NEA Today articles from November 2006

NEA Today archives from November 2006

Money matters.
November 1, 2006... Debbie Ennels, who appears on this issue's cover with her grandson, loves her job as a classroom aide. But after her landlord sold her apartment building, Ennels wound up in a shelter, where she and her grandchild live with recovering drug...

Sounding the alarm: the school dropout crisis has devastating effects on young people. NEA plans to face it head-on.
November 1, 2006... The statistics are staggering. According to estimates, about 30 percent of high school students drop out before graduation, meaning about 1 million students fail to graduate from high school every year. That amounts to some 7,000...

Gender gaps?(between teachers and students)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... With my limited experience, I do not think I can generalize that "boys learn differently than girls." However, girls do feel more comfortable and confident with a female teacher, as do boys with a male teacher. It is up to the teacher to...

Homework help.(studying methods changes)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Today's students are less likely to stay focused because of the hurried pace and instant world in which they live. Consequently, homework or review is more important than ever. It forces the student to think about what was learned (or not...

Member in the news.(Barbara Justice on career in teaching)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... "GOING IN, I PROBABLY HAD EIGHT OR TEN seriously considering teaching. By the end, it was down to about two. They see how hard the work is, and they see what the demands are. Then we talk about pay, and they just can't see how it stacks up."...

Striking pay dirt in Wyoming: the good ol' days in Wyoming weren't so long ago. Twenty years ago, teacher salaries in the Cowboy State ranked sixth in the nation. But oh, did they decline--faster than the buffalo--all the way down to 42nd.(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... BUT THANKS TO a vibrant state economy tied closely to natural gas industries and the perseverance of the Wyoming Education Association (WEA), a new boom has struck. This year, legislators approved a 22 percent jump in funding. Already a...

Ho-ho! Ha-ha!(christmas gifts)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... There's no avoiding it: As the holidays approach, your classroom elves will arrive at your desk, bearing gifts of apple-scented candles and "#1 Teacher" mugs. Of course you appreciate how much they appreciate you, but nothing says it's rude...

The long weekend.(school scheduled for Monday-Thursday schedule at Idaho's Bear Lake County School District )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... THE BEATLES NEEDED love eight days a week, but increasingly, rural schools are finding that when it comes to education, four is plenty. Idaho's Bear Lake County School District joined the trend last year by moving its 1,240 students to a...

Oh boy! Are you following the 'Boy Crisis'?(boys are less educated then girls)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... THAT'S WHAT NEWSWEEK called the discovery that girls do better in many education arenas than boys. Some critics go so far as to say that schools are unfair to boys. And to that end, one Massachusetts high school student filed a civil rights...

Statistic.(religious holidays, high school students attending religious services, American young adults with anti-semitic propensities)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... 76 The number of excused RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS on the New Jersey BOARD of Education's list. SOURCE: CNN 33 The percentage of HIGH SCHOOL seniors who attend RELIGIOUS services weekly. SOURCE: THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION...

Merry (fill-in-the-blank)!(holidays in schools increases)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... As schools become more diverse, so do the holidays recognized by your students. But do they all get days off? That's hardly practical. While more districts are recognizing specific Muslim holidays, others are experimenting with a novel...

Where is art?(No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 ignores art education)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind law (NCLB), 22 percent of school districts have cut back on art and music, according to the Center for Education Policy. And yet, education research shows arts education can boost achievement in...

Victory in Nebraska!(Nebraska State Education Association gets help from United States. Department of Education)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... After rejecting a bid, supported by the Nebraska State Education Association, to allow a variety of local assessments (rather than one state test) to meet NCLB requirements, the U.S. Department of Education has given Nebraska's system its...

