How to Make Great Teachers
From Time Magazine
We never forget our best teachers?those who imbued us with a deeper understanding or an enduring passion, the ones we come back to visit years after graduating, the educators who opened doors and altered the course of our lives. It would be wonderful if we knew more about teachers such as these and how to multiply their number. How do they come by their craft? What qualities and capacities do they possess? Can these abilities be measured? Can they be taught? Perhaps above all: How should excellent teaching be rewarded so that the best teachers?the most competent, caring and compelling?remain in a profession known for low pay, low status and soul-crushing bureaucracy?

How They Do it Abroad
From Time Magazine
When school starts each year, the most important question on the minds of parents and children is, who will my teacher be? The concern is well founded. Researchers have discovered that school's deepest influence on learning depends on the quality of the teacher. Students lucky enough to have teachers who know their content and how to teach it well achieve more. And the effects of a very good (or very poor) teacher last beyond a single year, influencing a student's learning for years. Put simply, expert teachers are the most fundamental resource for improving education.

A Voters Guide to Education
From Time Magazine
Most education policy, as well as roughly 91% of the funding, comes from the state and local level. But as No Child Left Behind showed, a change in federal policy can still have a big impact. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee, and John McCain offer their stance on four K-12 issues in which the next President could make a difference:
No Child Left Behind: The sweeping legislation championed by President Bush, which makes federal funding dependent on mandatory annual tests, is up for reauthorization. Who would raise their hand in support?
Vouchers: All the candidates favor some form of school choice ? Democrats prefer "public-school choice" ? but not all advocate vouchers, which help parents pay for private schools.
Merit Pay: Performance-based pay aims to reward outstanding teachers and give incentives for improvement. How it should be determined and distributed is a big sticking point.
Longer School Day or Year: Children may enjoy a long summer holiday ? a relic of America's agrarian past ? but many experts say that more time in class would bring American students closer to their peers abroad.

Work and Fun Harmonize in Classroom
From USA Today
TROY, Mich. ? It's 9 a.m. at Troy High School, and 85 students are jammed into a room with cymbals crashing, clarinets chirping, violins buzzing and trombones rumbling.Alan MacNair is front and center, clutching a baton and conducting the student orchestra. A fundraising gala performance is three weeks away. "I don't feel you stepping up and playing this," he shouts. "I still feel like you're hiding." The students aren't fazed by MacNair's alternating words of encouragement and criticism. "I love you, but you're too loud," he tells the percussion section. "I can't hear the trombones. I want to hear those trombones."

Ed TV Show Spotlights Dropout Prevention
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Release
At a time when a high school diploma and further postsecondary education or training is vital to getting a job in the knowledge-based economy, the U.S. Department of Education's monthly TV show will offer tips for parents and community strategies that work in a broadcast entitled, "Dropout Prevention: Helping All Students Get on Track for Success." Click here for viewing options and FAQ.

Spellings Highlights No Child Left Behind in Rhode Island
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Release
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings highlighted progress toward No Child Left Behind goals in Rhode Island and across the nation at a visit to Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School today with R.I. Gov. Donald L. Carcieri. Spellings also participated in an education policy roundtable discussion with Gov. Carcieri, R.I. Commissioner of Education Peter McWalters, and Superintendent of Providence School District Donnie W. Evans. "We can be proud of the progress No Child Left Behind and Rhode Island have brought in raising overall achievement and closing the education gap," said Secretary Spellings.

Spellings Attends No Child Left Behind Roundtable in Mississippi
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Release
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (recently) attended the Mississippi State Board of Education meeting and participated in an education policy roundtable discussion with Gov. Haley Barbour and Mississippi Superintendent of Education Hank Bounds in Jackson, Miss. Spellings discussed progress toward No Child Left Behind goals in Mississippi and across the country.

Bush Nominates Six to Literacy Board
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Release
President Bush has nominated six individuals to serve on the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board. The board provides leadership on literacy issues, including the improvement of reading instruction for children, youth and adults.
Following are the individuals nominated:

• Perri Klass, of New York, for the remainder of a three-year term ending 11/25/09
• Katherine Mitchell, of Alabama, for the remainder of a three-year term ending 11/25/10
• Eduardo J. Padron, of Florida, for the remainder of a three-year term ending 11/25/09
• Alexa E. Posny, of Kansas, for the remainder of a three-year term ending 11/25/08
• Timothy Shanahan, of Illinois, for the remainder of a three-year term ending 11/25/10
• Richard Kenneth Wagner, of Florida, for the remainder of a three-year term ending 11/25/09

