Instructor (1990) articles from October 2006

Instructor (1990) archives from October 2006

Standards.
October 1, 2006... All of the ideas in Instructor connect to the standards you need to teach. READING AND WRITING GR. K-2 The Silliest Pumpkin Story Makes contributions in class and group discussions Page 43 GR. K-8 New Books Uses reading...

teacher.scholastic.com.(for teachers)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Teacher-to-Teacher Advice THIS MONTH, A FOCUS ON CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT. HERE'S ONE NEAT IDEA: "Disruptive students can be put to great use. I put them in charge of organizing the supply closet, sorting papers, passing out materials,...

Simple, everyday solutions.(from the editors)
October 1, 2006... October is the busiest month--for teachers, anyway. From parent conferences to the Halloween parade, your schedule is packed. And so this issue is packed with advice you can use right now: Idea Swap is bigger than ever, filled with...

Think "Idea Swap" is new? Think again!(HAPPY BIRTHDAY, INSTRUCTOR!)
October 1, 2006... Since debuting in 1891, Instructor has published classroom ideas and advice from teachers in every issue. After all, who knows how to tackle long division, talk with families, and reach that difficult student better than other teachers? You...

Great timing.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I would love to see Instructor do a poster of Grant Wood's American Gothic. Every year, I have kids create their own versions of the famous painting using pictures of themselves and their friends and family. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

More love for posters.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Due to recent budget cuts, we lost our arts program and art teachers. So now parent volunteers visit classrooms once a month to teach children about famous artists. I can't wait to use Instructor's Masterpiece Posters as part of this program....

A bad rap for homework.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I read the excerpt of Alfie Kohn's The Homework Myth in your September issue. Although I agree that homework should not be assigned for its own sake, I play catch-up after every vacation because many families do not enrich education at home. In...

More thoughts on homework.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I understand that children need play time, but the pressures that schools face due to new laws and state assessments are great. Alfie Kohn fails to realize that although students are in school for six hours each day, once you subtract time for...

Internet help.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I'm having trouble finding the NPR series "Honoring the One Room Schoolhouse" (Teachers' Lounge, September 2006). Can you help?--Madawn Traxel, via e-mail Editor's Reply: Yes! Go to www.scholastic.com/instructor. Click on "October Links"...

Teachers are a generous bunch.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I'm not surprised that teachers spend an average of $1,802 on supplies and classroom materials each year (Teachers' Lounge, September 2006). I teach in Camden, New Jersey, an inner-city school district. When it comes to decorating my classroom,...

Correction.(Correction notice)
October 1, 2006... In the August 2006 issue of Instructor, the images of the Andy Warhol work Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962 should have included the following language: "Trademarks Campbell Soup Company. All Rights Reserved." We apologize for the omission.

The best ideas come from teachers like you!(ideaswap)(teaching techniques)
October 1, 2006... Look Like a Lion You don't have to spend a lot to make great costumes for performances. My class used just construction paper, paint, yarn, and craft sticks to become lions for our performance of The Lion King. Students wore black clothing...

Building robots (and team spirit): teacher David Culp revs up the passion for science.(making a difference)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... David Culp was only ten when he learned to program computers. A career as an engineer seemed inevitable. But during college, he had a change of heart. "I decided to be a teacher," he says. "I haven't regretted it." Culp's choice has...

Tales from our message boards.(teachers' lounge)(about students)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... True classroom stories are stranger than fiction: * IT'S IN THE DETAILS A Kindergartener came up to me at lunch, looking for her gloves. "Have you seen my gloves?" she asked. "They are pink, and kind of shaped like my hand a little...

Inside the teaching mind.(Cartoon)
October 1, 2006... Mr. Murchison learned quite a bit on "Bring-your-superintendent-to-work" Day. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CARTOON: BY EMILY RICHARDS:

The benefits of looping.(teachers' lounge)(elementary school teachers)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... A second-grade teacher, Melissa Fleischer wanted to learn how first-graders were prepared. She moved down a grade with the plan to stay with her class for two years. She ended up staying with them through third grade. Then fourth. Then fifth....

Did you hear?(teachers' lounge)(payteachers.com)(American Psychological Association's research on zero tolerance policies )(simplified spelling by American Literacy Council )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... GET PAID FOR PLANNING LESSONS Have you checked out teachers payteachers.com yet? Think of it as Ebay for educators. You can post your lesson plans or reproducibles for sale, or buy and download ones you need. "Teachers create material...

4 BEST FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS: Teen Read Week is October 15-21. Celebrate with these terrific young adult books.(Haters)(101 Things to Do Before You're Old and Boring)(Raiders Night)(Notes From the Midnight Driver)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2006... Notes From the Midnight Driver By Jordan Sonnenblick. $16.99. If this teacher-author hasn't already charmed you with Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, he will with the tale of 16-year-old Alex, who's forced to do community service at a senior...

4 BEST SPOOKY STORIES: Halloween is around the corner. But any time of year, these eerie reads will have kids at the edges of their seats.(Mommy?)(Unexplained)(Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich)(The Raven)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
October 1, 2006... Mommy? By Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks, and Matthew Reinhart, $24.95. Where are the wild things? Springing from the page in Sendak's masterful first pop-up. Think monster mash meets Are You My Mother? GRADES K-2. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

5 Best Fables, Myths, and Folktales: You always tell us you love teaching folktales. With books like these, we can see why.(Parch Lies)(Pandora's Box)(The Silver Donkey)(Go to Sleep, Gecko!)(Three Little Cajun Pigs)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
October 1, 2006... Parch Lies By Patricia McKissack. $18.95. In the spirit of stories her grandfather once told, McKissack spins her own memorable trickster tales, drawing on African-American legend. Ranging from the comic to the spooky, each story is the perfect...

