Upfront

September 2003   

IDEA: Final Rounds

Photo by Duncan Smith

Congressional debate over the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is heating up again, but with an end finally in view. The Senate will consider a bill in September, then a House-Senate conference committee will craft legislation the full Congress will vote on this fall.

The verdict so far? NEA has scored major victories, helping to:

• defeat feverish attempts to include vouchers

• get improved working conditions, including paperwork reduction and use of a model national IEP

• include early intervention measures that allow 15 percent of funding for prereferral and classroom strategies

• get more funding for professional development.

BUT there's major work left:

Full funding-- The House has adamantly rejected attempts to make this mandatory, and the bill the Senate will consider follows suit. While the House did raise authorized funding levels by $4.7 billion over the next two years, NEA will continue its push for full funding and lobby for the Hagel-Harkin full funding amendment (S. 939) during the Senate floor debate.

Highly qualified definition-- After intense NEA advocacy, a Senate committee agreed that the definition set forth in the new Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) should not apply to special education teachers. Its bill declares these teachers highly qualified if they are certified or licensed by the state in special ed. The House bill offers no such provision, putting in jeopardy thousands of special ed teachers who teach core academic subjects.

To do! Check out the latest congressional activity and write your rep at NEA's Legislative Action Center. Get on the NEA-IDEA activist e-mail list. Send an e-mail to Patti Ralabate at pralabate@nea.org.

Rocking the Boat

State budget woes may be worsening by the day, but NEA members in some 20 states, from Nevada to New Jersey, have found their voices at public rallies protesting cuts in education.

In New York, NEA members joined 25,000 other advocates, including colleagues from the American Federation of Teachers, parents, school board members, and administrators, in a march to the state capitol in May. This marked the first time in the state's history that the education community rallied as one.

"It was incredible to see this kind of solidarity," says Teresa Bennett, a school board member who traveled to the Albany rally from Plattsburgh, New York.

At an April rally organized by the Nebraska State Education Association, Omaha Superintendent John Mackiel drove home the reasoning for the unity, saying school funding had taken a back seat to prisons, corporate subsidies, and "trust funds for roads."

Can the disdain for adequate funding continue? Not if the public makes lawmakers accountable.

"We need to disrupt their quiet!" cried Virginia Education Association President Jean Bankos at an April state rally. "We need to make noise [and] let them know in no uncertain terms that their lifeboats are not safe. As long as our schools are underfunded, we need to rock their boats!"

5 Zany Ways...
To Make the First Week of School Great

Fearing chaos? Dreading first-day blahs? No need. Fun is everywhere you are.

• Take advantage of the end-of-summer sales and buy a new pair of comfortable shoes. Your feet will thank you at the end of that first day back.

• Make time for one last dip in the pool and sip a frozen drink. It may be the last time you get to really kick back until winter break.

• Practice grinning--a lot. It'll help when, well, there's nothing to grin about.

• Once back in class, spend the first day of school encouraging teamwork and friendship in ways that will be fun for your students--and a hoot for you. Challenge your gang to a scavenger hunt or a quiz on trivia. Or have each group compose a rap about themselves and sing it or act out a scene in a popular movie that speaks to who they "are."

• Tell your colleagues how much you value them; the goodwill will flow.

Cellblocks or Classrooms?

You already knew, but the evidence is in: States are spending way more money on prisons than on higher education. A study by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) reports that between 1985 and 2000, states increased spending to higher education by 24 percent, compared with an increase of 166 percent for corrections. Thirteen states reported having a higher number of African Americans in jail than in higher education between 1980 and 2000. While some states voted to close prisons to slash budget costs in 2003, a follow-up study by JPI reports that one out of every 14 dollars spent in state budgets still went to corrections.

Notepad

Can Ya Hear Me Now?
Teachers have been shouting to reach students in the back row probably since Socrates, all too often doing serious damage to themselves in the process. But listen up about a practical, technological solution: wireless sound systems. At Pioneer Elementary in West Valley City, Utah, teachers wear wireless microphones and speakers distribute the sound evenly around the room, reports the Deseret News of Salt Lake City.

Before, said fourth-grade teacher Shauna Starr, "I was ready to quit. When I started losing my voice, it frightened me." Now, though she speaks more softly, her students hear better and are more engaged. The equipment and installation cost: $1,600 per classroom.

ESEA Testing: It Ain't Cheap
Ever wonder how much all the new testing mandated under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act will really cost? The General Accounting Office has done some official calculating and recently reported the price tag: between $1.9 and $5.3 billion over the next seven years. Exactly what the damage will be for your state depends on the kind of tests it decides to use; typically, the better the test, the higher the costs. But states are strapped, and Congress is resistant to ponying up more funds. So far it's allocated $771 million over the next three years. Go figure.

Have some news to share?

By mail: NEA Today, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036

By e-mail: neatoday@nea.org

ESEA: Getting It Right

Since the new Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed 1 1/2 years ago, NEA has been assessing its impact and lobbying for legislative improvements that better nurture its goals. In July, NEA announced plans to legally challenge the burdensome, unfunded mandates imposed on the states by the law. Many in Congress, meanwhile, say they support NEA's quest for changes in the law, and some have proposed corrective amendments. Contact your congressional reps (visit www.nea.org/lac) and urge them to support these fixes.

H.R. 947, The School Capacity Relief Act by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) would allow local school districts to prohibit the transfer of students from schools identified for school improvement to another school if that school is at or above capacity, or if such transfer would increase the school's average class size above what the state prescribes.

S. 956, The Student Testing Flexibility Act of 2003 by Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) would require the Secretary of Education to grant a state's request to waive the required annual testing in each of grades 3-8, if the state demonstrates it has significantly closed the achievement gap or, for two consecutive years, exceeded the state's Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) standards.

H.R. 2107, The Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers Act by Rep. Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD) would guarantee full funding for ESEA and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

S. 1189, The Federal Education Fair Accountability Act of 2003 by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL), or similar legislation offered by Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS), which would allow states to defer or suspend the school improvement, corrective action, and restructuring "sanctions" imposed for failure to meet AYP for any year in which the federal government provides less than 95 percent of the yearly authorized amounts for Title I.

Why GPO/WEP Isn't OK

"My husband put 47 years of his life into the Social Security retirement system. I taught for 32 years. Three days after I retired, my husband died," NEA-Retired member Fran Valenzuela said during a visit to Capitol Hill in May, "and I don't get a penny from Social Security."

Valenzuela, a Texan, was among a contingent of NEA members who showed up in force at a May 1 hearing of the Social Security Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. The topic: two laws--the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)--that unfairly penalize retired public employees by denying them earned benefits.

The GPO reduces a public employee's Social Security spousal or survivor benefits by an amount equal to two-thirds of his or her public pension. So an educator whose spouse works in the private sector and pays into Social Security (like Valenzuela) will not be eligible for full survivor benefits if her spouse predeceases her.

The WEP reduces benefits public employees earned in an earlier career or in a second job. For example, a teacher who entered the profession after working in the private sector, or a support professional who supplements his income by working part-time in a private sector job, might lose a significant amount of the Social Security benefits earned in those private sector jobs.

To find out more about GPO and WEP, go to www.nea.org/lac/socsec.

Mixing It Up Over Grub

You know the drill: Your students break for lunch and before you can bat an eye, they're huddling in the cafeteria with their "homies." Same crowd. Same table. Same chatter.

Can the pattern be broken? The folk at the Southern Poverty Law Center's anti-bias project, Teaching Tolerance, believe it can. On November 18, they're sponsoring their second annual Mix It Up At Lunch Day.

The idea: to have students eat lunch for one day at a new table in hopes they'll strike up some cool new friendships. Teachers then get armed with all kinds of activity guides for helping promote student dialogue and cooperation throughout the school year.

Last year more than 200,000 students at 3,000 schools across the country participated, and organizers expect even more this year. "Mix It Up ultimately is about creating a school community where everyone is welcomed, respected, and valued," says Jennifer Holladay, director of Tolerance.org, the Web site for Teaching Tolerance. "It's about creating a safe environment where students can grow and learn academically and socially."

To sign up your school and get a Mix It Up starter kit, go to www.mixitup.org

--Josef Sawyer

Need a Lift?

Treat yourself to a book full of tributes to people just like you. Teachers with Class: True Stories of Great Teachers by Marsha Serling Goldberg and Sonia Feldman celebrates the profound impact caring teachers had in the lives of famous and not-so-famous people, including Walter Cronkite, Marian Wright Edelman, Thomas Friedman, and James Earl Jones. Jones, for example, tells the dramatic story of how an English teacher helped him overcome his stutter. Want more information? Go to www.teacherswithclass.com. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education.

