Instructor (1990) articles from December 2005

Instructor (1990) archives from December 2005

My three favorite things in this issue.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
December 1, 2005... 1 The teacher-only timesavers (p.26) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Is there any worry more constant than the worry that you just can't get it all done? Has your to-do list expanded into your sleep hours? Here, teachers and experts share their...

New Orleans' children go back to school.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... In the two months since September's Hurricane Katrina, we've heard from many teachers affected by the storm. Corri Gulino, a teacher from Biloxi, MS, told us about the six feet of water standing in her classroom and what it's been like to...

A lifelong dream: teaching on a reservation.
December 1, 2005... Growing up in a Milwaukee suburb, Linda Schuyler didn't know of her parents' Oneida heritage until her sixth-grade teacher gave the class an assignment to go home and ask about their family origin. The next day, each student placed a push-pin...

A conversation about tutoring: straight talk about the Sylvan Learning Center method.(Interview)
December 1, 2005... With Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., Vice President of Education, Sylvan Learning Center Dr. Richard Bavaria answers educators' frequently asked questions about the Sylvan Learning Center method. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q. What is the...

5 memoirs every teacher should read.(teachers' lounge)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... What's next on your book club list? Here's what teachers say on Amazon.com. 1. AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By Tracy Kidder Put the teaching manual down: One reader called this story of a young teacher's year...

Her name might change her grade.(teachers' lounge)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Ruby is doing well at school, but her sister, Reshawnda, is struggling. What's the source of Reshawnda's problems? According to a recent study, it may be her name. Students with unusual names--particularly, names that sound distinctly...

School's out: time to go to work.(teachers' lounge)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Want to go over lesson plans with a colleague on a Saturday afternoon? Try your local Best Buy or Starbucks--where you just might find one of your coworkers selling electronics or steaming lattes. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During the...

Deck the shelves with holiday stories, fa la la ...(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Four Sides, Eight Nights: A New Spin on Hanukkah (Gr. 2-5) By Rebecca Tova Ben-Zvi. Roaring Brook, 2005; 48 pages; $16.95. In the 1600s, kids gave money to their teachers at Hanukkah--which started the tradition of gift-giving at home and at...

Imagine the future.(cool contests)
December 1, 2005... Get kids involved in the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards program, in which student teams select a technology and dream up what it will be like in 20 years. PRIZES: Students can win up to a $10,000 savings bond, plus equipment for the school....

Celebrate home.(cool contests)
December 1, 2005... Ask students to make videos, storyboards, or essays on the theme "how I make my house a home" for the Coldwell Banker American Dream Contest. PRIZES: Three $2,000 cash scholarships. DEADLINE: December 23, 2005 HERE'S HOW: Go to...

Make a book.(cool contests)
December 1, 2005... Group your class into teams of three or more and challenge them to write and illustrate a book for Scholastic's Kids Are Authors contest. PRIZES: Winning picture books will be published and sold around the country through Scholastic's book...

Recognize good work.(cool contests)
December 1, 2005... Nominate talented eighth-grade writers for the National Council of Teachers of English's 2006 Promising Young Writers Program. PRIZES: Winners will receive certificates of recognition; all nominees will receive certificates of participation....

Go bananas.(free clasroom resources)
December 1, 2005... The Rainforest Alliance offers you an award-winning curriculum to teach kids about the environment. HERE'S HOW: Go to www.rainforestalliance.org/programs/education.

Practice math facts.(free clasroom resources)
December 1, 2005... Download a free unit from each of Green Monster Learning's math books. HERE'S HOW: Go to www.greenmonsterlearning.com.

Have some three-ringed fun.(free clasroom resources)
December 1, 2005... Turn your students on to fitness with CircusFit, developed by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. The program features 21 interactive lesson plans and aerobic activities. HERE'S HOW: Go to www.circusfit.com.

Find storybook lessons.(free clasroom resources)
December 1, 2005... Popular kid author Tom Lichtenheld has compiled geography, vocabulary, math, writing, social studies, cartography, and community service lessons to go with his books Everything I Know About Pirates, Everything I Know About Cars, and What's With...

Get ESL help.(free clasroom resources)
December 1, 2005... Teach ESL? Sign up for the e-mail newsletter from Reading Rockets and the American Federation of Teachers. It features articles, instructional tips, sample lesson plans, recommended books for students, a glossary of terms, and much more. HERE'S...

Research reading.(great grants)
December 1, 2005... Have a literacy question you want to explore? Get funding through the International Reading Association's Teacher as Researcher grant program. DEADLINE: January 15, 2006 HERE'S HOW: Go to www.reading.org.

Stock your shelves.(great grants)
December 1, 2005... Apply for a "We the People" Bookshelf Grant from the American Library Association. DEADLINE: January 17, 2006 HERE'S HOW: Go to www.ala.org.