Teen Gives Insight Into ADHD
From the Contra Costa Times
From hyperactive, special ed kindergartner to UC Berkeley honors student -- it's the kind of journey one normally sees on the silver screen, not the nonfiction section of a bookstore. But Cal freshman Blake Taylor's new memoir -- one of the first penned by a youth with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder -- offers a fascinating and ultimately hopeful glimpse into the childhood challenges shared by 4 million other young Americans. Given the headlines of the last decade, attention-deficit disorders often seem like the diagnosis du jour for every child who ever wiggled or daydreamed through class. But real ADHD is no faddish syndrome. Distraction, says Blake, turned his brain into "a television with the channel changing uncontrollably." Looking at Blake now -- a UC Berkeley Leadership Award-winning college freshman chatting amiably between classes, a fraternity rush party and a quick workout at the gym -- it's hard to imagine him as an impulsive, unintentional arsonist. Of course, it took a while to get to this point.

Rhee Wants School to Serve as ?Differentiated Learning? Lab
From The Washington Post
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee plans to establish an experimental program that would offer customized lessons for disabled, regular and gifted students in the same classroom, a key component of her strategy to reduce exorbitant special education costs. Rhee's proposal would launch a "differentiated learning" laboratory at West Elementary School in Northwest Washington, then replicate it citywide. Under the proposal, which is being met with skepticism from some West teachers and parents, the system would hire a private special-education school to run the program. The proposal is among several actions Rhee is taking to overhaul special education, which for years has lacked high-quality programs for learning-disabled and physically disabled students. The system spends about $137 million on private school tuition annually for about 2,400 children (out of more than 9,400 disabled students) whom it cannot serve in the public schools.

AUDIO from Chicago Public Radio
Campus Text Messages Alert Students
Northern Illinois University used a text message alert system to notify students and faculty when a gunman opened fire on campus last Thursday. Students signed up to have campus security send a text message to their cell phones in case of an emergency. Many Chicago colleges use the text message alert system. Cathy Kajeri of the University of Illinois at Chicago says it is an essential part of their security plan.

College Cafeterias Look at Ways to Promote Eco-friendly Dining
From the San Diego Union-Tribune
A universal fixture is disappearing from dorm dining halls: the tray. College cafeterias nationwide are going to trayless dining in an effort to reduce waste. The rationale is that students won't load up on large portions in all-you-can-eat settings if they can't stack their dishes on a tray. Photo: San Diego State University students Justin Nietes and Melanie Jones appear OK with the school's decision to do away with dining trays. "I saw a lot of wasted food before, even by me," said Jones, a sophomore.

U.S. Educators Seek New Ideas Abroad
From eSchoolNews.com
With increasing anxiety, advocates of American education have been looking at other countries around the world and asking: What do they know that we don't know? To be sure, educational and political leaders in many countries besides the United States understand that their people's well-being depends more than ever on the strength of their educational systems. They also understand the power of technology. But in the U.S., where the belief that more young people must acquire "21st-century skills" has become a mantra in education circles, American students' comparatively poor showing on international tests, notably in math and science, has raised the level of concern among many school administrators, parents, business leaders, and government officials. They see growing evidence that U.S. students are being outperformed by their counterparts elsewhere in the world, and they have questions.

Tech-savvy supes honored by eSN
From eSchoolNews.com
Ten superintendents who are among the nation?s most successful in leading their schools into the 21st century were honored in a ceremony recently. The occasion was eSchool News? Eighth Annual Tech-Savvy Superintendent Awards, sponsored by Promethean and eCollege. The 2008 winners:

• Randy Acevedo, Monroe County Schools, Fla.
• Ron Barlow, Tintic School District, Utah.
• John Barry, Aurora Public Schools, Colo.
• Deborah Delisle, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, Ohio.
• William Hamilton, Walled Lake School District, Mich.
• Abelardo Saavedra, Houston Independent School District, Texas.
• Ron Saunders, Barrow County Schools, Ga..
• Jerry Vaughn, Floydada Independent School District, Texas. Sue Walker, Shoreline School District, Wash. Jerry Weast, Montgomery County Public Schools, Md.

Photo by Sharon Farmer for AACTE

AACTE Web Site Features New Orleans Diary

This dramatic photo of Lee Shulman, President of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, is one of the many sights and sounds captured at the recent 60th Annual Exhibition and Conference in New Orleans. Catch more photos, audio, and video on AACTE?s web site. "Click here for New Orleans Diary.