Global Takes

Africa: The Good, Bad, and Ugly
Ethiopian Teachers' Association President Taye Woldesmiate was fresh out of jail when he got up to address the NEA's Representative Assembly in New Orleans this summer. He had spent six years incarcerated on trumped up charges of working to overthrow the government, but was finally released after pressure from NEA and many other groups.

That's the good news. The bad news is that, according to Woldesmiate, education in Ethiopia is going downhill. Two-thirds of Ethiopian children are not in school.

Things look a bit better in Kenya, where a new government is trying to carry out its election pledge to eliminate fees for primary school (grades one through eight). According to Education Week, a million extra students are trying to squeeze into Kenyan schools, pushing class size over 100 in some areas. Some teachers are meeting their students under trees for lack of indoor space.

Education International, the world federation of educators' unions that includes NEA, has called on the United States and other wealthy countries to help Kenya and other poor nations pay for schools.

England: Just Saying No
You may still be woozy over having to administer all those tests last year, but members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) in England have thrown down the gauntlet. The 250,000-member union is talking about boycotting "disgusting" national tests for 7-, 11- and 14-year-olds. The NUT says students are too stressed out; one activist called it a form of "child abuse." Stay tuned.

Pursuing a Livable Wage

Education support professionals (ESPs) from Vermont don't play around when it comes to advocating a livable wage. When they gathered last spring with Association staffers and livable wage advocates, these NEA members shared some no-holds-barred advice on how to beat school board administrators at their own game.

For example, when confronted by negotiators looking to skimp on salaries, Vergennes paraprofessional Rose Wenzel advised not falling for the line, "We pay your health insurance." Just tell 'em: "You can't eat health insurance or pay bills with it!" she said.

That kind of firm stand is a must, agreed Debbie Minnick, president of the Ithaca (New York) Paraprofessional Association. It's what won her members a contract in 2002 that boosts the starting wage by 50 percent over three years--without givebacks. "I'm here to tell you it takes a lot of organizing, a lot of meetings, and lot of communications," said Minnick, one of several living wage activists who took time to deliberate with the Vermonters on how to build community coalitions, inter-union solidarity, and workplace "power" for decent pay.

Don't buy administrators' plea that "there's no money anymore," Minnick advised. "They always have money. You have to ask and you have to go for it."

Convinced it's time for a livable wage campaign? Grants are available to local affiliates through NEA regional offices. For more information contact Jorge Rivera at Jrivera@nea.org.

Money, Money, Money, Mon-ey

As education cuts take their toll from one end of the country to the other, communities have been scurrying to compensate. Parents in Eugene, Oregon, donated their blood plasma to keep teachers working, while children in Sonoma County, California, reached into their piggy banks and forked over $100 in dimes, nickels, and pennies. But alas, the rich are clearly coping better than the poor. According to the Oakland Tribune, parents in Woodside, California, raised $1.3 million--that's $3,000 a child--through donation request letters and an auction. Can your community match that?

New Teachers: Just Go 'Click!'

Know a student teacher who wants to join NEA? Well, spread the news: Starting August 25 these prospective "newbies" can enroll in the Student Program online and get immediate access to NEA programs and resources.

Until now students who signed up often would not get their bonanza of Association perks for several months after joining. That's because forms for active members typically get processed first. Now, through online enrollment, student information will be fed into the general database and members will get immediate access to Tomorrow's Teachers, NEA Today, OWL.org, NEA Member Benefits, and $1 million's worth of liability insurance. They'll also receive e-mail welcome messages from NEA President Reg Weaver and Student Program Chairperson Dawn Shephard, as well as a new member CD-ROM.

Will the new Web program boost membership? Student leaders say if similar state programs are a guide--absolutely. The Pennsylvania State Education Association, for example, launched an online student enrollment site last fall, and student membership soared by more than 3,500 members during the first six months alone. Prospective members can sign up with a credit or debit card at www.nea.org or www.owl.org.

How Soon Can I Start?

My first year of teaching started so fast! I graduated from college in May, called school districts for applications in June, and had my first interview in early July. I landed my first job in late August, which left only two weeks to prepare for the first day of school. I'll never forget how excited I was as I drove to my new school the Monday after the Board of Education approved me. With the start of school only two days away, I was eager to decorate my room. I was certain the building would be bustling with other staff members preparing for the new year. As I parked in the first spot, I wondered why there were no other cars in the lot. Little did I know that most veterans do not consider Labor Day the best time to head back to school! Luckily the head custodian was on duty that morning and, feeling sorry for the rookie, let me into the building. I quickly assessed my new room, noting the furniture, floor plan, and number of bulletin boards, then headed home to plan. Needless to say, I now spend Labor Day just barbecuing.

Janine P. Riggins
Third-grade teacher
Atlantic City, New Jersey

Got a good story about your early classroom years? E-mail kloschert@nea.org. Please include your name, job title, and city and state where you work.

Two-Minute Tips

Constructing a New School Year
On the first day of school, I wear a construction hard hat as I greet my students. I tell them that starting a new school year is like building a house. Our personal relationships make up the foundation and frame, while the interior comes from our school decorations. We discuss the importance of each element and I stress that the new house won't stand if something falls apart. Then, we talk about building codes and the students design a set of rules as their "building code" for the room. If we have problems during the year, I tell students that the house might collapse and we discuss the "building code" to reinforce the class rules.

Dana Labarry
Las Vegas, Nevada

Quiet Classroom
Each morning, I write the word QUIET on the board to help students control their noise level. If students become too noisy, I erase a letter. When the students notice, they remind each other to quiet down. Students can earn back erased letters by working quietly. If the class has at least two letters remaining at the end of the day, the class earns one point. I reward the students with special treats for every 25 points they earn.

Cindy Andrews
Mesa, Arizona

Have a good tip?

Send it by mail: NEA Today, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036

Send it by e-mail: neatoday@nea.org

Great Tests, Great Teacher? Hmm.

Most teachers believe in rewarding the best members of their profession, but they say that "best" shouldn't be defined by student test scores.

In a poll of 1,345 public school teachers conducted by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan public opinion research organization, 70 percent favored financial incentives for "teachers who work in tough neighborhoods with low-performing schools," but only 38 percent supported higher pay for those whose students "routinely score higher than similar students on standardized tests."

When $40 Million = Zero

Ohio has spent over $40 million since 1996 on vouchers for Cleveland children. So, what have the taxpayers gotten for their money?

Zero, according to a study funded by the state itself. Students who got the vouchers did no better on tests than similar students who did not get vouchers. This study, by Kim Metcalf of Indiana University, is just the latest in an unbroken string of research from around the nation that has found vouchers do not lead to higher student achievement.

Metcalf did find some interesting differences between children who got vouchers and children who did not, however. The voucher students are less likely to be African American and also less likely to come from low-income homes. That's right--although vouchers are billed as the poor child's ticket to private school, the data show that the tuition is disproportionately used for children who are not poor.

Another notable finding: Voucher recipients who leave their private schools and return to the public schools tend to be among the lowest-performing students. Public schools take all comers. Private schools don't.

The lack of evidence for vouchers has not stopped voucher backers from pushing for more, however. See "State Report" for news from Colorado, where a voucher plan passed, and Louisiana, where they've been defeated, at least for now, by opposition from educators and parents.

Test the Polls:

A View From Florida

Think educators are getting blamed for society's shortcomings? You're not alone. Many parents, community leaders, and journalists think it's ironic that politicans demand miracles from schools, yet refuse to do their own part. Here's what Florida columnist Mark Lane had to say in the Daytona Beach News-Journal:

The Florida Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush have been full of stern lectures about the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). No more getting a diploma just because you passed the courses. That's accountability.

Why don't we have high-stakes testing for other groups that seem to be underperforming? It's time for the LCAT or Legislative Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Sample questions:

You pass a law mandating standardized tests on which graduation and grade promotion depend. What do you do about remedial classes for those who don't pass?

a) Find money to hire teachers and fund extra courses.

b) Announce plans to run summer schools around the state. Tell schools to cut other programs to pay for them.

c) File legislation requiring summer schools but appropriate no money to run them.

d) It's not my job, the governor will figure it out.

e) We all have to live within our means.

You hear from alarmed educators and parents complaining about the FCAT. You should:

a) Put failure slips on hold for a year so deficiencies in the law can be addressed and remedial classes organized.

b) Lecture parents about allowing children to watch too much television and blame local schools.

c) Search your computer hard drive for that speech denouncing teacher unions for opposing accountability.

d) Assure those affected that you're doing something and at the last minute pass waivers affecting a small percentage of those complaining.

e) It's a great day in the state of Florida!

If you answered any question with "a," you have no business in Florida politics. Thank goodness, we have a test to weed you out.