Where in the world is geography? On the eve of National Geography Awareness Week (November 12-18), teachers across the country are hoping Congress will pass the Teaching Geography Is Fundamental Act and rescue the subject from the curriculum backwaters to which it's been banished by NCLB's emphasis on reading and math scores.(upfront)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... "GEOGRAPHY has become a stepchild to other disciplines as NCLB narrows the curriculum," says Washington, D.C., fifth-grade teacher Trelane Clark-Suazo. Clark-Suazo is a coordinator for National Geographic's "Geography Action!," a...

Should you decide to accept it ...(Immune Attack helps to boost achievement in high school students)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... YOUR MISSION: SAVE A PATIENT INFECTED WITH A DEADLY DISEASE. THE STRATEGY: Locate the virus and activate immune cells in time--hurry! But don't worry. It's just a game, and by the end, you'll learn all you need to know. Educational video...

Faint praise for charter schools: in the wake of a national study on charter schools, this was the best that the Education Department's statistics guru could say: "we know they are not doing harm." (And, we must ask, is that the same standard to which they hold you?).(upfront)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, released in August, fourth-graders in traditional public schools did significantly better in reading and math than comparable students attending charter schools. The study used National Assessment of Educational...

You write the songs!(upfront)
November 1, 2006... IT'S LIKE KARAOKE IN THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE except NEA Today would like to showcase your talent on a bigger stage. Record your songs about the teaching life and e-mail them to neatoday-reply@list.nea.org. We'll pick a handful and ask readers...

Where's the money?(Capitol Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... You might have thought schools got shortchanged by Congress last year, but the future looks equally poor. Senate and House committees have each approved funding bills for 2007 that woefully slash the resources available for public schools....

Health care for all.(Capitol Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... With the number of uninsured Americans soaring--from 41.2 million in 2001 to 45.8 million in 2004--the issue of quality health care for all is increasingly important. Quality health care is essential to families' well-being, and children's...

I pledge allegiance ...(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... A COLORADO GEOGRAPHY teacher was suspended with pay in August for displaying in his classroom the flags of other nations, including China and Mexico, as well as the United Nations. Although the flags were relevant to his curriculum, school...

Do your students know this?(prestigious job according to public)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... DO YOUR STUDENTS KNOW THIS TEACHERS might not make the big bucks, but they are earning the public's respect, according to a new Harris Poll. The percentage of adults that say a specific job has "GREAT PRESTIGE" is: Firefighters ...

Time wasted or won?(BEST AND WORST)
November 1, 2006... DOES YOUR SCHOOL'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PUT YOU TO SLEEP? Make you laugh? Make you a better educator? These programs run the gamut from infuriating to inspiring, and we're trying to find the best and worst. Nominate your school's program...

An updated classic.(Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom )(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom (The New Press) has been required reading for student teachers since it was first published in 1995, and Lisa Delpit's essays on teaching in a multicultural society have solidly...

The real Thanksgiving.(interview with Nathaniel Philbrick)(Interview)
November 1, 2006... Nantucket author Nathaniel Philbrick, winner of the National Book Award for In the Heart of the Sea, has a new book called Mayflower. In it, Philbrick tells the true (and tragic) story of what really happened between the Pilgrims and Indians...

On the same page: a year after Hurricane Katrina washed through public schools on the Gulf Coast, the NEA Foundation returns to restock library shelves.(leading THE WAY)
November 1, 2006... Even a splash of water will ruin a sheet of paper. And lots of water--we're talking about Biblical levels of rain and sea, mixed with every kind of garbage, rising to rooflines--will ruin lots of paper, including almost every good book in the...

The 3-minute enrollment.(state REPORT)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... MARYLAND Three minutes per teacher. That's all it took officials of the Howard County Education Association (HCEA) to sign up new members attending a back-to-school orientation. Instead of filling out paper forms, the newest members of the...

Powerful silence.(state REPORT)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERM0NT After a lengthy bargaining ordeal, Windsor Southeast Education Association officials organized a committee named "Settle the Contract." Members organized silent meetings, which took place under the window of the superintendent's...

Quality control.(state REPORT)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... TEXAS In an effort to curtail educator turnover, Education Austin (EA) members won a two-year consultation agreement that includes a 7.5 percent pay raise for education support professionals (ESPs) and teachers this school year and a 4...