Visualize success.(great grants)
December 1, 2005... Whether you're a champion of visual learning or just coming around to its benefits, Inspiration Software has a $750 grant for you in its 2006 Inspired Teacher Scholarships program. DEADLINE: January 30, 2006 HERE'S HOW: Go to...

Keep kids active.(great grants)
December 1, 2005... Fund a nutrition or activity program with a General Mills Champions Youth Nutrition and Fitness grant. DEADLINE: February 1, 2006 HERE'S HOW: Go to www.generalmills.com/corporate.

"I won $10,000 in technology tools for my school!".(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... ABOUT ME: My name is Kristyn Corace, and I teach at Thorne Middle School in Port Monmouth, NJ. WHAT I WON: $10.000 of products in Samsung's Hope for Education Essay Contest. HOW I FOUND THE MONEY: My principal e-mailed me the info, along with a...

Looking for the next bill gates.(classroom technology)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Turn your Internet-savvy students onto this year's ThinkQuest competition. Now in its tenth year, the competition calls upon kids to create educational Web sites, such as "Hand Over the Loot," a Wild-West inspired site whose creators took home...

Going the distance--25,000 miles--for education.(classroom technology)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The countdown has begun: In April, British pilot Robert Vallier ["The Phoenix"] will, in an effort to teach and excite kids about their state's geography, history, and landmarks, start up his single-engine airplane and begin a tour of all 50...

5 webcams for kids you don't want to miss.(classroom technology)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Your students can monitor leopards in South Africa, volcanoes in Italy, or insects in Iowa without ever leaving your classroom, thanks to webcams--permanent cameras that transmit pictures over the Internet. Here's where to find some of our...

Receive national recognition for your achievements.
December 1, 2005... Enter the third annual Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction Awards program, honoring outstanding K-12 schools. Winners will receive grants and prizes. Go to www.schoolsofdistinction.com to find out more. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT The...

Roaring twenties for tweens.(educational aspects)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... During our study of the Roaring Twenties, my sixth-grade students researched everything about life during that time: politics, inventions, pastimes, careers, and celebrities. To culminate our unit, we had a 1920s day, where each student dressed...

Math madness.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Fourth-grade teacher Karen Mutsch, from San Jose, CA, revs her students up for Monday with "Math Madness": When my students come into our classroom on Monday, there are numbers posted all over the walls. These are the answers to the partner...

All that glitters.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Pam Colby, of Minneapolis, MN, has a sparkling way to teach kids about germs: To teach kids about how germs are passed from one person to another, I fill a spray bottle with some water and glitter and spray it around the room. I tell the kids...

Holidays around the world.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Laurie Sanchez, of Carson City, NV, writes: My favorite twist on the popular "holidays around the world" unit is to have kids make a small notebook, which will be their "passport." The kids use it to write about the customs and culture of each...

Bubbly math.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Fifth-grade teacher Stephanie Magel, from Torrance, CA, has an unusual manipulative for math: First, my students determine which brand of dishwashing liquid produces the biggest bubble by blowing a straw into some solution poured onto a table....

Dragon bag puppets.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Jackie Howes, of Weatogue, CT, celebrates Chinese New Year with her class: We make easy and fun dragon puppets out of paper bags, egg cartons and paper bowls. First we take a paper bowl, invert it and paint it along with the paper bag. Then we...

Nonsense teaches context.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Beth Schoendorf, from Glenshaw, PA, wants middle schoolers to see how meaning is derived from context: I invent nonsense words and then use them in a descriptive sentence so that the meaning becomes clear and students can see how it's possible...

Mitten match-up.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... How third-grade teacher Genevieve Petrillo, of Belleville, NJ, teaches parts of speech: We learn all about adjectives by creating an interactive bulletin board. First, the students trace around their hands to create the shape of a pair of...

Snack attack.(Student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Cristy A. Jefson, Ph.D., of Whitewater, WI, suggests this yummy guessing game: Ask kids to name some of their favorite snack foods. Bring in the packaging for some of their top choices, then fill a baggie with the amount of sugar that is...

Lock and key partners.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Judy Podner, of Bossier City, LA, has a partner system that's a natural fit: I hate when some students feel left out or remain unchosen by their classmates. So I purchased a variety of lock and key sets. I tie necklace-length ribbons around the...

Warm up to reading.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... First-year teacher Jacqueline Crawford, of Mableton, GA, keeps warm on cold days: I am teaching in a trailer with 24 fourth graders. As the temperature drops in November, I have "hot chocolate moments" in the mornings. The students come in and...

Recycle your holiday cards.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Patricia Bonanni, of Williamstown, NJ, has kids write math problems from recycled holiday cards: Old holiday cards provide many opportunities for learning. I have students use them as inspiration to write festive word problems. For instance:...

Clean desk patrol.(student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Janet Hassenplug, a third-grade teacher from Lake Hiawatha, NJ, promotes organization and teamwork: I set a timer to go off randomly during the day. When it does, the students and I say, "Hands up!" The students put their hands in the air and I...