[Excerpt reprinted with the permission of the Daytona Beach News-Journal]

Smile

One of my first graders was at the blackboard, writing some words he knew. "You're just terrific," I told him, "You really know a lot of words, and look how fast you can write them, too!" He gave me his typically big and beaming smile and answered, "You know what? I even know how to spell Kentucky Fried Chicken!" "You do?" I replied. "Wow, well go ahead and show me!" And with the confidence of a brilliant first grader, he once again put his chalk to the board and wrote the letters KFC.

Fraida Zusman
Springfield, Virginia

As an English teacher I am always strugging to convince my students that their "boring" grammar lessons have real-world importance, but it can be a losing battle. Recently during a discussion about "who" and "whom" I asked, "What if someone calls you on the telephone? Are you supposed to say 'who may I say is calling?' or 'whom may I say is calling?'"

Not one student offered a guess. "Now do you see why you need to know this?" I asked. "Not really," said one boy. "I have Caller ID."

Eddie Robberts
Lancaster High School
Lancaster, Ohio

Have a funny school story, anecdote or vignette you'd like to share?

By mail: NEA Today/Smile 1201 16th St., N.W. Washington, DC 20036

By e-mail: neatoday@nea.org (include "Smile" in the subject line)

Through the Web: www.nea.org/neatoday

New Mexico

NEA-New Mexico is mobilizing voter turnout for a September 23 statewide referendum on two proposed amendments to the state constitution, one to create a first-ever cabinet position of Secretary of Education, the other to inject more than $600 million into public K-12 education over a 12-year period--through increased annual distribution from the $6.9 billion Permanent School Fund. The added money would fund a three-tier teacher licensure system with minimum salaries of $30,000 (Tier I), $40,000 (Tier II), and $50,000 (Tier III). A bipartisan, multi-organizational coalition supports passage of these amendments.

California
Pressure from the California Teachers Association and its local chapters has forced school districts statewide to rescind thousands of layoff notices issued in March. Just one example: After every one of its members received a layoff notice, the Alameda Education Association filed a suit that forced the district to cancel 624 of the 635 notices.

Louisiana
Lobbying by the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE) has helped bury a series of voucher bills. "With this issue behind us," says LAE President Carol Davis, "we can now concentrate on the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and continue making public schools great for Louisiana's children."

Colorado
The Colorado Education Association (CEA) is leading a broad coalition of community groups, from the state NAACP to the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, to challenge the legality of a new law creating a "pilot" voucher program for 11 Colorado districts and targeting low-income children or students in struggling schools. The suit, financed by NEA, charges that the voucher scheme will compel taxpayers to support religious schools and will remove local control from school boards.

Texas
Mass lobbying by tens of thousands of Texas State Teachers Association members has killed a package of "home rule" bills sold as reforms that would increase local control and give administrators "more flexibility." The legislation would have allowed districts to eliminate the salary schedule, grade K-4 class size limits, planning time and duty-free lunch, teacher certification standards, and teacher contracts and due process.

Missouri
Three Missouri NEA local affiliates, representing teachers and education support professionals, have filed a lawsuit over the Independence district's 2002 decision to revoke a negotiated labor-management "discussion" process, adopt a new non-bargained procedure, and implement unilateral changes in other longstanding agreements and working conditions. The suit seeks reversal of a 1947 Missouri Supreme Court ruling that prohibits collective bargaining for public employees.

Georgia
The Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) has won passage of a law reinstating fair dismissal rights for new K-12 teachers. These rights were eliminated in education reform legislation passed in the 2000 legislative session. "Restoring fair dismissal," says GAE President Merchuria Chase Williams, "returns respect to the teaching profession by protecting academic freedom and freeing teachers from intimidation."

Utah
The Utah state legislature has killed legislation, strongly opposed by the Utah Education Association, that would have provided tuition tax credits to parents who enroll their children in private schools. The measure was vigorously promoted by business groups and the American Legislative Exchange Council, which links conservative, pro-privatization state legislators across the country.

Nebraska
Following two years of district collaboration with the Nebraska State Education Association and the Omaha Education Association, Omaha teachers have a new evaluation system based on building-to-building uniformity and constructive feedback. A teacher is now assessed on four "domains" (such as classroom preparation and professional responsibilities), and each follow-up administrator/teacher discussion focuses on specific skills or areas where the teacher should--or hopes to--improve.

Vermont
By 30-0, education support professionals in the Vermont-New Hampshire Rivendell Interstate School District have voted for representation by Vermont-NEA (V-NEA). Rivendell staffers called in the Association after reading an NEA Today article about an aggressive ESP campaign for a livable wage in Winooski, Vermont, backed by V-NEA.

Making a Great Public School

A commitment to meaningful reform is put to the test in an urban New Jersey district.

Photo by Dave Winans

Lincoln Annex elementary, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, faces the challenges of any urban school. But if educators at this K-4 facility get it right, Lincoln may soon look like something out of the leafiest of suburbs.

Lincoln staffers have a green light--through a formal agreement of the school board, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), and the New Brunswick Education Association (NBEA)--to demonstrate how any neighborhood school can become a "Great Public School" through reforms such as smaller class sizes, family involvement, and meaningful professional development.

With its population of some 200 low-income students (82 percent Latino and 16 percent African American) drawn from the surrounding neighborhood, Lincoln is as real-life a demonstration site as they come.

No less real is the teaching force, a blend of seasoned vets and new teachers, many holding "alternative route" certification.

Lincoln teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) work under the standard NBEA bargaining agreement, put in long hours, and enjoy but one perk: the support of an NJEA staff team specializing in every area from education research to professional development.

Through extensive NJEA training and inclusive decision making--via a 12-member school leadership team--staffers spent the 2002-03 school year building a solid foundation for their five-year "Academy Project at Lincoln Annex."

The project officially begins in September, when baseline data have been compiled and teachers start action research projects. But NEA Today visited Lincoln for a preview, and initial progress is encouraging. Some indicators:

• Families are getting involved. Collaborating with school-family liaison Marlon Osuna, Lincoln Annex teachers and ESPs have worked overtime on outreach activities, including a United Nations Night and a Cinco de Mayo celebration, to build parents' comfort level with the school and make them real "stakeholders." Parents can even use the school's washer and dryer for free if they agree to spend the "spin" time in their children's classrooms.

• Students stay out of trouble and get more attention. Teachers, paraeducators, and principal Mary Jane McDonald all report that Lincoln Annex's smaller class sizes, averaging 15 students, make for fewer disciplinary problems. "If a kid does cartwheels in class he just doesn't have an audience!" says para Allison Karakowski.
  "Smaller classes mean more attention to each student," notes community resident Tim Otero. "Mrs. Youssef knows every student in my sister Kayla's class, and that helps them do well in school."
  In this environment, "you really get to each child's strengths and weaknesses," observes Title I remedial reading and math teacher Catherine Mooney. "When I come into a classroom, the teacher can quickly tell me where I should focus my work."

• Teachers have more ways to teach. With smaller classes and training tailored to practitioner needs, "we can bring a broader range of materials to students," stresses floating reading/language arts teacher Harriett Johnson, a 30-year veteran.
  A smaller class allows for special projects, "makes kids active participants in learning," and enables them to learn real-life skills, adds new teacher Sofia Palfey. She's teaching her first graders how to read a restaurant menu and even getting each of them to outline, write, and bind a book, using as a model a book she produced at their age.

• Students are learning--and loving it. "The teachers here don't give up; it's all about the kids," enthuses Tito Lopez, the father of two Lincoln Annex students. "They stay on top of the kids. My son can't stay focused, so the teacher gives him stuff in short bites and makes sure I stay on top of him at home."
  Lopez' daughter, Sha'asia, says she loves participating in classroom math and science experiments and Lincoln's after-school Girl Scout troop--one of the school's four clubs. Those Girl Scouts, by the way, none of whom spoke English when school began, all became English speakers in less than a year.

Keep an eye on this school.

--Dave Winans

For more, contact Susanne Clark at susanne_clark@nbps.k12.nj.us or Mary Jane McDonald at maryjane_mcdonald@nbps.k12.nj.us.

Academic Freedom: Where Do Teachers Stand?

Educators in New Mexico and Vermont are punished for bringing anti-war views into the classroom.

Photo by Dave Winans

The Iraq war has rekindled the debate over whether teachers should be allowed to express their political opinions in class. Opponents argue that students are a captive audience who should not be subjected to a teacher's undue influence. Proponents counter that teachers are citizens who retain their right to freedom of speech.

In cases from New Mexico and Vermont, the debate is now being played out in real life.

Carmelita Roybal, a ninth-grade English teacher in Albuquerque, was suspended on the eve of the war in March after she disobeyed her principal's order to remove a poster declaring "No War Against Iraq" from her classroom.

Two colleagues joined Roybal on suspension for refusing to remove similar anti-war materials. All three were reprimanded and docked two days' pay.

On April 18, these teachers filed suit in federal court claiming that the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) violated their free speech rights.

