NEA Today articles from January 2008

NEA Today archives from January 2008

Did you know?(poll by Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... A Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll found that 88 percent of the public supports raising salaries to address the teacher recruitment and retention challenge. You can help! Visit www.nea.org/pay to join our national salary campaign.

Student loan horror stories.(NOW YOU'RE TALKING)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... My student loan debt is between $57,000 and 58,000, and I have been paying on it since graduation in 2000. I have only gotten it down approximately $3,000 in almost 7 years of repayment... I could afford a $980 a month mortgage, if it...

Homework for parents?(NOW YOU'RE TALKING)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... I believe that homework for parents can possibly motivate parental participation in their child's education. However, I feel that any negative consequence on the child for the parents' failure to participate is unacceptable. WHAT HAVE...

A happy new year.(editor's note)(Editorial)
January 1, 2008... My last few New Year's resolutions have been remarkably unremarkable. There've been the obligatory promises to exercise regularly and lose weight, which will be made anew this year, boosted by the tips outlined in the Guide to Staying Fit...

Paying back ... or giving back? Rising college costs put teaching dreams at risk.(president's viewpoint)
January 1, 2008... When I meet new teachers, they often tell me about the anxiety they feel as they prepare to begin their careers, and their concerns about translating their academic knowledge to a "real world" environment. I can relate to those feelings. They...

How do you beat the post-holiday blahs?(in your words)
January 1, 2008... My students and I recharge by doing literature circles. Students choose their own books and read and discuss them in small groups. They love to have a choice in what they read, and it's interesting for me to sit in on their book discussions....

Let's get loud: make your voice heard now!(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEA members and other educators scored an important success in November when the chairs of the House and Senate education committees announced they would not try to push a revamped "No Child Left Behind" law...

Fashion statement.(up front)(Margaret Panik of Fairfax (Virginia) Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT MARGARET PANIK doesn't just talk the talk of a living wagecampaign--she wears her words on a campaign T-shirt. Panik, vice-president of the Fairfax (Virginia) Education Association, is fighting to raise wages for her...

Made in America: Chinese speakers.(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ONCE A CURIOSITY on campuses, Chinese classes are soaring into the mainstream on the wings of a global economy. Nationally, the number of Chinese-language learners in public schools has grown from 5,000 in 2000 to...

85%.(up front)
January 1, 2008... The percentage of TEENS who say they FEEL STRESS. And the number-one reason? Academic performance. SOURCE: AN ASSOCIATED PRESS/MTV SURVEY

The changing face of principals.(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YOUR NEXT PRINCIPAL is more likely to come from the central office or a leadership program than the classroom next door. Fewer than 5 percent of new principals came directly from the classroom, compared with 15...

Some privacy with that pizza, please.(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... A NEW TECHNOLOGY that allows students to pay for their chicken nuggets with a quick scan of their fingerprints already has been installed, then deactivated, in some school districts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Citing constitutional...

Put down your pencils.(notepad)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Written standardized tests may be on their way out in Utah, where state education leaders hope to use adaptive, online tests instead. The proposal, made by the state super-intendent, has won early support by legislators, but formal approval...

What's on TV?(notepad)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The average child spends more time watching TV than in school, and that means "parents need to make smart viewing choices to foster learning at home," says NEA President Reg Weaver, who helped launch the Smart Television Alliance late last...

What if ... Marie Curie had lost interest in science?(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FACT OR FICTION? Little Marie probably won't like science as much as little Albert. (Icky! Gross!) And, if her teachers work too hard to get her interested, they'll probably just turn off the boys. Couldn't be...

A Record in child mortality.(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FOR THE FIRST TIME since 1960, when public health activists began keeping track, the number of children dying across the world has fallen below 10 million a year, according to the United Nations Children's Fund....

The fashion police.(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Pull up those pants, young man--or go to jail. As local legislators attempt to regulate decency in their hometowns, sagging pants have become a criminal offense in some communities. In one Louisiana town, the underwear-exposing style,...

A dimly lit star.(up front)(Hardee's hamburger commercial)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... A recent Hardee's "flat bun" hamburger commercial, which featured a teacher gyrating on top of her desk, was "irresponsible," "unbelievably demeaning," and "sexually exploitative," said Tennessee Education Association President Earl...

You work harder.(global takes)(American teachers' work hours)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... You teach more hours than anybody else in the developed world. Well, maybe not you person. ally, but American teachers easily outrank educators in 34 other industrialized countries in the number of hours they teach, according to a new...

The magic words.(up front)(professional compensation for substitute teachers)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... IF YOU'RE LOOKING for a substitute teacher, the magic word isn't "please," although it does help. Nor are substitute teachers much entranced by movie tickets, gift certificates, or other increasingly popular bonuses from increasingly...