The high cost of health.(health insurance costs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... UTAH Despite a recent 5.6 percent salary increase for Jordan School District teachers, many experienced a net pay cut because of an even greater rise in health insurance costs. The smaller paychecks mean that new teachers will be more...

Just compensation.(Everett Education Association)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... WASHINGTON The Everett Education Association (EEA) approved a new three-year contract that awards raises totaling 9.5 percent for a new teacher and 4 percent for a 24-year veteran. The raises reflect a statewide 3.3 percent cost-of-living...

Educators unleashed.(Oklahoma Education Association )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... OKLAHOMA "Call off your teachers," state lawmakers told Joel Robison, associate executive director of the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA). When legislators wanted to add anti-teacher language to several bills that would augment reasons...

Closing the pension gap: ESPs fight for equity in their retirement plans.(education support professional)
November 1, 2006... In 1988, when Loriann Darrell went to work for Vermont's Springfield School District, her pension wasn't even a blip on her radar. "I was in my early 20s and not thinking about retirement," says Darrell, an instructional assistant at Gateway...

Something to talk about: English-only laws are restricting more than just what's being said.(BILINGUAL EDUCATION)
November 1, 2006... Zachariah Rubio unintentionally made national news last year when a peer asked him--in Spanish--to borrow a dollar. "No hay problema," he replied, a quip that got him suspended from his Kansas City, Kansas, high school. Although the...

It's there: talk about it: race and poverty don't need to be the elephants in the classroom. As culturally responsive teaching takes root, these issues can actually help your students learn.
November 1, 2006... THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IN MONA MENDOZA'S CLASSROOM. "How many consider this ghetto?" she asks her middle school students in response to the reading passage they're working through, which focuses on a girl being...

Taking root: school gardens help cultivate a healthy mindset.(STUDENT GARDENS)
November 1, 2006... Some people like to whistle while they dig in a garden. Eight-year-old Spencer likes to talk. "Where's my water?' he says to no one in particular. "I killed a centipede. What the heck is this--a sand rock?" "I found a worm." ...

Why money matters: some educators live in shelters. Others work five jobs to make ends meet. And for all of us, a lack of professional pay shortchanges our schools.(Cover story)
November 1, 2006... Do you make enough money? Stop laughing. Of course, you probably don't--not for what you do, how you do it, and the years of preparation and education that went into it. New teachers in America can expect to earn about $31,408 a...

Pioneer spirit: as small schools across the Northern Plains consolidate, a town fights to preserve its rural, two-room schoolhouse.(WHERE WE TEACH: BALDWIN, NORTH DAKOTA)
November 1, 2006... The spelling and grammar lesson in Steven Podoll's classroom is a little like the changing of the guard. "Fifth-graders, please come up," Podoll calls. Two students push back their chairs and rise to meet him at a table in the front of the...

Plugging in: a digital literacy initiative in Indianapolis provided more than technology training. It created a community of learning for the district's teachers.(spotlight)
November 1, 2006... Across the Lawrence Township school district in Indianapolis, a collective groan greeted the prospect of another professional development initiative. For teachers in this 16,000-student district, past experiences have elicited all too...

Is teaching manners a good use of classroom time?(DEBATE)
November 1, 2006... YES When children aren't taught manners at home, I believe the responsibility falls to the school. Teaching students how to respond when greeted, to say please and thank you, and to make eye contact are skills that last a lifetime. In recent...

Other voices.(Mind Your Manners)
November 1, 2006... Here's what other educators are saying on our message boards. Join the debate by visiting www.nea.org/debate. IF TEACHERS WORK with young people and encourage good manners, then when the latter become adults they will hopefully behave in...