The school district argued that the plaintiffs violated APS's "Controversial Issues" policy, which requires teachers to be "impartial moderator[s]" and prohibits them from attempting "to limit or control the opinion of pupils on controversial issues." Roybal told Education Week that her "No War" sign was intended to balance the "pro-military message" promoted by her school's ROTC program and the frequent presence of military recruiters in the school.

A ruling in the case is not expected until later this year.

Even before the Iraq war broke out, NEA member Tom Treece was well known in his Barre, Vermont, high school for his pacifist views. Following the terrorist attack of 9/11, a group of ROTC students marched down the hall chanting, "Make war, not peace, we hate Mr. Treece."

Treece's recent troubles began when he posted a message referring to President Bush as "the idiot boy king" on a hallway current events "dialogue board" for teachers. A letter to the local newspaper describing the posting prompted a citizen's group to accuse Treece of imposing his anti-war views on students, a charge he flatly denies.

"It may be my point of view, but that doesn't matter," this history teacher argues. "It's necessary to bring balance to the classroom discussion."

To gather evidence against Treece, local police officer John Mott gained access to the teacher's locked classroom one April morning at 1:30 a.m. There he photographed students' projects, some of which had anti-war themes.

At a contentious school board meeting in May, teachers and students spoke out on Treece's behalf, attesting to his even-handed approach to teaching controversial issues. In an admitted effort to quell the public furor, the superintendent removed Treece as the teacher of the "Public Issues" course at the high school.

Treece's local union has filed a grievance challenging the reassignment on the grounds that the district lacked just cause and violated the academic freedom clause of the bargaining agreement. A hearing has not yet been set.

So, is it a First Amendment violation to prohibit teachers from expressing personal views in the classroom? Many legal scholars believe that the Supreme Court answered that question "yes" in 1969 when it ruled in the famous Tinker case that "[n]either students [n]or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."

And soon after Tinker, a federal appeals court upheld the right of teachers to wear black armbands in class in protest of the Vietnam War.

More recent lower court cases have held that teachers do not have a right to academic freedom. And two state courts in California and New Jersey have ruled that teachers don't have the right to wear political buttons in the classroom.

These courts reason that, while engaged in teaching activities, teachers are speaking on behalf of the school district and can be prohibited from expressing personal viewpoints or otherwise straying from the prescribed curriculum. Until the Supreme Court renders a definitive ruling on the issue, however, there likely will continue to be disagreement among the lower courts.

--Michael D. Simpson
NEA Office of General Counsel

Help for the High School Teacher

NEA Professional Library Book Cover

But High School Teaching is Different!
Success Strategies for New Secondary Teachers
By Mary C. Clement
NEA Checklist Series
72 pp. $ 5.50 NEA Members, $6.95 nonmembers
NEA Professional Library

[Book Excerpt]
Why did you choose to become a high school teacher?

If you haven't already written a statement of why you want to teach and a statement of your personal philosophy of teaching, take the time to do so now. It's okay to say you want to teach Spanish to every student because you know that a command of a foreign language opens doors to the world. It's okay to say you want to teach your students chemistry so that they can discover cures for rare diseases and win the Nobel Prize. Your philosophy should be lofty. You never have to apologize for your high ideals. In fact, in order to be a teacher you need to have high ideals!

Once you know why you want to be a teacher, and what your teaching philosophy is, you'll have personal guidelines for succeeding as a teacher. Your reasons for teaching and your philosophy can certainly change. . . .

My own philosophy of education, and the reason I continue to be a teacher, is now very simple. I teach because I see the hope an education brings. I teach people to be teachers because I know that our society and our schools need teachers more than ever--and that those teachers have to dispense hope along with their lesson plans. . . .

This book was written for secondary education majors in college and new teachers who are already teaching or preparing to teach in high schools. It was created because much of the material for new teachers is targeted to elementary educators.

High school teaching is very different than working with one class of five- to twelve-year-olds all day. High school teachers work with as many as 180 students per day and face a myriad of different challenges. Your students drive cars, hold down jobs, and have babies. You're expected to prepare your students for both college and the workplace. You're expected to make your classes relevant and meaningful to prepare students to be successful in "the real world."

Just as we know why people choose to become teachers, we also know that some teachers leave the profession early in their careers. Yet, with the right training and support, teachers go on to complete long careers in the classroom, including the high school classroom.

About the Author

Mary C. Clement was a high school foreign language teacher for eight years before earning her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991. From 1991 to 1997, she directed the Beginning Teacher Program at Eastern Illinois University. She is currently an associate professor at Berry College in northwest Georgia, where she teaches secondary methods, instructional management, and graduate courses in curriculum, supervision, and mentoring.

Clement's books include Bright Ideas, (NEA Professional Library), Building the Best Faculty, and So You Want to be a Teacher? (Scarecrow Press). Her articles have appeared in Phi Delta Kappan, Principal Leadership, Clearinghouse, Educational Horizons, and Kappa Delta Pi's Record and Forum.

New NEA Professional Library Resources

Books Your Kids Will Talk About!
A Guide to Children's Literature for Teachers and Parents (K-6)
By Susan Hepler and Maria Salvadore
136 pp., $19.95 members, $22.95 nonmembers
A comprehensive annotated bibliography that helps parents and educators navigate their way through the expanding universe of children's literature. Each chapter is organized around themes germane to a child's world.

Standing in Your Shoes A Checklist for Classroom and Substitute Teachers
By Doug Provencio
64 pp. $5.50 members, $6.95 nonmembers
Helpful techniques for substitute teachers and classroom teachers using substitutes.

When Children are Abused An Educator's Guide to Intervention
By Cynthia Crosson-Tower Co-published by NEA and Allyn & Bacon
200 pp. $21.95 members, $24.95 nonmembers
A valuable guide for educators on identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect.

Including Students with Disabilities in Assessments
Ways to Make Assessment Work for All Involved
By Martha Thurlow and James Ysseldyke
71 pp. $5.95 members, $7.95 nonmembers
Strategies for successfully including students with disabilities in assessments.

Improving Comprehension: 10 Researched-based Principles
By Gerald Duffy, Editor
72 pp. $10.95 members, $12.50 nonmembers
Comprehension is the whole point of reading. Whether you're teaching a first-grade reading class or fifth-grade social studies, your students need to be able to understand the meaning behind the words. This straightforward book offers educators 10 research-based guidelines for improving students' ability to build meaning from what they've read.

What's Up at HIN

Spread the Word About Free and Low-Cost Health Insurance
The start of the school year is a great time for educational staff to help inform parents about the availability of low-cost and free health care coverage for the 8 million uninsured children in the United States. The majority of these children are eligible for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) but are not enrolled. The NEA Health Information Network (HIN) is a partner of Covering Kids: A National Health Access Initiative for Low-Income, Uninsured Children that was launched by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Covering Kids has developed a free Back-to-School Action Kit that includes tips for school-based outreach, bookmarks, posters, stickers, and more! For more, visit www.neahin.org/programs/childhealth/coveringkids.htm.

Clean School Bus Initiative
The U.S. EPA recently launched the Clean School Bus USA initiative to reduce both children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses. For information on anti-idling, school bus retrofitting and replacement, grant opportunities, and how you can be involved in keeping our children and bus drivers healthy, visit www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/index.htm.

Gun Safety
NEA HIN's Gun Safety Campaign is working to fight gun crime in our communities. The Campaign's Web site, www.neahin.org/gunsafety, provides up-to-date resources about initiatives to block criminal access to firearms and support responsible gun ownership. It also contains information about gun crime in each state, including statistics on students found bringing a gun to school.

Connecticut Passes Air Quality Legislation
Children and school staff across the country continue to suffer the adverse health effects of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools. To combat this, parents, educators, and students, including NEA member and NEA HIN IAQ trainee Diane Ethier, testified to the Connecticut legislature to help pass H.R. 6426--legislation to improve the IAQ of Connecticut schools. Ethier serves as vice president of the Canary Committee, a local grassroots organization that helped craft the language of H.R. 6426. To read more about the legislation or the Canary Committee efforts visit www.canarycommittee.com. For more on NEA HIN's IAQ in Schools program, visit www.neahin.org/programs/environmental/index.htm.

NEA Urban Grants Program

Since 1985, NEA's Urban Grants Program has supported local NEA affiliates in the development of education reform leadership programs for K-12 faculty, education support professionals (ESPs), and higher education school faculty. Each year NEA awards 25 grants of $5,000 each. The programs these locals develop enhance NEA and member leadership in education reform.