Spellings Delivers Keynote at Houston Education Event
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Releases
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (recently) delivered the keynote address at the Greater Houston Partnership 2008 State of Education Luncheon. Secretary Spellings discussed her action plan for higher education, which aims to make higher education more accessible, affordable and accountable. She also highlighted the important role the business community plays in preparing students for the global workforce. Her remarks.

Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Announced
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Releases
Secretary Spellings today announced the creation of Teaching Ambassador Fellowship (TAF) positions at the U.S. Department of Education, which will offer highly motivated, innovative public school teachers the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and experience to the national dialogue on public education. "This is a terrific opportunity for educators to share their voices directly with policymakers, and I look forward to hearing from them," said Secretary Spellings.

Kansas Governor Appointed to National Assessment Governing Board
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Releases
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has been appointed to a four-year term on the National Assessment Governing Board by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. The board sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), sometimes referred to as "The Nation's Report Card." The 26-member panel includes a bipartisan group of governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives and other citizens. While members are chosen by the secretary of education, the board remains independent of the department. "Gov. Sebelius brings a zest for educational excellence to the board," Secretary Spellings said. "As she has said, when it comes to education and Kansas' future, simply doing better isn't good enough."

?Stinky? Jon Scieszka has a read on kids
From USA Today
NEW YORK ? America's children aren't reading very much or very well these days, so the nation's finest minds have come up with a Big Idea: Find an author who can tap into the richness of children's literature and persuade kids to drop their idle pursuits ? their Facebooks, Nanos and Wiis ? for the thrill of a good book. Last month, the Library of Congress and the Children's Book Council, a trade group, announced the appointment of the USA's first "ambassador for young people's literature," a sort of poet laureate for the Harry Potter set. As the inaugural ambassador, they named renowned author Jon Scieszka. Photo: Jon Scieszka, the Library of Congress' ambassador for children's literature, says reluctant kids will take to reading if there is a humorous payoff.

University Group Sues Intel Over Patents
From eSchoolNews.com
The University of Wisconsin-Madison?s research arm has sued computer chip maker Intel Corp., claiming the company violated the university?s patents in making the popular Core 2 Duo processor. The federal lawsuit, filed last week, alleges that researchers at the university created technology used in the processor to increase its speed and efficiency, and Intel should have obtained a licensing agreement to use the technology.

State Democrats Quarrel Over School Funding
From Chicago Public Radio
A debate between three candidates in State Senate District 20 (recently) showed a stark difference among Democrats in how to fund Chicago school improvements. About 100 parents filled the lunchroom of Carlos Fuentes, a charter school on the city?s Northwest Side. The first with a question was Rossana Barrera, who has a third-grader there.

Four Charters Competing to Run Troubled Washington Academy
From The Washington Post
The D.C. Public Charter School Board is weighing proposals from four charter schools to assume the management of Washington Academy, a move designed to keep the financially strapped school from closing later this month. The competitive process marks the first time that the charter board, an independent panel whose members are appointed by the mayor, has considered allowing existing charter schools to take over a school facing closure. It could portend how the board plans to use its increased oversight power gained through the mayoral takeover of the schools. Hope Community, Howard Road Academy, Mary McLeod Bethune and William E. Doar Jr. have submitted proposals outlining why they are best suited to take on the academic and financial management of Washington Academy, which has 254 students in preschool to sixth grade. Washington Academy, which opened three years ago, is running a deficit and has unpaid payroll taxes, board officials said. It operates two campuses in Southeast, paying roughly $25,000 in monthly rent for the two locations. Board Chairman Thomas A. Nida said the board decided to go the competitive route because it has never faced a midyear school closure and was looking for a way for students and parents to face little disruption from a transition.

Educators Find Value in Geocaching Craze
From eSchoolNews.com
You might not expect to see groups of educators running from place to place in downtown Austin, but that's exactly what passersby saw Feb. 7 as attendees of the Texas Computer Education Association's annual conference participated in "geocaching"--an outdoor scavenger hunt in which enthusiasts across the planet use handheld global positioning system (GPS) devices to locate hidden outdoor objects. Educators at TCEA received an introduction to geocaching, with an eye toward how it might fit into their curricula. But in its global form, geocaching takes place all over the world. The word "geocaching" comes from "geo," for geography, and "caching," for the process of hiding a cache. In computer terms, a cache is information usually stored in memory to make it faster to retrieve, but the term also is used in hiking or camping as a place for concealing and preserving provisions. Photo: Educators can use "geocaching" in lessons on satellites, latitude and longitude, mapping, distance, and problem solving, as well as collaboration.

