NEA Today articles from October 2002

NEA Today archives from October 2002

Our people power: it's time to organize and mobilize to elect pro-public education candidates--without regard to party affiliation.(President's Viewpoint)
October 1, 2002... "Don't hassle me with politics and campaigns. I just want to close my door and teach." In my many years as a teacher and Association leader, it seems like I've heard that refrain a million times! While I understand why some of our...

Bridging the great divide: our challenge: Make sure the immigrant's daughter and CEO's son have the same opportunities.(My Turn)
October 1, 2002... I've been thinking a lot these days about the new education law, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and in no small measure because of where I live and where I work--two places with great people, but as educational opportunities go,...

Editor's note.
October 1, 2002... It's back. A totally redesigned and updated version of the NEA homepage www.nea.org is up and running and with it is a fresh version of NEA Today Online. On the opening page of the NEA website, you'll find NEA Today prominently listed...

Making politics work for you: sick of IDEA being underfunded? Need more resources for your students or yourself? Politicians can help--if you elect one who's on your side.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2002... Stand Up and Be Counted Why? Because politicians impact your classroom and your pocketbook. It's easy to see why New Mexico NEA member Patrick Sanchez has been working tirelessly this fall to bring about sweeping changes in next...

Teachers get America's vote of confidence.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... You may not make as much as a CEO or a pro baseball player, but your stock has a lot more currency than theirs in the eyes of the American public. In a recent Gallup Poll, Americans ranked teachers as the most trusted group of people in...

A political IDEA: a Georgia teacher gets personal to back a senator and get more IDEA funding.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2002... Doris Glover's introduction to political action first took place in the 1960s when, as a child, she rode with her father in his truck, visiting Black farmers near Macon, Georgia, and encouraging them to register to vote. This year,...

Wanted: prescription for easing drug prices: rising drug costs are taking dollars out of your paycheck. It's time to elect leaders who can break the impasse.
October 1, 2002... Like members around the country, Jean and Jim Scheu, retired teachers in Plymouth, Minnesota, regularly buy prescription drugs. They don't buy them from their local pharmacist, however. The Scheus, members of Education Minnesota-Retired,...

NEA's kind of candidate: Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone says the federal government should fund education mandates. That's one reason NEA backs his re-election.(News)
October 1, 2002... Early this year, President Bush signed into law the costly Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which calls for annual reading and math tests, sanctions for schools that fail to display "adequate yearly progress," and strengthened...

Three reasons to put friends of public education in Congress.(News)
October 1, 2002... On November 5, your vote for NEA-recommended candidates for U.S. Congress will make a critical difference for public education. Just three of the issues at stake: 1. Control of Congress by supporters of public education. In the evenly...

How do candidates gain NEA's support?(News)
October 1, 2002... The NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, NEA's political action committee, was founded in 1972 to give school employees a voice when federal lawmakers make decisions about issues that affect children and public education. NEA...

Needed: a voice in stuff that matters: NEA members in California and Maryland push for a greater role in decisions that affect students' futures.(On Your Side)
October 1, 2002... If you work for a certain kind of school district, you're probably fed up with top-down curriculum decisions based on fads, scripted teaching programs, powerless teacher committees, and a test-driven mentality that devalues classroom...

Four good reasons to give educators a voice.(On Your Side)
October 1, 2002... In too many school districts across the nation, professional or "education policy" decisions are the non-negotiable prerogative of administrators--due to court or arbitration decisions, weak or non-existent bargaining laws, or simply an...

Life without bargaining: "an awful way to live and work".(On Your Side)
October 1, 2002... If you live in a non-bargaining state, talk in California and Maryland about expanding the scope of collective negotiations might be pretty frustrating. During this year's NEA Representative Assembly, Texas delegate Michael Miller worked...

Big news from the bluegrass state: teacher-ESP unity: NEA's Kentucky affiliate gives education support professionals full membership rights, recognizing that education has become a team effort.(News)(Kentucky Education Association)
October 1, 2002... Not very tong ago, education support professionals sat--and seethed--together at a table in the back of each Kentucky Education Association delegate assembly. Although they were dues-paying NEA members, these ESPs were denied the right to...

What KEA brings to support professionals.(News)(Kentucky Education Association)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The Kentucky Education Association's full inclusion of education support professionals combines valuable human resources at a time when KEA confronts challenges familiar to many NEA state affiliates, including a state budget shortfall,...

Three things support professionals bring to KEA ...(News)(Kentucky Education Association)
October 1, 2002... What can education support professionals offer the Kentucky Education Association? Just for starters they bring: 1. Tenacity. "Kentucky ESPs never give up," says District 13 Executive Director Betty Watson. "They show tenacity in the...