All NEA local affiliates of 500 members or more--or the largest local affiliate of any state regardless of membership number--are eligible to apply for these grants. The NEA Urban Initiatives unit (part of Membership and Organizing) administers the program and looks for proposals that either:

• reflect some aspect of the current NEA program (e.g., improving student achievement; quality professional development; changes in school organization; public, parental, and business engagement in student learning; Association capacity building for quality teaching and learning; promoting school safety; and coordinating education and social services) or

• use technology to promote networking among school personnel. Proposals can be organized around the themes of:

• improving student achievement

• promoting school safety

• coordinating education and social services

• quality professional development

• public, parental, and business engagement in student learning

• quality teaching and learning.

Proposals must be postmarked by September 30. Completed applications are sent to the appropriate NEA regional offices with additional copies sent to appropriate state executive directors. The regional offices perform the initial screening of proposals and forward them, with any recommendations, to NEA Urban Initiatives/Membership and Organizing.

Grant recipients are notified through the regional offices in November/December. NEA retains the right to publicize, reproduce, or use the reports and/or products resulting from any of the Urban Grants projects. For more information and for an application, go to www.nea.org/teachers/urbangrants.html or contact NEA Urban Initiatives, 1201 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036; 202-822-7155; e-mail: urbaned@nea.org.

More Money from The NEA Foundation

The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education grants fund innovations that significantly improve student achievement and close the achievement gap for underserved learners. The NEA Foundation has increased grant amounts to $5,000 for each funded project.

Innovation grants support collaborative efforts by two or more colleagues to develop and implement creative ideas that result in high student achievement. The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students' habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Innovative ideas on closing the achievement gap for underserved students are encouraged. Grant funds may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, software, or professional development necessary to implement the innovative idea. Preference will be given to applicants who serve economically disadvantaged students.

The $5,000 grants are awarded year-round. Grant funds may not be used to pursue degrees, to pay indirect costs or grant administration fees, or to pay salaries. With the exception of study groups, funds may not be used by applicants to pay themselves stipends. Grant funds may not be used to serve K-12 students in after-school or weekend settings or for lobbying or religious purposes.

Applications may be submitted at any time and notification will be made within seven months of receipt of the application. Grants fund activities for 12 months from the date of the award.

Applicants must be practicing U.S. public school teachers in grades K-12, public school education support professionals, or higher education faculty and staff at public colleges and universities. Preference will be given to NEA members.

For more information and application guidelines, go to www.nfie.org or contact The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education, 1201 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-3207; 202-822-7840.

Other Grants and Awards

Gender Equity Grants
The American Association of University Women offers grants and fellowships to women who are currently teachers, looking to get into teaching, or doing master's or doctoral work in K-12 and higher education.

• Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Fellowships offer opportunities for women public school K-12 teachers looking to improve women's education in all fields, especially math, science, and technology. Selected teachers may receive up to $5,000 to plan gender-equity based programs, and to cover attendance at conferences, workshops, and the five-day Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Institute in July 2004. The conference brings teachers together to help understand and teach education equity through classroom activities and provides resources for teachers. Women public school teachers also may apply for a Project Implementation Grant, which provides support for a classroom or school program to advance gender equity and covers attendance at the three-day Grantee Meeting at the Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Institute. Grants up to $10,000 are available. Preference is given to former Professional Development Fellowship recipients. Applications for the 2004-05 academic year are due January 10, 2004. For more, see www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/eleanor_roosevelt.cfm.

• Community Action Grants are available to women developing new programs or non-degree research projects promoting education and equality for women and girls. Recipients of the award can receive up to a $10,000 grant to work on proposed projects. Applications for the 2004-05 academic year are due January 15, 2004. For eligibility requirements visit www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/index.cfm.

New Award Crosses Borders
According to an Asia Society report, Americans seriously lack knowledge and understanding of international cultures, regions, and languages. That's why this nonprofit organization is teaming up with The Goldman Sachs Foundation to establish The Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education.

Each year starting this November, five $25,000 prizes will be awarded to schools, states, colleges, universities, and media/technology groups that show exemplary advancement in teaching America's students about the world outside our country's borders.

These first-ever prizes recognize the need to close the international knowledge gap and hope to stimulate creativity in school curricula and promote global awareness in students. Experts in education and international studies will evaluate applications and choose three finalists from each category. An independent jury of business, political, education, and media leaders will then choose five winners, who will be presented with their awards during the second States Institute on International Education in the Schools on November 18. Awardees will also have their innovations documented in a "best practices" guide to be nationally distributed.

Application and nomination materials can be found at www.InternationalEd.org and are due by September 30. For more information, call Michael Levine of the Asia Society at 212-327-9216 or Christopher J. Williams of the Goldman Sachs Foundation at 212-357-5296.

Shell Science Teacher Award
The National Science Teachers Association is now accepting applications for the 2004 Shell Science Teaching Award. The $10,000 grant is for K-12 science teachers who have had positive impacts and contributions on students, school, and community through teaching science. The winner and two finalists will also receive an all expense paid trip to the 2004 NSTA Convention. Applications must be submitted by November 15, 2003. Nomination and form requirements are available at www.nsta.org/192.

Wendy's Heisman Awards
The Wendy's High School Heisman awards are presented annually to one female and one male high school senior who have excelled as citizens, scholars, and athletes.

Since 1994, teachers, principals, guidance counselors, and coaches across the United States have nominated over 78,000 eligible candidates who played at least one sanctioned sport and held at least a B average. Nominees are judged by ACT, Inc. on academic achievement, community service involvement, and athletic accomplishment.

The competition is narrowed down to 1,020 state finalists, 102 state winners, and finally 12 national finalists who receive a trip to New York City for the televised ceremony, where the two winners each receive a Wendy's High School Heisman trophy and a $2,500 monetary award for their school.

Nominations for 2003 are due September 24. Visit www.wendyshighschoolheisman.com to request a nomination packet. For more information, contact Wendy's International via telephone at 800-244-5161 or fax at 614-760-2090.

Public Health Curriculum Competition
Innovative high school teachers will collectively be awarded up to $180,000 in the second annual Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Teacher Competition.

Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and administered by the College Board, YES seeks teachers or teams of teachers with engaging curricula introducing high school students to epidemiology, the science of public health.

Judges will choose winners based on criteria including creativity, practicality, objectives, applicability, and appropriateness. Each submission must employ one or more fundamental principles of epidemiology, ranging from ethics to hypothesis testing.

Up to 18 projects will win $5,000 each, and of these, up to six national winners will win an additional $15,000. Last year's winning entries included curricula on epi- demics such as poverty, illiteracy, drug abuse, diabetes, and HIV.

Entries are due by October 15. For more information, visit www.collegeboard.com/yes/ft/atc.html or contact Jennifer Topiel of the College Board by calling 212-713-8052 or e-mailing Jtopiel@collegeboard.org.

Books by NEA Members

Riddle Math: Using Student-Written Riddles to Build Mathematical Power
By Carl M. Sherrill
Written by an elementary teacher and field tested at six schools, this book lays out a supplementary mathematics program for elementary-age students. The program requires rigorous thinking from children as they model their solutions with a variety of materials. Once they solve the student-written riddles in the book, students create riddles for their classmates to solve. 136 pp. $21.95 plus s&h from Morning River Publications. To order, visit www.amazon.com or call 800-852-4890.

Success for Struggling Learners: Techniques that Target Your Students' Needs
By Peggy Campbell-Rush
From visual discrimination, auditory processing, and hand dominance to hyperactivity, shyness, and organizational issues, this book addresses all manner of learning difficulties, offering more than 100 simple, effective strategies to empower students to learn in their own way. The author, a 20-year teaching veteran and current kindergarten teacher, focuses the activities on preK-2 students. 96 pp. $14.95 from Crystal Springs Books. Go to www.crystalsprings.com to order.

Winona LaDuke: Restoring Land and Culture in Native America
By Michael Silverstone
Part of the Women Changing the World biography series, this book, written by an elementary school teacher, tells how LaDuke overcame prejudice to earn a degree at Harvard and use her leadership skills to reclaim land and rights for Native Americans. The series focuses on women leaders who promote human rights. 112 pp. $10.95 from The Feminist Press at the City University of New York. To order, go to www.feministpress.org/Book/index.cfm?GCOI=558 6110 0141330.

Greece
By Patrick Ryan
Did you know that the population of Greece is about 11 million people? You'll find this and other interesting facts in Greece, one in 46 titles of the Countries: Faces and Places series. Each volume offers easy introductions to each country, including beautiful photos and maps to explore. The books are geared to children in grades 2-6. Author and creative writing and theater teacher Pat Ryan has penned over 20 titles. 32 pp. $25.64 from The Child's World. To order, go to www.childsworld.com or call 800-599-7323.

SOAR with Student Program Grants

Building a strong presence on a college campus is one of the biggest challenges that NEA Student Program chapters face. NEA provides financial assistance in the form of SOAR (Student Organizing and Assistance Resources) grants to encourage efforts to recruit new members or organize a student chapter.

