NEA Focus
Ideas and Expertise for Public Education

April 23, 2008

> The Technology Divide
> Proposed Changes to Federal Education Law ‘Too Little and Too Late’
> Meet Today’s Educators
> We're reaching out to Minority Populations
> Administrative Professionals Day, April 25
> Time to Get Ready for National Teacher Day

TOP STORY

The Technology Divide

It may seem like kids today are born with their own MySpace pages. But the high-tech future doesn't look as bright for those without ready access to technology. They're stuck in the participation gap.
http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0803/digitaldivide.html

ADVOCACY ALERT

Proposed Changes to Federal Education Law ‘Too Little and Too Late’

NEA President Reg Weaver reacted to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings' April 23 announcement. He said her proposed NCLB regulations failed to move away from the test, label, and punish framework established under the current law.
http://www.nea.org/esea

EDUCATOR EXPERIENCE

Meet Today’s Educators

What does it mean to be an educator? Classroom teachers, bus drivers, nurses, librarians, and others reflect on their school life and what inspires them to remain in the profession.
http://www.nea.org/neatoday/iamaneducator.html

CREATIVE COMMUNITIES

We're reaching out to Minority Populations

NEA believes every child deserves a quality education. Find out how we're working with diverse groups on national, state, and local levels to reduce class size, secure adequate wages for educators, and assist English-language learners.
http://www.nea.org/mco

NEA IN ACTION

Administrative Professionals Day, April 25

More than 700,000 clerical services employees work in schools across the country. They're not just secretaries, bookkeepers, telephone operators, and data entry technicians; they're the backbone of school building operations. Learn more about this critical segment of NEA membership.
http://www.nea.org/esphome/jobs/class-clerical.html

SMART OPPORTUNITIES

Time to Get Ready for National Teacher Day

Thousands of communities May 6 will take time out to honor their local educators and acknowledge the contributions they make to our lives. Use our resources to plan your events: we've got downloadable posters, sample news releases to alert your communities, suggestions for activities, and more.
http://www.nea.org/teacherday
 
ALSO THIS WEEK . . .

> AMERICAN HONDA FOUNDATION GRANTS
Since its inception in 1984 these awards have sponsored more than $20 million for programs that support youth and scientific education. Learn more and apply today. Deadline: May 1.
http://www.nea.org/grants/honda.html
 
> TOYOTA INTERNATIONAL TEACHER PROGRAM TO GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
The program, in its third year, will send 30 educators to one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. Participants November 22 - December 6 will work with Galapagueño teachers to design interdisciplinary environmental lessons that can be implemented in their home schools and shared with the education community.
http://www.nea.org/grants/toyota-galapagos.html
 

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Get Ready to Read
Across America

Millions of children and adults will join together on March 3 to celebrate reading and Dr. Seuss's birthday. Have you planned your event? We have everything you need, including posters, brochures, and our 2008 Calendar & Toolkit. And there's more! Use our resources to create a reading party, alert the media, and get your community involved.

Related Items:
 More About This Year's Celebration
 Pledge to Participate

Tom Joyner Foundation Renews Winning Partnership with NEA
Nationally syndicated radio personality and philanthropist Tom Joyner announced a new $1.1 million grant with NEA to increase the number of fully certified minority teachers in urban and rural schools. The grant expands a scholarship program for teachers pursuing full licensure at 10 historically black colleges and universities.

Bush Digs in His Heels on Failing Education Policies
President Bush refused to make quality public schools a priority during his administration, and his final State of the Union address confirmed that his legacy on education will be one of failed teach-to-the-test experiments, voucher schemes, and unfunded services for children and public education.

Groundhog Day Lesson Ideas

On February 2, the world will be watching to see if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow. Mark the occasion with five lessons, adaptable for all grade levels: measure shadows, graph past predictions, sing groundhog songs, read Groundhog Day books, play a game of Groundhog Tag, and more.