Beating the holiday bulge: pick up some weights before you pile on the gravy, and you won't have to give up your favorite seasonal treats.(HEALTH & FITNESS)
November 1, 2006... The temperature's dropping, the leaves are turning, and you're about to face another season of creeping holiday pudge. It starts out slow, but after a few months of nibbles--Halloween candy, Thanksgiving stuffing, classroom party treats, and...

Unwinding with Wood: a Tennessee support professional sticks it to stress with a unique gift.(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... SUPERSTITIOUS? KNOCK ON WOOD. Stressed? Rub some wood. That's the theory behind Stress Sticks, created by John Brazee, a carpenter and warehouse supervisor for Tennessee's Jackson-Madison County school system. He carves each of the...

Command performance: collecting histories that might otherwise get lost keeps this teacher on his toes.(Charles Jerome Woods)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... CHARLES JEROME WOODS, a special education teacher in Los Angeles, has a passion for dance and perhaps an even larger passion for preserving it. From dancing in the kitchen as a young man and mulling a career as a dancer or critic, he's come...

People poll.(PEOPLE)
November 1, 2006... What's the one item you would put inside a time capsule that best captures your essence? Photo album--66%, Three beloved books and my mix CDs--19%, Stack of e-mails to and from family and friends--7%, A recent credit card bill--5%,...

Going to the dogs: a Montana retiree chases her new passion across frozen expanses--and back into the classroom.(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... WHEN LELA SCHLITZ RETIRED from teaching elementary school in 2002, she knew she'd need something to keep her busy, so she went barking up another tree. Her husband had started a five-dog touring sled team with $5,000 of their savings....

A hobby that's (not) music to his ears: one Minnesota choral and drama teacher has spent the last 20 years in stitches.(PEOPLE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... MIKE ELLINGSEN KNOWS that as in the music and drama lessons he imparts to his students, artistry is in perfecting the details. For 20 years, Ellingsen has melded countless fabric swatches and delicate thread into more than 90 heirloom quilts....

Apply now for NEA Foundation grants.(resources)
November 1, 2006... DEADLINES APPROACHING FOR THE NEA FOUNDATION'S DECEMBER AND FEBRUARY GRANT REVIEW. On behalf of NEA, the NEA Foundation offers NEA FINE ARTS GRANTS. Available this year to secondary (grades 6-12) school art specialists through local NEA...

Tomorrow's teachers--today's members.(resources)
November 1, 2006... Building a strong presence on campus is one of the biggest challenges that NEA Student Program chapters face. The NEA Student Program provides financial assistance in the form of SOAR (Student Organizing and Assistance Resources) grants to...

Is one of your students America's next great inventor?(RESOURCES)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Sealed Air Corporation, the creator of Bubble Wrap cushioning, is sponsoring the first-ever Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors. Students in grades 5-8 can demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity by creating an invention that...

Christopher Columbus Awards.(RESOURCES)
November 1, 2006... The Christopher Columbus Awards challenge middle school students to explore opportunities for positive change in their communities. Teams of up to four students and a coach--who may be a teacher, parent, community leader, or mentor--identify...

Get creative--in Italy.(RESOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Creativity Workshop Educator Fellowships will be given to two educators attending the Creativity Workshop in Florence, Italy, July 13-22, 2007. Workshop participants learn to break through creative blocks and find new sources of inspiration...

So you want to write children's books.(Take Note)
November 1, 2006... Here's your chance: Enter "What's the Story?" a contest for teachers who have written an original children's book or poem. Sponsored by SRA/McGraw-Hill, the contest seeks creative, original, and imaginative stories and poems (fiction and...

National Inclusive Schools Week.(Take Note)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The 6th annual National Inclusive Schools Week, December 4-8, highlights the progress our nation's schools have made in using inclusive practices to ensure a quality education for an increasingly diverse student population, including students...

Making sense of math curricula.(Take Note)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... What are the most important math topics to teach at the elementary, middle, and high school levels? To bring clarity and coherence to diverse mathematics curricula in use across the United States, the National Council of Teachers of...