[Kudos to ... ].(News)
October 1, 2002... ... the New Jersey Education Association, which now includes 44,000 ESP members--13 percent of its total membership and the highest percentage of any NEA state affiliate. Speaking at this year's state ESP conference, NJEA President...

Should teachers have students correct each other's papers? The Supreme Court recently ruled that teachers don't break the law when they have students correct each other's papers. NEA, which filed a motion supporting the ruling, has taken no position on whether this grading process is good practice. But here, our members have.(Debate)
October 1, 2002... yes Yes! This is a natural part of the learning process, which I recommend to increase student achievement. Here's why: Teachers are urged to focus on "higher order thinking skills." Being involved in evaluation helps students...

Reach for the stars: NEA member Barbara Morgan prepares to travel into space.(Interview)(Interview)
October 1, 2002... As NASA's first educator mission specialist, Barbara Morgan will take students on a new journey of learning. Morgan, a former elementary school teacher from Boise, Idaho, first gained recognition in 1985 as the backup for the pioneering...

Successful equation: a civil rights activist gives students a leg up in the Information Age.(In Focus)(Bob Moses)
October 1, 2002... Bob Moses thinks an education in algebra is a matter of civil rights. And he knows more than a little about both subjects. A math teacher since the 1950s, Moses was also a civil rights leader in the 1960s and fought hard in the the battle to...

Power to the people: Mock election teaches the value of the vote.(In Focus)
October 1, 2002... How do you get students excited about the electoral process when most can't even vote? It's not easy--which is why signing up for the National Student/ Parent Mock Election on November 1 may not be a bad idea. For 22 years this...

A flair for physics: what happens when science gets crazy?(In Focus)
October 1, 2002... When Valdine McLean first joined the science faculty at Pershing County High School in Lovelock, Nevada, only 10 percent of the seniors took physics. That was in 1993. Since then, thanks to McLean's unique methods of instruction, enrollment...

High school virtual-osity: a new guide helps sort through the electronic course heap.(In Focus)
October 1, 2002... Not too long ago an online high school course was about as rare as a second grader who didn't want recess. Now the virtual class is everywhere, and the number of high schoolers signing up is in the thousands--and multiplying. A good...

A school without walls: a tiny Tacoma high school spreads its students all over downtown.(Learning)(School of the Arts)
October 1, 2002... Sixteen-year-old Ian Cairns doesn't have a varsity team to try out for, cafeteria food to complain about, or crowded hallways to negotiate during class changes. A junior at the fledgling School of the Arts (SOTA) in Tacoma, Washington, Ian...

Meet the parents: and make them part of your education team.(First Five Years)
October 1, 2002... You've survived the first six weeks of school and you are beginning to understand your students. But just as you get comfortable in your classroom, you realize it's time to meet the parents. For a new teacher, the thought of meeting...

Giving migrants the gift of literacy: when the students and parents are migrants, how can you make every season a reading season? One Florida member shows the way.(Reading)
October 1, 2002... It's 9:30 a.m. at Denee's Trailer Park in Apopka, Florida, and while many migrant parents are working in local fields, fisheries, or nurseries, others are huddled in the trailer-turned-classroom where NEA member Sonia Mariani-Hendrickson is...

Facts on NEA's September 11 website: what's up on what's offered.(Inside Scoop)
October 1, 2002... Launched August 19, NEA's Remember September 11 website attracted thousands of visitors with its teacher-designed lesson plans and documents of American democracy, all searchable in an Internet "library" database so parents and educators...

Learning from one another: Maryland ESPs network during professional development day.(Professional Development)
October 1, 2002... Throughout her career as an education support professional, Maryland member Barbara Thompson has worried about the "separateness" she has observed among ESPs. Members of the various job groups tend to keep to themselves, she says. But...

Going the extra mile.(ESP)(Redlands Education Support Professionals Association)
October 1, 2002... Redlands ESP Local Raises Scholarship Funds For the second year, the Redlands Education Support Professionals Association in California sponsored a golf tournament to raise money for scholarships for members' children. This year, the...

Providing for preschoolers.(Profile)(Delores Murray)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Name: Delores Murray Job Title: Instructional assistant, Mary Scott Elementary School, Richmond, Virginia What I Do in My Job: I'm in the prekindergarten program and we develop the students emotionally and socially. Because of the...

NEA Foundation grants.(Resources)
October 1, 2002... Apply today for an Innovation Grant or Learning and Leadership Grant from the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE). Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $3,000. Applicants may submit a proposal at any time. Innovation...

