In this article from USA Today, an anti-union lawyer is looking for the worst teachers in the country to give $10,000 to to retire. To get the moolah, teachers would have to submit to being profiled on a website with stories of the issues that forced them to retire. What do you think of this idea?
In September 2009, a charter school in New York City will open with a refreshing philosophy; pay master teachers, and they will come. Correlating quality educators with high student achievement, The Equity Project has designed a program of rigorous qualifications, redefined expectations, and revolutionary compensation. Teachers will earn $125,000 per year with potential bonuses that may amount to as much as $25,000. Read more here.
What a handy companion for anyone teaching students about the formation of crystals! Whether a cursory lesson or a more in depth investigation, I think you'll find this book relevant and a bit mysterious. . .
Recently a preschool in Sweden banned its students from wearing stripes or polka-dots to school per this article. They cite that the patterns on the clothes cause one of the teachers to develop migraines. I am no fashion guru or doctor, but it seems to me after working in a classroom (and raising preschoolers) that there could be many other reasons she is getting migraines. What do you think?
"Rock-and-roll is a uniquely American art form. We receive emotional information as well as intellectual information from it."
So says Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In fact, he is working with the National Association of Music Education to develop curriculum that ties the music genre to our nation's history. He implies traditional music programs (choir, band, and orchestra) aren't all that's needed to demonstrate the importance music has played upon American culture.
Would students take this curriculum seriously, though?
Missouri Representative Jane Cunningham is sponsoring a bill that would, in part, ban teachers from sharing password privileged profiles with students they've taught within the past two years. No penalties for doing so are outlined in the proposed legislation, however.
My experience as a field service coordinator for MSTA compels me to caution members about using social media as a form of communication with students and parents. The technology is too new to know the full range of pitfalls that may result from on-line conversations. In fact, I am still taking calls from teachers who have had email tone misinterpreted by students and parents, and email has been around "forever," relative to this technology.
Take a look at this article. Opinions are welcome!
Sometimes I just don't know a unique find from a bogus offer. However, I read a review of this text that was intriguing, so I thought I'd pass on the information and let you decide. The critic likened it to a work of art. . .
At any rate, a free source designed for teachers, students, and the physics curious deserves a look, right?
You have to give credit where credit is due. A kid from Mexico glued his hand to his bed in an attempt to stay home. You can read about little Diego's attempt here. Unfortunately for him, authorities were able to get him unstuck before school started. What are the most original stories you have heard from kids trying to skip school?
Are fractions obsolete? Should they be saved for a rainy day (or at least until a student reaches calculus class)? That is the sentiment of Dennis DeTurck, a highly-regarded professor at the University of Pennsylvania. In a book to be published within the year, he addresses what he perceives as an outdated aspect of modern mathematics and suggests decimals are the way to go.
Of course, he garners some heavy criticism. But it is worth noting that just about the time students are submerged in fractions, many lose interest in math altogether. Take a look at this article for more information.
U.S. News and World Report recently joined the ranks of other newspapers and journals by publishing a list of what they perceive to be the top 100 high schools in our country. I have some questions: Why are lists like these necessary? What good results from these lists? And are journalists the best source of information regarding the quality of public education?
Sure, they enlisted the aid of a school evaluation service. But admittedly, they used only three criteria to judge a relatively small number of our nation's 18.000 or so high schools.
This issue of U.S. News may just have to line the bottom of the bird cage.
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