Library of Congress resources.(Take Note)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... According to the Department of Education, more than 10 million digitized historical artifacts are available at the Library of Congress' Web site, ranging from ancient manuscripts to Civil War maps, classic blues recordings to Coca-Cola...

Refresher tests for Paras.(Take Note)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Many school districts use the ParaPro Assessment test developed by ETS to determine whether paraprofessionals who have not completed two years of college meet requirements to be "highly qualified" under the No Child Left Behind law. In order...

Don't get sidelined by the flu.(an health campaingn launched by National Association of School Nurses )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Flu season is approaching. According to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), children are two to three times more likely to get sick with the flu and spread the virus to others, causing high rates of absenteeism. Because flu...

Indian Country Diaries.(On TV)
November 1, 2006... PBS, November. Check local listings for dates/times. In conjunction with American Indian Heritage Month, PBS airs two "diaries" as a "State of the Union" for modern American Indian cultures. A Seat at the Drum follows a journalist from...

Careers in Film.(On TV)
November 1, 2006... Discovery Channel, November 9, 5 a.m. ET/PT. Explore the careers of foley artists (sound effects wizards), wildlife filmmakers, animators, film producers, actors, and set designers. Can be taped and used in the classroom for one year....

A Touch of Greatness.(On TV)(Television program review)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... PBS, November 14, 10 p.m., ET/PT. Check local listings. From Independent Lens, this Emmy-nominated documentary follows maverick public school teacher Albert Cullum as he rejects Dick and Jane and teaches Shakespeare and Sophocles to his...

Christmas in Yellowstone.(On TV)(Television program review)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... PBS, November 19 & December 24, 8 p.m. ET. Check local listings. This holiday postcard from Nature depicts Christmas in no ordinary place. Winter transforms Yellowstone, with its unique combination of hot springs, cold temperatures, and...

Conquest of America.(On TV)
November 1, 2006... History Channel, November 20-23, 6 a.m. ET/PT. This series follows the exploration of North America through the men who undertook the journeys. Episodes include a look at Coronado's 1540 expedition; the New World fight between Spain and...

In The Womb: Animals.(On TV)(Television program review)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... National Geographic Channel, December 10, 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Appropriate for mature students and their families, this fascinating show follows the path from conception to birth in three mammals--an elephant, dolphin, and dog. Beginning...

A sad chapter in history.(In Print)
November 1, 2006... In 1837, white fur traders brought smallpox to the upper Missouri region, launching an epidemic that would kill more than 90 percent of the Mandan Indians living in the area. Author Michael Spooner revisits this disaster in his powerful and...

Soldiers behind the lens.(This is Our War: A Soldier's Portfolio: Servicemen's Photographs of Life in Iraq)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... This is Our War: A Soldier's Portfolio: Servicemen's Photographs of Life in Iraq by David Friedman and the editors of GQ, is a photographic collage of United States servicemen and women living out their tours of duty in Iraq. Taken by the...

Walking on water to safety.(Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... Tim Tingle's Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom links the lives of Martha, a young Choctaw girl who lives on one side of a river in Mississippi, and a slave boy who lives on a plantation on the opposite bank. Martha...

A pumpkin's life.(Pumpkins)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... A photographic ode to an autumn icon, Pumpkins, by Ken Robbins, traces a pumpkin's life from seedling to flower to jack-o'-lantern and, finally, to grist in the field for next year's crop. Simple text is accompanied by luscious photos that...

And you thought you knew the pilgrims.(Don't Know Much About: The Pilgrims)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... Did the Pilgrims really call themselves Plymouth Rock? Did they celebrate Christmas? Answers--and entertainment--are found in Kenneth Davis' Don't Know Much About: The Pilgrims. Part of a best-selling series, this book is bursting with...

Indian tales for today.(Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today )(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... Edited by Lori Marie Carlson, Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today offers a fresh look at what it's like to be young and American Indian. The collection of stories from authors such as Sherman Alexie and Louise Erdrich dispels...