Healthy School Meals.(Resources)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The USDA's Food and Nutrition Information Center has developed the Healthy School Meals Resource System (HSMRS) in cooperation with the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland. The HSMRS website includes...

Tax advice for teachers.(Money)
October 1, 2002... Q: Can teachers claim expenses on their taxes for school supplies purchased during the year? A: The IRS has soma good news for teachers this year with the passing of the "Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002." This year...

Thrifty educator.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... This month's tips come from Susan Wood, sixth-grade teacher in Elk Grove, Illinois; Derek Haroldson, a teacher from Sauk City, Minnesota; and Lois Barreto, a third-grade teacher in Detroit, Michigan. Wood: I encourage my students to...

Heads up from NEA member benefits.(Money)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Get a handle on your finances with help from NEA Financial Services programs. You and eligible family members can take advantage of the members-only interest rates of the NEA-Sponsored GoldCertificate[R] CD and NEA-Sponsored FDIC-Insured...

Now take a deeeeep breath ... It's been the mind-calming choice of the Zen set for years, but schoolchildren are now doing yoga in class--and loving it.(Health & Fitness)
October 1, 2002... So what do you do with 20 antsy second graders who want to jump and play but have no physical education class to go to and no recess in sight? If you're NEA member Cathy Klein, you transform your classroom into a studio (of sorts) for...

What's up at HIN? NEA health information network.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... * HELPING PARENTS TALK ABOUT DRUGS Parents are the key to preventing illicit drug use among kids. But they find it difficult to determine how best to talk about it. What should they say? To make it easier to find out, a new @Work program...

A Healthy Weight? No Problem!(Working Out Our Sisters)
October 1, 2002... We already know excess body weight can rob us of energy, longevity, and good health. What we often fail to remember is that weight management doesn't take a small miracle. It may sound like so much hokum, but it's true: Getting yourself...

Brown baggin' it.(Healthy Bites)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Want to sustain your energy beyond lunch? Make a sandwich with lean protein picks like turkey, ham, chicken breast, or tuna. For a savory treat, use an onion or "everything" bagel with honey mustard. Hold down the mayo, but don't forget the...

Find your BMI.(Healthy Bites)(body mass index)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Body Mass Index (BMI) is the most reliable way to measure your fat to muscle ratio, as it relates to your height. A single BMI point is equal to about six pounds of weight. To calculate your BMI, use this formula: Your weight in pounds x 705,...

Good question.(Healthy Bites)(water consumption)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Q: I know it's good for me, but I don't like drinking 6-8 glasses of water per day. Can I replace my water with something else? A: Absolutely. While water should be your primary source for staying hydrated, you can also drink 100 percent...

Creating a community cookbook.(People)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... David Quinn definitely knows what's cooking. In fact, he probably gave you the recipe. Quinn, a high school English teacher from Seattle, Washington, oversees the Internet's number one food website, allrecipes.com. Quinn's site offers...

Riding for research.(People)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... When Delaware NEA members Charlie Michels and Mike Firch started cycling together six years ago, they never expected to go on a search for an AIDS vaccine. But during the past two years, the two educators have raised more than $22,000 for...

Teacher at sea.(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Teacher at Sea program)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... When Dana Tomlinson boarded the Ka'imimoana as part of the Teacher at Sea program, she wanted to act like "a fly on the wall," silently observing the ship's 30-member crew. But Tomlinson, a sixth-grade teacher in San Diego, California,...

Passing on the art of story.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... To retired elementary teacher Judy Wolfman, of York, Pennsylvania, storytelling is the quickest way to teach creative writing. But it wasn't a lesson she learned right away. "During my teaching years I really struggled to get students to...

Tennessee coin celebrates music.(Shawn Stookey)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... In June 2000, Tennessee member Shawn Stookey had his fourth-through eighth-grade art classes create sketches for the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters Program. Stookey created his own drawing as an example for the students at Lakeview School in...

Increasing access through technology: digital media support lessons that adapt to each child's learning needs.(Resources)(TEACHING EVERY STUDENT IN THE DIGITAL AGE: UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING )(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... EXCERPT "The challenge posed by greater diversity and greater accountability is to enable students with widely divergent needs, skills, and interests to attain the same high standards.... Fortunately, technological advances have...

Getting School-Wise: a Student Guidebook.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... This book, written by a veteran teacher and learning specialist, outlines a valuable set of teaching strategies and skills in a fun and accessible format. Organization skills, learning styles, and how to teach students to be effective...

Collaborating To Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for K-6.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Written for library media specialists and their teaching partners, this book presents comprehensive units in a standardized template that can be adapted and used in librarians' own collaboration efforts. Easy to read and use, the book also...

