Missouri State Teachers Association

Six-Word Memoirs

     This might be a nice back-to-school inservice icebreaker.  Ask each of your fellow staffers to write his or her own six word memoir.  A Teacher Magazine article says this idea came from a newspaper feature on "succinct prose."  Click here to read some of the creative responses from educators.

     I believe this exercise would be much more productive and positive at the outset of the school year.  Don't ask anyone to compose in May!  Perhaps that would be a better time to ask teachers to write a six-word memoir for someone with whom they work. . .

     It may also be a good assignment for students at some point in the school year.

     My own memoir?  Happily learning from and teaching others.

Merit Pay: Eagle County, Colorado

     The age-old debate over merit pay for teachers continues through the 2008 presidential election.  Because it is a hot topic for the education community, comments made by the candidates spark new articles.  Take a look at this one posted on the NPR website.  The commentary by teachers (one who appreciates the concept, and one who doesn't) is especially poignant.  It demonstrates why there is such controversy over merit pay.

     What concerned me from the article was the idea that master teachers in this Colorado school district spend less time with students than novices.  What seemed more promising, though, was the idea that the entire faculty of a building could be rewarded for exemplary performance - rather than pitting teacher against teacher for the extra dough.  Thoughts?

Polling places and school elections (from a cool podcast)

This one is for all of you nerds out there.  Scientific American has a great daily podcast called "60 Second Science."  This post from June 24th talks about research that was done on voters habits.  The study found that people who vote at schools vote more positively for school issues.  So how do we get all levy and bond issue elections to be held in schools?