3 BEST FOR MATH CLASS: Mix your ABCs with your 123s and try one of these math-themed read alouds.(All of the Above)(A Million Dots)(Great Estimations)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
October 1, 2006... Great Estimations By Bruce Goldstone. $16.95. Goldstone uses eye-catching photos of candy, money, and penguins to teach nifty estimation tricks, such as clump counting. Questions on each page challenge kids to use their newfound...

We hunted down the best free resources for teachers!(free stuff)
October 1, 2006... COOL CONTESTS Enter Instructor Sweeps Did you know? Each month, we feature new sweepstakes only on our Web site! Don't miss them! DEADLINE: October 31, 2006 HERE'S HOW: Go to www.scholastic.com/instructor. Grow a Pumpkin...

Tech tools perfect for special needs learners (and you, too!).(teachers' picks)
October 1, 2006... BEST WAY TO MAKE YOURSELF HEARD This wireless voice-amplification system ensures every student can hear the teacher's voice equally well. It includes a wide choice of microphones and speakers. Our teacher-tester thought it was "perfect for...

Grant Wood: American Gothic.(masterpiece poster)(how to improve creativity in students)
October 1, 2006... UP, UP, AND AWAY The painting's title refers to the Gothic Architectural style, which originated in medieval European cathedrals with their soaring spires. The window at the top of Wood's farmhouse is designed in a Gothic style. Ask kids...

The hidden price of privilege: upper-middle-class kids are increasingly facing some serious problems. Expert Madeline Levine tells why.(best practice)(Interview)
October 1, 2006... They may be rich, but they are really unhappy. Surprising new studies show that privileged adolescents are more likely than any other socioeconomic group to suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. What's going on? We sat...

What Aaron taught me about fluency: how a kid who had never been to school transformed my teaching.(a teacher's story)
October 1, 2006... It was the first day of school, well into the afternoon, when my principal, Tom, dropped by. "I've got a new student for you and this story is a little different," he said wryly. "Aaron is twelve and he's never been to school. Not at all. Not...

10 things every young writer needs: kids have what it takes to become really great writers. Here's what you can do to cultivate their creativity.(best practice)
October 1, 2006... Do you dream of a class full of students who love writing workshop? With persistence and an enthusiastic approach, you can lead your students to discover writing as a creative outlet and a communication tool, a way of transmitting the scenes...

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere: take them off the front porch and put them to work in the classroom! Creative ways to use pumpkins in every subject.(Fresh, Festive Ideas)(Cover story)
October 1, 2006... FOR LANGUAGE ARTS, TRY: The Silliest Pumpkin Story Ever * FOCUS SKILLS: Listening, speaking * WHAT TO DO: Prepare an autumn storytelling bag by filling a pillowcase with nature finds, classroom items, clothing or accessories, plus...

Plan a great field trip: October is national go on a field trip month! Here's a sneak peek at a guide to great field trips, by Kathleen Carroll, which hits stores in January.(Tired of the Zoo?)
October 1, 2006... WHERE TO GO IN YOUR CITY: 1 AIRPORTS. Small airports are best. Ask to see the wind sock, the runway, the airplanes, and hangers. If possible, go inside the cockpit of a plane. 2 HAIR SALONS. Learn what changes the color of hair and...

Reading for gumshoes: teacher Audrey Kennan shares how she uses mysteries to teach crucial reading skills. 'Tis the season for a spooky story!(Teaching Literacy)
October 1, 2006... SKILL: UNDERSTANDING GENRE Genre Charts Because mysteries' specific elements--detectives, suspects, and clues--are so clear, they provide a good background for talking about what is meant by genre in general. Ask students, "What are we...

Put away the workbooks: no matter where you are in your math curriculum, Virginia teachers Lisa Hall and Joan Stoller have a game for you.(Got Five Minutes?)
October 1, 2006... TWENTY QUESTIONS WHAT IT TEACHES: Number sense HOW TO PLAY: Write down a two- through four-digit number and hide it. Let the class know how many digits are in your number, and allow them to ask you yes or no questions about it. Only...

Celebrate metric week: metric week is October 9 to 13. Middle school math teacher Diane McKeen shares five favorite ideas.(Unusual Holidays)
October 1, 2006... 1. METRIC ESTIMATING JARS Fill a jar with your favorite candy and have students guess the number of grams of candy that are in the jar. Give students one clue: 453 grams equals approximately one pound of candy. A fun twist: Fill the jar...

Twelve skills that raise test scores: no one wants to teach to the test. But developing comprehension skills does pay off. In his new book how parents can help kids improve test scores, Steven Schneider identifies the testing buzz words that call on these skills and shares fresh ways to sharpen them.(High-Stakes Testing)(How Parents Can Help Kids Improve Test Scores: Taking the Stakes Out of Literacy Testing)(Reprint)
October 1, 2006... COMPREHENSION SKILL #1: Locating the Main Idea BUZZ WORDS: The phrases mostly about or mainly about. ACTIVITY TO TRY: Invite kids to bring in articles from your local paper. Cut off the headlines. Spread the articles on a table....

Sebastian junger: the journalist and author of the perfect storm on boys' books, global learning, and great teaching.(pop quiz)(Interview)
October 1, 2006... You write about real-life adventures from deep-sea fishing to war zones. What kinds of books did you read growing up? I loved nonfiction--books about Native Americans, war stories. I often had a hard time concentrating on books for school....