Internet-Based Activities for High School Mathematics: Real-World Content and Applications.(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Two veteran math teachers connect real-time data from the Internet with algebra and geometry concepts in this workbook. Choose from eight activities that include step-by-step instructions, Web addresses, questions, and word problems. 74 pp....

Tears Are Wept, Memories Are Kept: A Remembrance Book for Bereaved Children and Families.(Brief Article)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... By Eleisa Trampler, Mary Hernandez, and the Children of Colorado Retired Denver public schools teacher Eleisa Trampler compiled this book of sentiments and drawings by K-12 students in Denver area schools to help others deal with the loss...

Discipline without Stress, Punishments, or Rewards.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Learn how to reduce stress, motivate others, foster responsilibity, and advance learning with strategies that promote collaboration and eliminate the reward/punishment system of discipline. With experience in teaching, administration, and...

Getting to know unions.(The Union Member's Complete Guide)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... If you're new to a union or simply want a good overview of how unions function, check out The Union Member's Complete Guide by Michael Mauer. Using plain language, the book covers all aspects of workers' unions, including member rights,...

From Sesame Street to Wall Street.(Stock Market Smart)(Brief Article)(Brief Review)
October 1, 2002... It's never too early to start learning about the ins and outs of the stock market. Geared for grades 5-8. Stock Market Smart by Eileen Nixon McGowan and Nancy Lagow Dumas teaches students basic terminology, how to buy and sell stocks, and how...

Start the presses.(Students: A Comprehensive Guide)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Is the student newspaper lacking in luster? Are you trying to get students' work published? Do you want to start a website and get students involved? Then get some pointers from Publishing With Students: A Comprehensive Guide by ESL teacher...

Get plugged in.(Radio and Television News Directors Foundation guide)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The Radio and Television News Directors Foundation now offers Plugged In, a downloadable guide for students and teachers of journalism. Chapters include student case studies, lessons on checking the credibility of online sources, sites that...

An African Safari.(Journey Into Africa: A Nature Discovery Trip)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Majestic views and wild animals await you in Tim Knight's Journey Into Africa: A Nature Discovery Trip. Filled with great pictures and interesting facts, the book will draw young readers back to Africa again and again. 48 pp. $18.95 from...

Enter the Internet.(How to Use the Internet In Your Classroom)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Created by teachers. How to Use the Internet In Your Classroom is a guide for educators who want to use the Internet in class but aren't sure how to incorporate it in lessons, Learn from the authors' lesson plans, websites, and words of...

Teaching with Technology.(From the NEA Professional Library)(Teaching with Technology: The Teacher-to-Teacher Series)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... EXCERPT The entire front perimeter of our school has been divided into 11 whimsical "literacy" gardens, each based on a popular children's book. After choosing a book and theme for their gardens, students used a computer drawing program...

Bang, bang you're dead.(TV Tips)(Television Program Review)
October 1, 2002... Showtime, Sunday, October 13, 2002, 8-9:30 p.m., ET, check local listings. Based on William Mastrosimone's play of the same name, this drama offers an unflinching look at youth violence and the problems of achieving social and emotional...

The rise and fall of Jim Crow.(TV Tips)(Television Program Review)
October 1, 2002... PBS, Tuesdays, October 1-22, 10 p.m., ET, check local listings. This four-part series explores the complexities that defined life during the Jim Crow era. The first major documentary to examine this oppressive era, the series spans the years...

Discovery kids on NBC.(TV Tips)(Television Program Review)
October 1, 2002... NBC, October 5, 10 a.m., ET, check local listings. Discovery Kids cable network and NBC will debut a Saturday three hour programming block inspired by shows from the Discovery Network. "Walking with Dinosaurs and Kids" uses computer...

Sporting physics.(TV Tips)(Television Program Review)
October 1, 2002... ESPN2, October 7, 14, 21, and 28, 5:30 a.m., ET, check local listings. Designed for middle and high school students, this series of four, 30-minute episodes features professional athletes demonstrating math and physics concepts, such as...

Nick news: special edition.(TV Tips)(Faces of Hope: The Kids of Afghanistan)(Television Program Review)
October 1, 2002... Nickelodeon, October 7 and 30, 6 a.m., ET, check local listings. Linda Ellerbee created this series of specials from the NEA and Peabody Award-winning news program for kids in grades 4-6. In "Faces of Hope: The Kids of Afghanistan," she...

November warriors.(TV Tips)(Television Program Review)
October 1, 2002... History Channel, October 28-31 (one episode per day), 6 a.m., ET, check local listings. This four-part program chronicles the history of American presidential elections and can be used in class for two years, along with a lesson plan at...