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.(Respect: A Girl's Guide to Getting Respect and Dealing When Your Line is Crossed)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... Respect is every girl's birthright, maintain Courtney Macavinta and Andrea Vander Pluym, authors of Respect: A Girl's Guide to Getting Respect and Dealing When Your Line is Crossed. Covering issues teen girls face daily--body image, family,...

Neuroscience in the classroom.(How the Brain Learns)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... How can you teach so that students learn and remember? Bringing together the latest research in brain anatomy, psychology, and educational theory, the third edition of bestseller How the Brain Learns by David Sousa demonstrates how to...

Are you willing to live at risk?(Heads Up from NEA Member Benefits)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... YOU'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY to handle today's financial challenges while doing your best to prepare for the future. But think what could happen to your nest egg--or even your home--if you experienced an illness or injury that required extensive...

The educator's perfect gift.(Heads Up from NEA Member Benefits)
November 1, 2006... THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, share your love of knowledge with those closest to you--your family and friends. Give a book or audiobook, a CD or DVD, an educational game, or a magazine subscription that is sure to delight them throughout the New Year....

Let the celebration begin!
November 1, 2006... NEA's Read Across America celebrates 10 years of spreading the joy of reading with exciting events and resources for readers of all ages. Create an event and fill out a pledge form. Find out how you can celebrate the 10th anniversary of NEA's...

Lesson plans from the History Channel.(Save Our History from A&E Television Networks)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The History Channel follows up on the success of Save Our History--a program that supports community history education and historic preservation efforts--by developing a new series of lesson plans for educators. The plans, which address the...

A free search engine just for homework.(America Online Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... AOL's StudyBuddy.com is a fun education Web site for students in grades K-12 that features an easy-to-use search engine for homework help in math, language arts, science, social studies, health, and electives. "It also has reference tools,...

New Web portal helps consumers understand personal credit and identity theft.(Creditlearningcenter.com)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Use the resources at www. creditlearningcenter.com to stay informed about personal credit, credit monitoring, and identity theft. Written and produced by financial reporters, broadcast professionals, and financial educators, this site...

Challenge racism through media awareness.(websites )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Our friends in Canada have developed two online professional development programs--Exploring Media & Race and Deconstructing Online Hate--to help educators teach students to think critically about racial representation and hateful information...

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories for a Better World.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: STORIES FOR A BETTER WORLD By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Linda Williams, et al English and Spanish teacher Linda Williams is a coauthor of this installment in the famed Chicken Soup series, a...

The Dog Child.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... THE DOG CHILD By Simon Black Children will love this quirky story about a dog named Judy whose owners treat her like a human child---dressing her in clothes, enrolling her in kindergarten, and even throwing her a birthday party...

Bridging School & Home Through Family Nights: Ready-To-Use Plans for Grades K-8.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... BRIDGING SCHOOL & HOME THROUGH FAMILY NIGHTS: READY-TO-USE PLANS FOR GRADES K-8 By Diane Kyle, Ellen McIntyre, Karen Miller, and Gayle Moore Looking to close parent-teacher relationship gaps? Use this comprehensive guide to plan...

Don't Be Silly, Mrs. Millie!(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... DON'T BE SILLY, MRS. MILLIE! By Judy Cox Mrs. Millie's students know that she's bound to mix up a few words. "Time to write," Mrs. Millie says. "Take out your paper and penguins." Or reading the cafeteria menu: "They have gorilla...

Diversity calendar.(RESOURCES)
November 1, 2006... NOVEMBER NOVEMBER--AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH This month we honor the unique heritage of our nation's first inhabitants. Visit NEA'S new Minority Community Outreach site at www.nea.org/mco/amerindians.html for an overview of the...

American Indian pudding.(Recipe)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... AMERICAN INDIAN PUDDING The historical importance of corn to many tribes cannot be overstated. Northeast Indians introduced English colonists to corn, thereby saving them from starvation. The second governor of Plymouth Colony,...