a challenging high school special ed class, Lynn Williams knows she's more than an "aide." Not only does she help English/world history teacher Richard Smith reinforce key classroom concepts, she's his "eyes and ears" in...

Mining for excellence: this Colorado local has just the right formula for growing National Board Certified Teachers.(spotlight)
April 1, 2004... Paige Dersham, in her 10th year teaching at Park Hill Elementary in Denver, Colorado, had pretty much exhausted her bag of tricks--yet her student Malcolm (not his real name) still lagged behind his classmates and just couldn't get motivated....

The fix.(Cover Story)
April 1, 2004... The hue and cry over the landmark federal education law has only gotten more fervent in the two years since its passage--and some of the loudest voices are coming from the very lawmakers who crafted it. Is there hope for the Elementary and...

We're baaack! What results when a teacher follows her students up the elementary school ladder from first to fifth grade? You guessed it: a classroom that functions as a family--minus the sibling rivalries. (A Class That Stays Together).
April 1, 2004... "Sometimes, when you first go into a class, you get a really nervous feeling because you don't know anyone and you really don't know what to do." That's Dillon, a fifth grader at Bailey's Elementary in Falls Church, Virginia, explaining...

Have science fair projects grown out of control?(Debate)
April 1, 2004... [YES] Initially, science fair projects were community proclamations of students' hard work in using the scientific method to investigate an idea. Now, they are mostly cooperative ventures in which mentored students focus on small,...

What do you do when you need extra money for a classroom project?(Dilemma)
April 1, 2004... Tap Your Resources I look to my natural resources: the community! One of the advantages of living in a small town is knowing practically everyone. I ask business owners, friends, family, people at my church, people I speak to and don't...

Sci-Fi for middle schoolers.(Bulletin Board)
April 1, 2004... I teach sixth-grade science in a middle school, and I am looking for a good science fiction novel to read to my students. I especially would be interested in anything with the environment. Any suggestions? --CHERYL RUTLER, Colorado ...

De-stress for less.(Bulletin Board)
April 1, 2004... What's the best, cheap. weekend getaway for de-stressing? ANSWER: I'm a single mom of a 9- and 12-year-old. Our favorite cheap de-stressing getaway is a trip to any state park. We are lucky to have three within a one-hour drive. There are...

Classroom drama.(Bulletin Board)
April 1, 2004... I HAVE NINE ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIOR UNIT STUDENTS (seven boys, two girls) in my theater class, along with five regular education students. The ABU students area combination of emotionally disturbed and students with other behavioral problems. Oh...

Stay the course: be fit for life!(Health & Fitness)
April 1, 2004... Congratulations to each and every NEA Fitness Challenge team member. If you've made it this far, you've faced down your favorite food cravings, triumphed over your inner couch potato, and are in better shape than you've been in years. If...

Conquering Fear Factor: is Ryan Rettke crazy or courageous?(People)
April 1, 2004... HE CARRIED COCKROACHES IN HIS mouth, drank a mixture of lard and cow parts, and performed other outrageous acts to win the $50,000 grand prize on NBC's Fear Factor, a reality show known for its gross and gruesome antics. The Minnesota teacher...

Lake savers: as a college freshman in the late 1960s, Terry Vencil rallied with other 'greenies' to advocate for federal environmental protection laws.(People)
April 1, 2004... TODAY, VENCIL BRINGS HER RALLY CLOSER to home as she and hundreds of students fight to save Lake Estonoa in Wise County, Virginia. Vencil's crusade begun five years ago when she and students in her Appalachian ecology and physics class at...

Renaissance tool man: Dave Arnold is Mr. Fix-It with a flourish, a tool man with a knack for nuance.(People)
April 1, 2004... HE'S ALSO CUSTODIAN, MENTOR, teacher, author, artist, and friend to the students and faculty at Brownstown Elementary School in Illinois. When he's not keeping the grounds pristine for the kids, Arnold might step into a classroom to...

A course in classic cars: if you ask Pennsylvania member Fran Shore about her dream car, she'll tell you that it's already sitting in her driveway.(People)
April 1, 2004... "BRANDY," AS SHORE AFFECTIONATELY calls her 1936 Buick Century convertible, is one of the half-dozen antique cars she and her husband, John, have restored over the past 30 years. "I call her Brandy because she's a beautiful wine-colored...

The Multicultural Resource Series: Professional Development Guide for Educators.(Book Excerpt)
April 1, 2004... Paul Gorski, Gene-Tey Shin, and Martha Green, Editors 136 pp. $13.95 NEA members, $19:95 nonmembers [BOX EXCERPT] The old people say being Indian today is like having your feet in two canoes. One foot in one canoe, one foot in...

Commemorating Brown v. Board.(Resources)
April 1, 2004... If you're planning a lesson on the Supreme Court's 1954 ruling banning segregation in public schools, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision next month, or just looking for good civil rights...

Keep reading!(Resources)
April 1, 2004... The Seussentennial celebration may be over but don't let that stop you, there's lots more reading excitement ahead! The winners of NEA and Youth Service America's Youth Leaders for Literacy grants will culminate their winning reading projects...

The NEA Foundation June Grants.(Grants and Awards)
April 1, 2004... Do you have an innovative idea that will improve student achievement, but lack the funds to bring it to life? The NEA Foundation's Innovation Grants can help. Have you discovered a professional development opportunity that will benefit...

Holocaust Remembrance essay contest.(Grants and Awards)
April 1, 2004... The Holocaust Remembrance Project is a national essay contest for high school students designed to encourage the study of the Holocaust. Scholarships and other prizes will be awarded to students in first, second, and third place categories....