$2,000,000.(up front)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The amount of MONEY New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg spent on a SURVEY to find out that almost all parents like their kids' teachers (of course!), but more than a third" of teachers say they don't trust their principals.

For many, college still out of reach.(VITAL STATS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The cost of college is far beyond too many families--and soaring ever higher, according to the Campaign for America's Future. But the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, signed into law late last year, should help some by expanding federal...

They're singing your song.(Book Focus)(Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There's the kindergartner who says, when complimented on his shiny new shoes, "Thanks! My mom stole them!" Or his classmate, who offers: "I saw my dad through the glass! And talked to him on the phone!" Author...

Q&A.(upfront)(Russ Feingold)(Interview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Russ Feingold U.S. SENATOR FROM WISCONSIN Feingold, a Democrat, was one of just 10 senators to vote against the so-called No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) in 2001. Now he's the sponsor, along with Sens. Patrick...

NLCB: delivering the message to Congress.(leading the way)(No Child Left Behind)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEA leaders are reinforcing their message to Congress on the so-called No Child Left Behind law (NCLB), ill tile wake of the decision by congressional leaders not to rush passage of a new law last fall. The...

State associations help elect allies, defeat vouchers.(EDUCATION WINS BIG AT THE POLLS)(Utah Education Association and Virginia Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Utah voters recently defeated what may have been the nation's most comprehensive education voucher program. Referendum I failed with more than 60 percent of voters in every county. "We believe this sends a clear message," said Kim Campbell,...

Associations lead the charge for member rights.(SEE YOU IN COURT)(Iowa State Education Association and Nevada State Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) won a state Supreme Court case protecting bargaining rights. ISEA was triumphant in a contract dispute involving the Waterloo Education Association and the Waterloo school district. The court ruled...

New contracts up salaries, involve new members.(BARGAINING FOR THE FUTURE)(Burlington Education Association, Bethel Education Association and Chesterfield Township Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Burlington Education Association (BEA) in Vermont recently ratified a contract with the school district that phases in a livable wage allotment for paraprofessionals. BEA sought an hourly wage that meets an individual's or family's basic...

Report card: we check out who's making grade--or needs improvement--in education around the country.
January 1, 2008... F Patrick Byrne The Overstock.com chief executive and his family gave nearly $2.6 million to the voucher effort in Utah (see above). He called the referendum a "statewide IQ test" that Utahans failed. Voucher supporters spent more than...

For ESPs in merged locals, identity and unity are key.(PARTNERS IN EDUCATION)(education support professionals)
January 1, 2008... Paraprofessional Donna Schulze says belonging to a merged local with teachers is like being in a marriage. "Each partner has their own personality," says Schulze, vice president of the merged Howard County Education Association (HCEA) in...

Is this what failure looks like? How NCLB gets it all wrong.(NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND)
January 1, 2008... IF THE STAFF OF THE FRANK M. TEJEDA ACADEMY in San Antonio had a motto, it might well be "No Child Left Behind.'; And because of that, the federal law of the same name is punishing them. Tejeda only takes students who can't make it in a...

My debt, my life: NEA members are struggling with student loan debt of undprecented proportions. here's why it matters, even if your college days (and bills) are a thing of the past.(National Education Association)(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Funny thing about educators, they're good at math. Some of them even teach it. So they know that if they make $28,000 a year and owe $15,000 on student loans, they're in big trouble. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Keeping it real: programs stressing real-world skills are reaching potential dropouts.(DROPOUT PREVENTION)(Project Co-Operative Federation for Educational Experience (COFFEE))
January 1, 2008... Think of an enormous societal problem--child abuse, homelessness, poverty, the proliferation of guns. Students in Massachusetts' Project COFFEE have experienced it. More than half of these youth have serious drug problems and more than...

Caught in the crossfire: schools in Oklahoma grapple with new laws targeting illegal immigration.(IMMIGRATION)
January 1, 2008... The staff at Kendall-Whittier Elementary had an uneasy feeling that the 2007-08 school year would be anything but routine. Signs everywhere indicated that this school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, would see drastic numbers of student absences as...

All hands on deck: keep volunteers on board to lighten the load and motivate students.(try this)
January 1, 2008... Schools with thriving volunteer programs know that a volunteers contributions can go far beyond relieving teachers of minor tasks (though help with the little things is much appreciated). Whether assisting teachers in classroom activities,...

Faced with flagging Math results.(Math Buddies)(Martin Luther King Elementary)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... FACED WITH FLAGGING MATH RESULTS, Martin Luther King Elementary in Vancouver, Washington, partnered with volunteers from high-tech industries, banks, and other businesses to initiate the Math Buddies volunteer program in the spring of 2007....