Cell phones tackle reading, language barriers
From eSchoolNews.com
New technologies that enable cell phones to translate speech on the fly and read documents for the visually impaired could have important implications for both educators and students. Late last year, NEC Corp. announced the development of an automatic Japanese-to-English speech translation tool for mobile phones sold in Japan. The software is aimed at Japanese travelers abroad, but versions for other languages could one day prove useful for educators and administrators in schools with large populations of English-language learners. And this month, software developer Ray Kurzweil and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will begin selling what they say is the first cell phone to incorporate text-to-speech capability.

White House Releases Statement of Administration Policy on College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Release
The White House (has) released a Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) on H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007. ?The Administration supports reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA) in a manner that makes higher education more accessible, affordable, and accountable. However, the Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 4137, the "College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007," as reported by the Committee on Education and Labor, because it would restrict the Department of Education's authority to regulate on accreditation; create nearly four dozen new, costly, and duplicative Federal programs; condition receipt of Federal grant funding on tuition price; and restrict the Department's ability to evaluate and effectively manage Upward Bound and other TRIO programs.?

Zollie Stevenson Jr. Named Director in Department of Education
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Release
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (has) announced the appointment of Zollie Stevenson Jr. as director of Student Achievement and School Accountability (SASA) programs. In this position, he will oversee the operation of the Title I program, the largest federal assistance program for elementary and secondary education in the country. Under Title I, more than $14 billion is awarded annually through formula and discretionary grants to raise the academic performance of under-performing students from low-income families.

President's Budget Strengthens Nation's Commitment to No Child Left Behind
From U.S. Department of Education - Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC ? Secretary Spellings (has) highlighted President Bush's historic support for No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and said, "This budget provides the necessary resources for critical programs that equip American students with the skills they need to compete and succeed in the knowledge-based economy." Spellings made special mention of the budget request to restore funding for Reading First and to target resources to schools and students who need it most. The President's budget includes an increase in funding for No Child Left Behind to $24.5 billion, up 41 percent since 2001, and support for Title I Grants to high poverty schools is stronger than ever at $14.3 billion, an increase of 63 percent since the enactment of NCLB. "The budget process is one where we must balance process and priorities and I believe this budget does that for education," Spellings noted. "In addition to Reading First, I am pleased the budget calls for increased funding for Pell Grants, Title I, and IDEA. All of these programs are essential to ensuring that our children not only have access to a rigorous education, but one suited for the global economy. I hope Congress acts to fund these important programs at the level requested by the President." Fact Sheet: FY2009 Education Budget.

Accidents can create the best lessons
From USA Today
ASHEVILLE, NC ? For Vince Floriani Jr., it's all about the teachable moment. When a math lesson on symmetry prompts a fourth-grader to ask about symmetrical words, Floriani is delighted. "What kind of word is symmetrical?" he asks. "A palindrome." Palindromes ? words and names that are spelled the same backward and forward, like Anna, Bob and Hannah ? weren't on his lesson plan, but Floriani savors those unexpected nuggets that burble out of the 9- and 10-year-olds at Claxton Elementary School, where he has taught since 2001. "At this point in my career, I'm confident I can be really spontaneous with them. I know I can have one of those teachable moments that's better than what I had planned," he says. Picture: Vince Floriani Jr. with his fourth-grade class at Claxton Elementary School.

AUDIO from Chicago Public Radio
Illinois Sex Ed Short on Safe Sex
AUDIO from Chicago Public Radio
Sex education for Illinois teens is not as comprehensive as it needs to be. That's according to researchers at the University of Chicago. Imagine sex ed as one of those illustrations of the human body you see at the doctor's office. Well, in Illinois, some vital parts would be missing.

AUDIO from Chicago Public Radio
Turnaround Schools Hunt for Top Teachers
Chicago caused a national stir (recently), when it announced it would replace teachers at four failing high schools and the elementary schools that feed them. (Now), the private group leading the reform effort at some of the schools is getting a ten million dollar vote of confidence from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Academy for Urban School Leadership says the money will provide critical support, as it tries to recruit and hire more than a hundred top teachers.

Budget plan gives ed tech the boot
From eSchoolNews.com
The federal Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program, which helps put technology into the hands of students in classrooms across the country, is slated for zero funding for the fifth straight year under President Bush's 2009 budget proposal. And for the fifth straight year, advocates of educational technology will look to Congress to preserve the program, which this year -- thanks to Congress -- will receive $267 million in funding. "Although history shows that President Bush does not support the EETT program despite the strong scientifically based research results demonstrating significant gains in student achievement, it is still shocking that the reality of a slowing economy and America's lagging results in the international PISA tests have not convinced the president of the importance of...maximizing the potential of technology in our schools," said Mary Ann Wolf, executive director of the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), in a statement.

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