Liberty's kids.(TV Tips)(DIC Entertainment Holdings Inc.'s animated series )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... PBS, Mondays-Fridays in October, check local listings. This animated series introduces 7 to 12-year-olds to the exciting stories and people behind the birth of the United States. Each program presents historical events seen through the...

Reading rockets: launching young readers.(TV Tips)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... PBS, check local listings. This five-part series examines how children learn to read, why so many struggle, and how adults can help them. Each 30-minute episode illustrates a stage of the reading process, incorporating the latest research and...

Staying healthy.(Web Winners)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Use this site to teach children healthy habits early. Focusing on four health themes--Eat Well, Stay Fit: Open Wide; Dealing with Feelings: and Head Lice Advice--the site offers units with activity sheets for kids and information for adults....

Frog dissection?(Web Winners)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Leave your facemask in the drawer and grab a virtual scalpel instead. This site walks you through the dissection of a common bullfrog. Interactive animations, Flash objects, educational text, and a soundtrack make for a unique, odorless...

Lesson plans.(Web Winners)(University of Missouri's lesson planning wen site)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The Lesson Plans Page collects over 1,000 ready-to-use lesson plans, primarily at the elementary level, that were developed by students and faculty at The University of Missouri. Launched in October 1996, this site serves elementary school...

America's library.(Web Winners)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... With more than 4,500 items from the Library of Congress' collection on its website. America's Library is a good place to go to learn about American history and culture. Each of the site's five sections contain different activities to keep...

Tracking the payback.(Web Winners)(Center for Responsive Politics on campaign contributions and lobbying)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Campaign donations, special interest groups, and lobbyists. They all have a lot of influence on Congress and what laws are passed. Check out this site to see who's giving money to whom and how much they are giving. Published by the nonprofit,...

Cyberspace copyrights.(Web Winners)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Use this interactive activity to quickly learn about copyright issues on the World Wide Web. Visitors view 11 questions students, teachers, and parents may have about using Web images, sound recordings, and text in papers, presentations, and...

NEA UniServ Internships.(Announcements)
October 1, 2002... As part of an ongoing commitment to state and local affiliates, NEA is seeking eligible candidates for the 2003 UniServ Intern Program. Individuals who successfully complete the four-and-a-half week training program and the three-month field...

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.(Announcements)
October 1, 2002... Help students learn the value of service and make a positive difference in the world by participating in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF NEA and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF encourage you to join in this 52-year tradition and order those free orange...

Leaving no teacher behind.(Announcements)
October 1, 2002... K-12 teachers can apply to receive a free, fully loaded laptop. The Teacher Laptop Foundation, with the help of many corporate and individual sponsors, fulfills its mission of "helping teachers obtain the technology tools needed to educate...

Cross-Cultural Experience.(Announcements)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The Fulbright Memorial Fund (FMF) will send 600 primary and secondary school teachers and administrators on a three-week study visit to Tokyo, Japan, in 2003. Funded by the Japanese government, the intercultural experience includes visits to...

Practical pamphlets.(Free Or Inexpensive)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation presents Fastback, a series of helpful pamphlets on education topics. Titles include: Character Education Through Children's Literature: Teachers Mentoring Teachers; Positive Parent-Teacher...

A Mexican-American journey.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Learn about one of the most distinguished leaders in the United States' Hispanic community through Julian Nava's autobiography, Julian Nava: My Mexican-American Journey. Nava discusses growing up as a child of poor Mexican immigrants and...

Hot jobs.(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Young women thinking about their future can learn about plenty of cool jobs in Cool Women, Hot Jobs. Written by Tina Schwager and Michele Schuerger, the book profiles women in different careers, including an FBI Special Agent and the head of...

Stick out.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Give story time a boost with Stories That Stick: Quick & Easy Storyboard Tales by Valerie Marsh. Choose from 22 songs, stories, poems, and fables, complete with cut out patterns to aid in the storytelling process and liven up your magnetic or...

Prepping for the SAT.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... If you're a high school teacher trying to encourage students to study for the SAT, you may want to tell them about Numbskull--an SAT Prep Game that lets students study for the test. The game has over 300 math and verbal questions and offers...

Integrated spelling.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Middle School teacher Nancy Beattie (profiled in NEA Today last October) was tired of the low success rate of the spelling program she used in her classroom. So she created her own: After researching and enlisting ideas from other teachers,...

Diversity Calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2002... October--Lesbian. Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History Month October is the nationally designated month to remember campaigns and efforts to eliminate discrimination and stereotyping and to increase respect, understanding, and sensitivity...