Book exchange.(student motivation)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Jennifer Hoey, a third-grade teacher in Skiatook, OK, has a learning-based twist to the holiday gift exchange: Instead of having students do a gift exchange during the holidays, invite them to do a book exchange. A month before the holidays,...

Reading rings.(teaching methods)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Devora Samson, an ESL teacher, uses this colorful method for teaching reading: ESL students usually have a hard time with vowel sounds, so for each child I have something called a reading ring. After punching holes into fluorescent index cards...

Crayon candles.(Student motivation )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... JoAnn Hay, of Fairfax Station, VA, has kids make holiday gifts for families from recycled crayons: We collect old crayons and peel off the paper. Then we melt them in an old frying pan and pour them into a glass or cup. Next, we attach a string...

3 fresh snowman ideas.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... * A SNOWMAN'S NOSE Linda Boyer, first-grade teacher in Danville, IL, found a frosty way to reuse glue bottles: We have a limited budget and use many recycled materials for art projects. While talking to my class about recycling. Adam held...

Rewards not working? Education expert Alfie Kohn explains why incentives hurt kids and how teachers can break free of them.(Interview)
December 1, 2005... Gold stars, extra recess-time. Most of us would say that we use incentives to help kids stay on track in the classroom--and we give warnings and time-outs when they're not. There's no question it's hard keeping a class of 25 energetic...

"How can I help my struggling readers?" Two top literacy experts tackle your toughest problems.
December 1, 2005... The reasons some children struggle with reading are as varied as the children themselves. From trouble decoding words to problems retaining information, reading difficulties are complex. All kids, says the International Reading Association,...

How can I get it all done? Time-saving solutions to help you shorten your December to-do list.
December 1, 2005... Between holiday concerts and grades due, finding perfect (or close-enough) presents and the rush to fit in required lessons, the few weeks before break can seem like a season of suffering rather than a season of cheer. But not this year. We...

Van Gogh: the Starry Night.
December 1, 2005... TWO WORLDS The natural world--the sky, the tree, and the mountains--seems bigger and more powerful than the human world in this painting. Have children list the natural and the man-made objects in the painting. Which take up most of the...

Teaching kids about integrity: lead by example and you'll help students build the courage to stand up for their beliefs.
December 1, 2005... Whether it's defending a field trip to a principal or explaining a teaching method to a parent, as teachers, we quickly learn we have to stand up for our ideas. Like you, I want my students to have that same type of determination and...

Best of 2005: our annual classroom buying guide--for teachers by teachers.
December 1, 2005... Last month we shared the top tech tools of 2005, chosen for teachers by teachers in our New York City offices this summer. Now we're pleased to share our teacher-judges' favorite curriculum offerings, from fun ways to drill multiplication...

A sweet treat in 5 simple steps; Plus: how to connect this special once-a-winter snack to your math lessons!
December 1, 2005... Trina Gunzel Likes to surprise her students in Payson, Arizona by making these s'more snowpeople. 1 Have kids dip marshmallows in chocolate then place them on a graham cracker base. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2 Children create the...

Why does ice float? Answer kids' tricky science questions with three simple experiments.
December 1, 2005... Don't let wintry weather put a freeze on your creative lesson plans. Even if you're trapped indoors without much money or supplies, it's easy to conduct fun, eye-opening science experiments that celebrate what's unique about the winter weather....

Short reads for tall kids: picture books in fifth grade? Yes! They are great models for writing.
December 1, 2005... Everyone knows that good writers must also be good readers. But the reading doesn't have to be limited to the chapter books in your grade's curriculum. Picture books--yes, the oversized ones in the children's section with "written and...

Pizza fractions: and 37 other writing prompts that will have your middle schoolers happily reaching for their pens.
December 1, 2005... Pizza slices, the number of "free minutes" left on a cell phone plan--these are "real-world" fractions. Why not ask kids to write about them? Whether you teach English or math, asking middle schoolers to respond to a prompt is an easy strategy...

We like playing Santa, so here's 60 prizes for you.
December 1, 2005... DECEMBER SWEEPSTAKES RULES How to Enter Send a postcard with your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address to Instructor December Sweepstakes (Page #), P.O. Box 713, New York, NY 10013. The page number should correspond to the...

Catalog showcase: a showcase for your catalogs, products and brochures.
December 1, 2005... CAPTIONED MEDIA PROGRAM (www.captionedmedia.org) Free-loan media library of over 4,000 open-captioned educational titles for teachers and parents of deaf and hard of hearing children and other professionals who work with them. Available...

David Sedaris: the hilarious best-selling author and NPR humorist talks about great teachers and other American heroes.(Interview)
December 1, 2005... What makes a great teacher? A great teacher encourages you to think, and then nobly suffers the consequences. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Who was your best teacher? Maybe it was Jewell Dean Love Sudduth, who taught tenth-grade...