Chapters may apply for funding to recruit in the following areas:

• urban institutions

• minority populations and historically minority campuses

• community colleges

• high school future educator programs

Priority is given to student locals working with UniServ units.

For more information and for an online application, go to www.nea.org/student-program/programs/soar.html.

NEA's Read Across America: A Hatful of Resources and Activities

Hold on to your hats! NEA's Read Across America is bigger and bolder than ever, with new resources and features, just in time to celebrate reading and the Seussentennial, a nationwide celebration of Dr. Seuss's 100th birthday, March 2, 2004. In this year's resource kit you'll find a virtual smorgasbord of delightful, delectable recipes of reading activities, mouth-watering book lists for all ages, resources, and a special Seussentennial section. Also new this year is an NEA members-only CD-ROM featuring additional resources and links to a new Read Across America section on OWL.org. Whether you're gearing up for the Seussentennial or spreading the joy of reading all year long, get involved with NEA's Read Across America. For more information, go to www.nea.org/readacross.

Save the Planet, Support a School

The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE) and Staples have teamed up for the Staples Recycle for Education Program to help put money back into public education. Teachers can help maintain the environment while raising money for public schools by recycling inkjet or laser toner printer cartridges. Until October 31, 2003, Staples will donate $1 to charities selected by NEA state affiliates or to NFIE for every cartridge turned in at one of the 1,100 nationwide Staples locations.

For more, visit www.staples.com/recycleforeducation. To find a local Staples, visit www.staples-locator.com/. For information on The NEA Foundation, go to www.nfie.org.

In Print

Picture Books Come to Life
When the final page is read, the fun does not have to end. Picture Books Plus: 100 Extension Activities in Art, Drama, Music, Math, and Science offers activities to go along with a wide variety of book titles. Authors Sue McCleaf Nespeca and Joan B. Reeve provide easy to follow instructions, diagrams, and songs. Students can make no-bake cookies, write with invisible ink, and play charades, all in a creative and fun way. 160 pp. $38 from the American Library Association. To order, call 866-746-7252 or visit www.alastore.ala.org.

Catch Him If You Can
Paisano isn't your average roadrunner. He loves to look at his reflection in a birdbath, and he will sit in front of the fireplace during winter in author Jennifer Owings Dewey's New Mexico home. In Paisano The Roadrunner, Dewey chronicles Paisano and his family for three years in this book for grades K-3: how the roadrunners hunt for food, survive in warm and cold months, and protect themselves from predators. Colorful photos by Wyman Meinzer accompany a heartfelt story about the author's attachment to the roadrunner family that became a part of her own. 48 pp. $23.90 from Millbrook Press. To order, visit www.millbrookpress.com or call 800-462-4703.

Going Strong At 61
The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift and Lynd Ward was originally published in 1942 and became a classic for many young readers especially from New York. In fact, when the real lighthouse faced the threat of being torn down in 1951, children wrote letters to save it thanks to the popularity of the book. Although the great gray George Washington Bridge towered over the little red lighthouse of Jeffrey's Hook, the message was clear--no matter how small you are, you have a purpose. Harcourt Books re-released a hardback, restored edition of this classic. 64 pp. $16. To order, go to www.harcourtbooks.com or call 800-543-1918.

Owning the Ice
Mario Lemieux is more than a hockey player, he's a role model who has won high honors in his sport and beat his toughest opponent ever, cancer. In Mario Lemieux: Own the Ice by Mark Stewart, young hockey fans grades four and up can be inspired by his story and learn the values of tenacity and hard work to overcome outstanding circumstances. 64 pp. $24.90 from Millbrook Press. To order, call 800-462-4703 or go to www.millbrookpress.com.

Elizabeth's Song
A story of determination and passion to inspire young readers, Michael Wenberg's Elizabeth's Song is based on the African-American folk legend Elizabeth Cotten, who influenced the likes of John Lennon, The Grateful Dead, and many others. The book shows Cotten as an 11-year-old girl with a song in her heart that eventually becomes the folk classic "Freight Train." Left-handed, Cotten creates her own unique style of playing a right-handed guitar upside down. 32 pp. $15.95 from Beyond Words Publishing. To order, visit www.beyondword.com.

Made of Clay
With some practice and patience, you too will be able to create the amazing clay characters featured in Clay Characters for Kids. Maureen Carlson gives step-by-step instructions for 30 polymer clay projects that include dragons, cats, and elves. Photos and drawings accompany the easy-to-follow directions for making all the creatures, including tips for details like eyes and ears using easy-to-find items from home. 80 pp. $12.99 North Light Books. To order call, 800-448-0915 or visit www.artistsnetwork.com.

The Mating Game
Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes of the animal kingdom attract mates in many ways. Some are passive, such as the bowerbird who displays anything blue in front of their nest home, while some are aggressive, such as the rabbits who engage in a mini boxing match to gain each other's attention. Boxing Rabbits, Bellowing Alligators: Courtship Poems from the Animal World by Stephen R. Swinburne combines poetry and fascinating pictures of a number of different animals and explains how they attract their mates. 32 pp. $23.90 from Millbrook Press. To order, visit www.millbrookpress.com or call 800-462-4703.

The Need for Speed
Cheetahs, dolphins--they're pretty quick. In Animals Can Be So Speedy by Diane Swanson, young readers ages 2-4 can view sharp photos of animals leaping, racing, and soaring on every page. In addition to the action, the "I spy, you spy" sections on each page get readers to slow down and look at the photos carefully to notice the small things about each animal. 24 pp. $10.95 from Greystone Books. To order, visit www.greystonebooks.com or call 800-565-9523

Meet Naiche
Naiche is a regular kid, with a special family heritage--he's a Native American from the Chesapeake Bay Area who likes gym class, has a dog, and loves to ride his bike. He also helps his family actively participate in events that celebrate Native American culture. Author Gabrielle Tayac helps young children (ages 8 to 12) of different cultures learn about Native Americans through the voice of her young cousin in Meet Naiche. Colorful photographs accompany Naiche's discussions of stereotypes and the importance of tolerance in addition to his family history and his sense of pride. 48 pp. $15.95 from Beyond Words Publishing. To order, call 503-531-8700 or go to www.beyondwords.com.

Trino's Time
Trino Olivares returns in Trino's Time by Diane Gonzales Bertrand. This time around, 13-year-old Trino faces the unexpected challenges life throws from time to time. He's concerned about his unemployed mother who is self-conscious about her limited education and is afraid to apply for a cleaning job at the local university. Inspired by a Tejano hero he must do a history report on, Trino realizes the value of hard work and determination and finally claims the happiness he deserves. For ages 11 and up. 128 pp. $9.95 from Arte Publico Press. To order, go to www.arte.uh.edu or call 800-633-ARTE.

Hot Wheels
For the young skateboard enthusiasts in your class, One Wild Ride: The Life of Skateboarding Superstar Tony Hawk by Mark Stewart, is a good choice. This book explores Hawk's life, the early years as a young boy in a new sport to his rise to fame and how he gained the admiration of skaters internationally. 64 pp. $24.90 from Twenty-First Century Books. To order, visit www.millbrookpress.com or call 800-462-4703.

Diversity Calendar

September

September 6--Marie Zakrzewska's Birthday
A Polish-American physician, Zakrzewska (1829-1902) supported education for African-American nurses. She established several hospitals including the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, the New England Hospital for Women, and Philadelphia Women's Hospital. For more, visit www.geocities.com/jphistoricalsociety/marie.html.

September 15-October 15--Hispanic Heritage Month
This month is dedicated to recognizing the history of Hispanic Americans and how their contributions and achievements have enriched American culture. For more, visit www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson023.shtml.

September 16--International Day of Peace
Celebrated on the third Tuesday in September, the opening day of the UN General Assembly, this day highlights the need for peace locally and abroad and the spreading of these ideals. For more, go to www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/peaceflag/whatis.html.

September 24--School Desegregation Order Enforced
This day marks the anniversary of the desegregation of U.S. schools. Nine African-American students attended the previously all-white Central High School, escorted by federal troops at the order of President Eisenhower to enforce a prior court ruling. For more on this day and civil rights, visit www.civilrights.org /research _center/civilrights101/desegregation.html.

September 27-28--Rosh Hashanah
These dates mark the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah is the first in a series of high holy days where renewed responsibility is practiced through religious observance. Go to www.jewfaq.org/holiday2.htm for more information and a listing of other Jewish holidays.

October

October 1-31, October 6--German American Heritage Month and Day
Month and day set aside by a presidential proclamation to celebrate and commemorate German-American accomplishments and contributions to American culture. For more, visit www.serve.com/shea/germusa/germusa.htm.

October 1-31--Italian American Heritage and Culture Month
Started by a 1989 presidential proclamation, this month examines and celebrates the role Italian-Americans have played in the evolution of American culture. For more, see http://italian.about.com/library/blniahmspecial.htm.