With student safety a paramount concern in all schools, any unkown person coming into the bulding must be viewed as a potential threat--including volunteers.(BACKGROUND CHECKS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... AT STEPHANIE JONES' SCHOOL IN JACKSONVILLE.background checks are conducted on volunteers when they start and then every two years thereafter, required under Florida law. All prospective volunteers complete a form that gets sent to the...

Best boards.(bulletin board)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Each year I decorate my classroom with a new theme. This year I turned it into an airport. I wrote a request to airlines and was given several fantastic items (including airline posters and ticket counter and gate paraphernalia). My students...

... For getting organized in the new year.(TOP TIPS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... I GIVE MY STUDENTS COPY of the objective for each lesson. My objectives are written in the following format: "By the time you finish class today you will be able to...." Each objective is followed by one or two supporting facts that will be...

Mr. Woodhead.(Brief article)(Cartoon)
January 1, 2008... MY RESEARCH PROJECT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT EIGHT DAYS LATE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THAT PROJECT ISN'T EVEN DUE FOR THREE WEEKS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I KNOW. ISN'T IT GREAT HOW I'VE LEARNED TO PLAN AHEAD? [ILLUSTRATION...

How do you keep order your classroom?(COLLEAGUE'S HELPDESK)
January 1, 2008... ANSWER: I created a "noise thermometer" that looks like a three-foot thermometer with red Velcro that acts as the mercury. I number increments from zero (no noise) to 10 (extreme noise/out of control). The thermometer starts at zero each...

Feel great in '08: staying fit and eating right at any age.(the guide ... to staying fit)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's never too soon or late to replace bad health habits with good ones or swear off diet and fitness fads in favor of principles that work. Whatever your age, the habits you form now will pay dividends or take...

Supplements ... yes or no?(the guide ... to staying fit)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Taking a daily multivitamin can be wise, but unless you're pregnant, elderly, or have other distinct supplemental needs, Christina Economos cautions against taking much else. Vitamins and supplements are not FDA-regulated so quality isn't...

920/60 calories/grams of fat.(the guide ... to staying fit)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... THAT'S THE BREAKDOWN FOR ONE NEW COUNTRY BREAKFAST BURRITO FROM HARDEES. THE ROLLUP CONTAINS TWO EGG OMELETS, BACON, SAUSAGE, HAM, CHEDDAR CHEESE, HASH BROWNS, AND SAUSAGE GRAVY. IT ALSO HAS HALF OF AN ADULT FEMALE'S RECOMMENDED DALLY...

Picking a pedometer.(the guide ... to staying fit)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2008... Picking a Pedometer Experts recommend walking up to 10,000 steps a day. Attached to a belt or waistband, pedometers help you track your progress. Scott Crouter, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Health Science...

Andrew Mogle.(in person)(Interview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... NORWALK, IOWA Professional chef and restaurant manager turned high school culinary arts teacher and "owner" of the student-run Warrior Cafe [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What inspired you to start cooking? I grew up with five...

Diane Albanese.(in person)(Interview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... LEWES, DELAWARE Middle school English teacher, education news columnist for the local paper and NPR radio affiliate [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Why did you start doing column-writing and radio? To reach parents and the community....

Mozell Robinson.(SHORT TAKES)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... BRATTONSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA Storyteller [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Whether it's a kindergarten classroom, a senior citizen center, a college campus, or a historic plantation, each site is home for Robinson's mix of traditional...

When you look back on 2008, what do you want to say?(PEOPLE POLL)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... "I got healthier."--52%; "I socked a little money away."--18%; "I found more time for hobbies."--15%; "I fell in love all over again."--14%; "I learned how to program my TiVo and stop my cell phone from beeping."--2%. Head to...

Deadline approaching for the NEA Foundation's February grant review.(resources)(National Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 1, 2008, FOR BOTH STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GRANTS AND LEARNING & LEADERSHIP GRANTS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GRANTS provide $5,000 to improve the academic achievement of students by engaging them in critical thinking...

A touch of CLASS.(resources)(National Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... CLASS Grants are the NEA Student Program's answer for building community support for public education and addressing educational and social problems facing communities. CLASS Grants of up to $1,000 have funded local efforts by student...

NEA Friend of Education Award.(resources)(National Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Friend of Education Award is NEA's highest honor and may be bestowed on an individual or organization whose leadership acts or support have significantly benefited education, education employees, or students on a national scale. This...

Grants recognize quality in school-community partnerships.(resources)(American Society for Quality)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The American Society for Quality (ASQ) invites educators from across the country who have instituted or will institute a communityfocused quality improvement initiative in theist K-12 schools to apply for the Community Good Works grant. ...

Calling young eco-heroes.(resources)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Action For Nature (AFN) has created the International Young EcoHero Awards to recognize and reward successful individual environmental initiatives of young people ages 8-16. The program encourages youth to "take personal action to nurture and...

Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award.(resources)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Astronauts Memorial Foundation (AMF), in partnership with the Space Foundation and NASA, is accepting applications for the 2008 Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award. The award, which gives priority to programs focusing on aerospace...

'Listen to a life' essay contest.(resources)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Get students thinking about their life goals and building closer connections across generations with this inspirational contest. To participate, a student 8-18 years old interviews a grandparent or "grandfriend" 50 years or older about his or...

January is cervical cancer awareness month.(Take Note)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Nearly 11,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year--but women can protect themselves and their families: GET REGULAR PAP TESTS. These tests are used to detect the presence of abnormal cells that can...

Mayo clinic offer.(Take Note)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Mayo Clinic is offering its new publication, Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, at a discounted rate to NEA members. This title provides readers with a thorough reference on pregnancy and childbirth, including a month-by-month look...

5 things you can do to help prevent Staph infections.(Take Note)(methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus)
January 1, 2008... Recently, cases of students being diagnosed with a virulent staph infection known as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus--MRSA for short--have made national headlines. MRSA killed one Virginia student last fall. "Staph" are...

Consumer Q&A: transition to digital broadcasting.(resources)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On January 1, 1954, NBC broadcast the first coast-to-coast color television program showing the Tournament of Roses Parade. More than 50 years later, the next leap in technology will occur on February 17, 2009,...

Resolve to read.(resources)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Make reading a part of your New Year's resolutions! Start planning your NEA's Read Across America events or create a reading challenge or literacy project. Check out the new pledges, find tips and tools, and order your Read Across America...

Free digital workshops for teachers of Native America students.(On the Web)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The U.S. Department of Education's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative, in collaboration with the Office of Indian Education, has announced the launch of "Digital Teacher Workshops for Teachers of Native American Students." The workshops are...

Diversity calendar.(resources)
January 1, 2008... JANUARY JANUARY--NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH Sponsored by the Harvard Mentoring Project, this Observance encourages volunteer mentors to help young people from underprivileged backgrounds reach their full potential. For more information,...

Heads up from NEA member benefits.(resources)(National Education Association)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... REDUCE THE STRESS AND COST OF DOING YOUR TAXES! WHETHER YOU DO YOUR TAXES YOURSELF OR NOT, NEA Member Benefits has worked out three sweet discounts with H&R Block that will save you time and money. GET 35 PERCENT OFF H&R Block's online...

Today's Man.(On TV)(Television program review)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... TODAY'S MAN PBS/Independent Lens, January 8,: 10 p.m. ET. Check local listings. What happens when a "little professor" grows up? In this very personal 60-minute documentary, Nicky Gottlieb demonstrates the challenges of becoming an...

American Experience: Oswald's Ghost.(On TV)(Television program review)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: OSWALD'S GHOST PBS, January 14, 9 p.m. ET. Check local listings. The assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., and Sen. Robert E Kennedy occurred long before today's...

Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita.(On TV)(Television program review)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... MAPPING STEM CELL RESEARCH: TERRA INCOGNITA PBS/Independent Lens, January 15, 10 p.m. ET. Check local listings. One of the most controversial issues of our times, stem cell research gets a human face and an understandable explanation...

American Experience: The Lobotomist.(On TV)(Young adult review)(Television program review)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: THE LOBOTOMIST PBS, January 21, 9 p.m. ET. Check local listings. Was Walter J. Freeman, M.D., a medical genius or a monster? In this 60-minute film, director Barak Goodman asks viewers to consider: "At what point...

Pass the Plate.(On TV)(Television program review)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... PASS THE PLATE Disney Channel, Daily Interstitial. In this new multicultural series designed to help kids and families understand more about nutrition, young stars from here and abroad show how healthy foods (e.g., apples, bananas,...

No English.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NO ENGLISH By Jacqueline Jules Imagine moving to a new country and speaking a different language. Blanca arrives in Mrs. Bertram's second-grade class, and from the start, there are misunderstandings. Blanca...

Lessons in American Music.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LESSONS IN AMERICAN MUSIC By Deborah Kay Robinson Lindsay An all-in-one resource for music teachers of grades 4-6, this book offers lesson plans; activities, sheet music, and assessments covering American...

The NEA commitment to diversity in leadership.(National Education Association)
January 1, 2008... In practice and in policy, the National Education Association has a history of supporting diversity in leadership. In 1964, NEA began eradicating racial segregation in its affiliates and staff and in 1966, the Association merged with the...

Dumbledore had it. Do you?(TEACHING MAGIC)
January 1, 2008... MANY TEACHERS LOVE the Ham/Potter series because it can turn reluctant readers into book lovers. But another reason is that it is essentially the story of students and teachers and their relationships. It's about the teaching of magic, but it...