Books for rural libraries.(Grants and Awards)
April 1, 2004... The Libri Foundation helps rural libraries acquire new, quality, hardcover children's books they could not otherwise afford to buy. Libraries are qualified on an individual basis but should serve a population under 10,000, have a limited...

Unsung innovators in education.(Grants and Awards)
April 1, 2004... ING's Unsung Heroes program awards funds to K-12 educators generating new methods and techniques that improve student learning. Educators submit applications describing projects they have initiated or would like to create. Applications are...

Help fight for global literacy.(Resources)
April 1, 2004... About one in five children around the world are not in school today, according to UNESCO. It's a sad reality, but NEA and Education International (EI), the world organization of educators' unions, are working to change it, and you can help....

Too busy for professional development? Try an online course: spring--and an educator's mind turns to thoughts of ... professional development!(OWL.org)
April 1, 2004... Every year, educators across the United States participate in professional development courses to attain an advanced degree or obtain continuing education credits to meet state licensing requirements. As a busy teacher or education support...

Tips for dealing with crisis, trauma, and loss.(What's Up at HIN)
April 1, 2004... When a traumatic event happens, how do you handle it with kids? Decisions about how to respond can be a very personal matter for teachers and families. Much depends on one's personal style, past experience, nature of the crisis event, and the...

'Working together, so everyone can breathe better'.(What's Up at HIN)
April 1, 2004... Mark your calendars--May 2004 is Asthma Awareness Month and May 4th is World Asthma Day. NEA HIN is joining with the U.S. EPA and other federal and nonprofit organizations to sponsor asthma education events around the country. The events will...

Good health boosts test scores.(What's Up at HIN)
April 1, 2004... New research emphasizes the strong connection between student academic achievement and student health and well-being. A new promotional poster from NEA HIN sends this key message and highlights programs available to NEA members. If you would...

The True Story of Seabiscuit.(On TV)
April 1, 2004... A&E Classroom, April 26, 7 a.m., ET. Seabiscuit was a smallish brown "runt" with an attitude some teachers will know quite well. His lack of interest in racing changed when he was purchased by enigmatic horse trainer Tom Smith, who...

Confident for Life: Kids and Body Image.(On TV)
April 1, 2004... Disney, April 6, 3 a.m., ET. Designed for kids and teens, this documentary explores the relationship between body image and self-esteem as well as the influence of peers and the media on self-worth. Can be taped and used in the classroom for...

Restore America: a Salute to Preservation.(On TV)(Television Program Review)
April 1, 2004... HGTV, April 19, 5 a.m., ET. In partnership with The National Trust for Historic Preservation, this series recognizes restoration efforts at 12 national sites. This month's program features the Conservatory of Flowers, the oldest public...

General George C. Marshall: Soldier and Statesman.(On TV)(Television Program Review)
April 1, 2004... A&E Classroom, April 22, 7 a.m., ET. Marshall never led a major military engagement, but as Roosevelt's Army Chief of Staff, he did create the order of battle during World War II. Marshall was a visionary who understood that the army had...

Texts and Tests: Teaching Study Skills Across Content Areas.(Books By NEA Members)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... By Rona F. Flippo Developed for teachers of grades 1-8 by a professor of reading education, this book is a primer of strategies for studying and learning from text. You will be able to enhance your current teaching techniques to improve...

Grandparent Poems.(Books By NEA Members)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Compiled by John Micklos Jr., illustrated by Layne Johnson In honor of the love and strength that grandparents bring to their families, John Micklos presents this collection of 22 poems by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Jeff Moss, Nikki Grimes, and...

Paris by Bistro: a Guide to Eating Well.(Books By NEA Members)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... By Christine Graf and Dennis Graf Here's a charming guide for anyone planning a trip to Paris who wants to experience a distinctive aspect of Parisian life, a leisurely meal in a bistro. Christine Graf, a French teacher for over 20...

Heads up from NEA member benefits.(Resources)
April 1, 2004... The NEA Home Financing Program, provided exclusively by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, proudly introduces the Home Asset Management[SM] Account! It's a revolutionary new home financing tool that allows you to make the most of your home ownership...

Always felt you were 'above average?(Resources)
April 1, 2004... Well, it's true! Statistics show that educators have better than average driving records: fewer accidents and fewer claims than the general population. To recognize this, the NEA Members Auto & Home Insurance Program[R], underwritten by...

The Call of the Wild.(On TV)(Television Program Review)
April 1, 2004... Hallmark, April 26, 3 a.m., ET, check local listings. Rick Schroder stars in this 1993 adaptation of Jack London's story of self-discovery in the Yukon, which can be taped and used in the classroom for one year. Teaching materials can be...

The Legacy of the Roman Empire.(On TV)(Television Program Review)
April 1, 2004... Discovery Channel, April 29, 9 a.m., ET, check local listings. This hourlong program chronicles Rome's growth, downfall, and legacy, including its expansion from military conquests, letters from Roman soldiers, and the Byzantine Empire....

American Perspectives.(On TV)
April 1, 2004... C-SPAN, Saturdays, 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., ET, check local listings for specific dates and times. This program includes coverage of cultural and historical events, such as tours of unique museums or speeches by notable figures. Can be taped and...

Diversity calendar.(Resources)(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... APRIL APRIL 2--INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S BOOK DAY This day helps young children develop an understanding of other cultures through literature. For mere, go to www.ibby.org. APRIL 6-7--PASSOVER This Jewish feast, which begins...

Moving mountains: a bagful of books in a place without hope.(Last Bell)
April 1, 2004... You're never quite sure what you'll be called on to teach. Sure, there's reading, math, and writing. But then, there's something hovering between the lines. Sometimes it's tangible. Sometimes it's just modeling adult behavior. Good adults...