October 6--Yom Kippur
A Jewish holy day set aside for prayer, fasting, and repentance. For more, see www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm.

October 27-- First Day of Ramadan
This begins the Islamic Holy Month in which Muslims use prayer and fasting to celebrate the revelation of their holy book the Koran. For more information on this day and on the Muslim religion, see www.holidays.net/ramadan/.

Heads Up From NEA Member Benefits

Your NEA membership comes with an outstanding package of benefits, including money-saving programs from NEA Member Benefits. The buying power of 2.7 million NEA members enables us to offer you great rates and features on a variety of financial products and services: auto, home, and life insurance plans; retirement savings programs; mortgages and loans; credit products; and member discounts and giveaways. Here are just a few of the exclusive programs offered:

• NEA DUES-TAB® Insurance--provided free to eligible members--is a dual life/AD&D plan that covers you on and off the job. Other life, disability, critical illness, and long-term care plans are available to protect you and your loved ones.

• The new NEA WorldPoints^sm Credit Card rewards you every time you use it--earn points redeemable for travel benefits, cash back, and merchandise. Plus, there's no annual fee!

• Chat with an NEA Valuebuilder® Program Representative to establish a retirement plan or fine-tune the one you already have.

• With interest rates the best in years, buying or refinancing a home now may be a smart move. Lock-in a mortgage or "refi," and receive an NEA Getawaysm vacation bonus in return!

• Get up to 80 percent off newsstand prices on magazines, and rent a car through Hertz or Alamo at great member discounts.

• To register your NEA DUES-TAB Insurance beneficiary or to learn more about the complete array of NEA Member Benefits programs, call toll-free, 1-800-637-4636, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), ET, or visit us online at www.neamb.com.

Take Note

Annual Human and Civil Rights Awards

You're invited to participate in NEA's 38th Human and Civil Rights Awards Dinner, July 3, 2004, in Washington, D.C. Please join us in:

• keeping alive the spirit of the American Teachers Association

• honoring individuals and affiliates for their human and civil rights contributions

• celebrating NEA's multicultural roots

• recharging ourselves for the struggle ahead.

But don't just attend the dinner. Get involved by nominating an individual, organization, colleague, or affiliate for an award. Note these dates:

August 2003--Information and award nomination forms become available.

December 15, 2003--Deadline for submission of award nomination forms to HCR.

January/February 2004--Selection of awardees by the NEA Executive Committee, based on recommendations by the Human and Civil Rights Committee.

For more information, contact Human and Civil Rights, National Education Association, 1201 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-3290; www.nea.org/annualmeeting/hcrawards.

Be a UniServ Intern

As part of an ongoing commitment to state and local affiliates, NEA is seeking potential eligible candidates for the 2004 UniServ intern program. Individuals who successfully complete the four-and-a-half-week training program and the three month field experience will be certified by NEA as eligible for UniServ staff work in an NEA state or local affiliate.

All individuals must be committed to moving for the three month field experience. In addition, candidates must:

1. be an ethnic minority member or female as designated by the U.S. census

2. be an Active NEA member for at least one year

3. have basic knowledge and understanding of the Association at the local/state level

4. be committed to pursuing UniServ staff employment upon successful completion of the program

5. have excellent interpersonal skills

6. be willing to participate in intensive training

7. be willing to resign all Association offices at the local, state, and national level

8. be willing to work in a learning environment during day and evening hours and learn new skills and attitudes.

NEA does not guarantee employment of UniServ staff; employment is a state/local decision.

Persons interested in applying to the program should send a letter of interest to: Brenda Vincent, UniServ Intern Program, NEA Membership and Organizing, 1201 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036.

All letters of interest must be received at NEA by December 5, 2003, by U.S. mail or Federal Express. Faxed copies will not be accepted. Letters received after the deadline will not be accepted. An application packet along with basic instructions will be sent after a letter of interest is received starting December 2, 2003.

The deadline for applications is January 30, 2004.

ESP Resources

The NEA Web site is home to three new resources for education support professionals.

• NEA K-12 Education Support Professionals: Making a Difference for Public Education comprises a set of 11 brochures that describe ESP jobs and the people who perform them. A PDF version and online versions of the guides are available at www.nea.org/esphome/jobs/. NEA's system of nine job groups and 60 job subgroups are designed to help people understand and compare the individual ESP roles.

• The education support professionals guide to student health and safety, Providing Safe Health Care, can be viewed at www.nea.org/esphome/nearesources/safecare.html and serves as an in-depth resource that covers all areas of health and safety for students with special needs from training of staff to assisting students and laws governing their care.

• The U.S. Department of Education's 14-page document, Title I Paraprofessional Non-Regulatory Guidance, written in question and answer format, is also located on the ESP site. It deals with many questions paraprofessionals may have about the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, including general information, requirements for paraprofessionals, paraprofessional assessment, related issues, and funding issues. The document, available as a PDF file or text document, can be viewed at www.nea.org/esphome/issues/paraguidance-sec1.html. Joining the report is information on paraprofessionals, who they are, what they do, and more frequently asked questions.

Help for Parents

Looking for ways to involve parents in education? NEA's new online resource guides for parents answer questions about topics that may be on their minds or yours. The nine guides include information on how parents can take charge and better support and understand their children's education. Topics discussed in the guide include:

• understanding testing

• parental involvement

• helping children succeed in reading, math, and science

• family support

• finding the right supplemental service providers

• supporting school success

• improving school achievement.

For complete text of the guides go to www.nea.org/parents/.

On the Web

Science Fair Help
Let the Science Fair Resource Guide get your students in high gear before competition begins. With its many links, detailed explanations, the ask-a-question feature, and idea bank, the online guide can be the extra kick your students need to succeed with their projects and improve science knowledge. While the online game section keeps the site fun and exciting, students can also pick up tips on how to push the limits of their project ideas while keeping their projects safe. Go to http://ipl.si.umich.edu/div/kidspace/projectguide/.

Portrait of an Artist
Teach students about Picasso's cubism without traveling to Spain. Students can access a complete timeline of the painter's life, including links to pictures of his art works by going to www.tamu.edu/mocl/picasso/.

School Scrabble
Let students build vocabulary through play or start preparing for the School Scrabble Association Tournament in spring of 2004 by visiting the School Scrabble Program Web site. The site contains information on the contest, how to organize a local Scrabble chapter at your school, and how to use the game to increase vocabulary. Visit http://school.scrabble-assoc.com/index.asp.

Calling Future Educators
Teachers looking to encourage middle school and high school students interested in a teaching career can use resources provided by the Future Educators of America (FEA). FEA provides mentoring, scholarship grants, and summer programs for interested students. For more information or to learn how to start a local FEA at your school, visit www.pdkintl.org/studser/sfeamore.htm#4.

Chemical Safety at Home
Learn About Chemicals Around Your House, maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, helps students answer questions about pesticides and toxic chemicals commonly used in the home. The site contains sections that explain how to read labels and list what to do in case of an accident. An online tour of the home invites students to identify pesticides and toxic substances in a typical kitchen, garage, laundry room, bathroom, and bedroom. Go to www.epa.gov/kidshometour/toxic.htm.

Tools for New Teachers
Start the year off right with a trip to the Beginning Teacher's Toolbox, an online guide created by a group of veteran teachers. Browse through teaching and time saving tips, links to professional resources, articles on education issues, and information on becoming a teacher, including scholarship information and links to popular education job sites. Go to www.inspiringteachers.com.

Dinosaur Guide
Bring your students back millions of years in time with the National History Museum's interactive dinosaur guide, which puts history, timelines, pictures, and dino games at your fingertips. Visit http://flood.nhm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dino/ to view your favorite ancient creatures.

Parent Advocacy
The National Parenting Center (NPC) is a parent advocacy group that offers advice on issues from pregnancy to raising teens. Check out www.tnpc.com for tips on calculating college costs and to chat with other parents. The site also includes seal of approval reports of children and parent products tested by NPC.

Bulletin Board Ideas
Looking for some new ideas to dress up your bulletin boards this fall? Then visit www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/classmanagement/bulletinboards.html and choose from short, teacher-submitted descriptions of bulletin boards that will work for almost any classroom, subject, and grade level.

Web Sites 101
Are you looking for ways to integrate technology into your instruction? Or have you ever wanted to make your own educational Web site? Linda's Teacher Training is a good place to start. This comprehensive site offers step by step guides to to developing your own Web page and includes sample pages, links to other useful sites, and tips on how to develop a storyboard for your site. A separate list of resources links to sites offering more information on how to use Web pages for instruction. Go to http://mywebpages.comcast.net/ljbm/index.htm.

OWL.org

Back to School with OWL.org!

Summer is winding down. September is upon us. It's the start of a new school year, and a new group of students means looking for new strategies and new instructional ideas... and OWL.org can help.

Over the summer, the staff at OWL.org has added new features and enhancements to help NEA members in their busy professional lives. If you haven't visited the OWL Web site recently, come check out the new lesson plans, education-related features, and practical classroom tips on Works4Me. OWL also has discounted professional development courses to address your continuing education requirements and online shopping opportunities for your back to school personal and professional needs.

Look for these popular features on OWL.org:

• education features and career building information on the My Profession channel

• ESP issues discussed on the My Profession channel for education support professionals

• timely education news from different sources around the country

• articles on personal finance and health on the My Life channel

• information about the Elementary and Secondary Education Act on the NEA channel and throughout the site.

Want to share a useful idea or have a question that you would like to pose to colleagues? OWL has made it faster and easier than ever. Simply visit the redesigned and enhanced discussion boards and you can connect with educators and NEA members from around the country. OWL is truly about educators helping educators!

And, as always, if you have ideas or suggestions for features you would like to see on OWL, e-mail asktheowl@nea.org.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous school year!

On TV

Biography Special

The Post-Impressionists: Van Gogh and Gauguin
A&E, September 1-2, 7 a.m., ET, check local listings.
The friendship between Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin is explored in this two-part program. The one-hour episodes also portray the artists' Studio of the South and their different approaches to painting that set the stage for modern art. Can be taped and used in the classroom for two years with teaching materials available at www.aetv.com/class.

Founding Brothers
History Channel, September 1-4, 6 a.m., ET.
This four-part sequel to the Founding Fathers series explores the forces that drove men such as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison to create a new government unlike any the world had ever known. Can be taped and used in the classroom for two years. Teaching materials are available at www.historychannel.com/classroom.

Destiny Determined: Power and Ritual in Asia
Discovery Channel, September 9, 9 a.m., ET, check local listings.
Learn the history of the Great Wall of China, the dynasty of Qin Shi Huangdi, the Silk Road, the Japanese history of ritual, and more in this one-hour show. Can be taped and used in the classroom for one year. Teaching materials are available at www.discoveryschool.com.

The Weather Classroom
The Weather Channel, September 15 and 18, 4 a.m., ET.
This series explores weather phenomena, revealing the power of nature and demonstrating principles related to how weather works. The 30-minute episodes cover weather basics for elementary-school-age students and can be taped and used in the classroom. Find teaching materials at www.weather.com/education.

Hispanics and the Medal of Honor
History Channel, September 16, 6 a.m., ET.
The role of Hispanic soldiers in America's military history is explored here as veterans tell of their struggles against prejudice within the ranks and relive the events that led to their being decorated with the Medal of Honor. The one-hour program can be used in the classroom for two years.

Learning First Offers Guidance on ESEA

The Learning First Alliance, a partnership of 12 leading education groups, including NEA, has developed a set of Web-based materials to help schools and their communities understand and respond to the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The materials give special attention to those schools that will be labeled "in need of improvement."

The materials offer guidance for how to communicate positive information about your public school. They are designed to help teacher and ESP leaders, school leaders, and parent leaders explain and discuss the law, its requirements, and its implications for local schools and districts to various groups in their communities. The materials are not intended to be used to advocate for or against specific provisions in ESEA.

The materials can be downloaded from the Learning First Alliance Web site at www.learningfirst.org and include links to NEA and other relevant resources and organizations.

Founded in 1997, the Learning First Alliance is dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools.

Moving Immigrants to The Front of the Bus

Don't try to tell Los Angeles math coach Andy Griggs that immigration reform isn't an education issue. In his work at Shenandoah Elementary with non-citizens and their kids, this veteran educator sees the strain of "parents holding down two or three jobs that nobody else wants at minimum wage," and the "emotional hardships" of families divided and "broken" by the nation's immigration bureaucracy.

Hardest of all for Griggs: the sight of a child in tears after a holiday visit to family members stranded in Mexico or Guatemala, or a new immigrant student who "will not go into a classroom" out of fear of being separated from relatives.

That's why Griggs--co-chair of the Human Rights Committee of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and Pacific region coordinator of the NEA Peace and Justice Caucus--recently worked with Mary Ann Pacheco and David Hernandez of the NEA Hispanic Caucus to win NEA Representative Assembly support of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride (IWFR) from September 27 to October 4.

Modeled after the Freedom Rides of the 1960s, which targeted racial bias in the interstate bus and train networks, the IWFR will focus the nation's attention on the subservient, second-class status of non-citizens and prod Congress to reform the nation's antiquated immigration laws.

IWFR buses packed predominantly with immigrants will depart from 10 major cities, stop for events in 80 towns, roll on to Washington, D.C., for a Lobby Day, and wind up at an October 4 mass rally in Queens, New York.

Among other objectives, IWFR organizers--including labor, civil rights, community, immigrant, and business groups--seek a "clear road to citizenship" for immigrant workers, the right of non-citizens to reunite their families, and the protection of immigrants' labor rights and civil liberties. Immigrant workers "need equal rights on the job and the right to organize unions--regardless of their immigration status," stresses IWFR spokesperson David Koff.

The Ride has gained some impressive supporters, including California's lieutenant governor and state Senate and the governor of New Jersey. Now IWFR organizers seek the backing of NEA members and affiliates--to endorse the IWFR, sponsor riders, organize local events, or make contributions.

For more, go to www.iwfr.org.

Teaching Respect

"Don't Laugh at Me" is the focus of Operation Respect. Started in September of 2000 by folksinger Peter Yarrow to help promote diversity in the classroom, the program uses music to unite students and teaches healthy ways to resolve conflict by using classroom activities. Don't Laugh at Me (DLAM) programs exist for grades 2-5, grades 6-8, and for summer camps and after-school programs. Visit http://www.operationrespect.org to find more information on this ongoing initiative, to see classroom resources, and to order a free DLAM kit.

Team NEA--Speaking Up!

NEA President Reg Weaver

Over the past year--my first year as your president--I have visited numerous public schools and listened to NEA members express pride in their service and accomplishments as public educators. Unfortunately, I have also heard confusion, frustration, and, yes, anger. Why? Because at a time when many public schools are realizing great successes--high standards and major strides in student achievement--our political leaders have put into place a formula for failure by promising classroom miracles while slashing school budgets, increasing class sizes, shortening the school year, and laying off teachers and support professionals.

But what I love and respect about our NEA members is that we refuse to be silent in the face of threats to a quality public education for every child. We are organizing, mobilizing--and speaking up.

NEA is also speaking up at the national level. Specifically, we have launched a major campaign to rescue the newly reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)--also called the No Child Left Behind Act--from all but certain failure due to chronic under-funding and utterly impractical implementation requirements.

I am certainly not alone in my strong support for the goals of this amazingly ambitious new law. We are all in favor of raising student achievement, guaranteeing a "highly qualified" teacher in every classroom, and leaving no child behind. For us as public educators--and for NEA as an Association--these goals are a dream come true. They are the culmination of decades of passionate advocacy. And it is because of our support for these goals that we cannot stand silent as the bold promises of ESEA are watered down and broken.

We are working to ensure that the goals are realized and the promises kept. Our Association is preparing a lawsuit to challenge the unfunded mandates in ESEA. The basis for the lawsuit would be Section 9527(a) of the law, which states that "nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government to...mandate a State or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds or incur any costs not paid for under this Act." Unfunded mandates will lead to unkept promises. And we refuse to accept this formula for failure. The American Association of School Administrators supports our proposed lawsuit, and many other major organizations and policy makers, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, have called on the Administration to keep its promises regarding ESEA funding.

At the same time, our Association has proposed a number of amendments designed to fix and fund ESEA, and to grant more flexibility to states. For example, under the law's "adequate yearly progress" provision, all children are expected to learn at the same ambitious level and at the same rate, with 100 percent of children achieving at the proficient level within a fixed number of years. As it now stands, the law virtually guarantees that even our highest quality public schools will be branded with a negative label. This is unacceptable and must be corrected.

Again and again, our political leaders say that they intend to hold public schools accountable. As professionals, we are all in favor of accountability--shared accountability--with parents and communities. But, it is equally important that public educators hold political leaders accountable for their own "adequate yearly progress" in supporting and fully funding the promises set forth in ESEA. Indeed, we would be professionally remiss if we failed to insist that our political leaders keep the important promises of this law.

As we begin a new school year, my friends, I am proud to report that the reunited, refocused, and re-energized NEA is on the move. We are speaking up for the children of America. We are speaking out on the broken promises of ESEA. We are Team NEA, taking the lead, dedicated to making great public schools for every child. And, as the song says, "There ain't no stopping us now!"

NEA President
Reg Weaver

People

September 2003   

Teacher of The Year

Betsy Rogers can't remember a time when she didn't want to teach.