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By Kevin Hart

Friday, November 20, 2009 -- If he ever tires of his work as a world-famous musician or prominent humanitarian, U2 frontman Bono always has a place waiting for him in America’s classrooms. It's Substitute Educators Day, and thousands of people nationwide voted in an NEA-sponsored poll asking which prominent figure they'd like to see substitute teach a class. This year, Bono bested a crowded field including leading figures from business, politics and entertainment.

Read more...

Supporting Our Soldiers and Inspiring Creativity

By Cynthia McCabe

Friday, November 20, 2009 -- NEA member Lisa Fricke, a middle-school teacher from Kentucky, woke in the middle of the night a few years ago with an idea: She would have her students create something that would honor American freedoms won by the country’s soldiers. She quickly settled on the idea of a quilt — and found unique ways to use it to reinforce school curriculum. The end result was a beautiful piece of patriotism that will have a permanent home in a prominent military museum. Read more...

The quilt made by Lisa Fricke's eighth-grade students is currently on display at NEA headquarters.

What you don’t want to miss this week in the ed world November 15-21 -- American Education Week. Get more information and download free resources here. November 1-30 -- Native American Heritage Month. For more information and resources, click here.

Grab some coffee and check these out Gifted education: Virginia has launched a study that it hopes will result in ideas for getting more minority students enrolled in gifted education programs. Source: Washington Post Restoring education cuts: Michigan students have become activists in trying to convince state lawmakers to restore millions in education funding cuts. Source: Lansing State Journal

Video of the Day: Giving Thanks to Our ESPs 

November 18 was ESP Day, part of NEA's American Education Week designed to recognize the contributions of Education Support Professionals, such as paraeducators, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, security personnel, and secretarial staff.

In this video, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel helps a student at John Adams Elementary School in Alexandria, VA, read a thank-you letter to the school's ESPs. Van Roekel and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan appeared together at the school, where they also helped serve healthy lunches to students. To watch the video, click the image to the left.

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Previous Stories

11/19/09 Study: Test Prep Grows, Curriculum Shrinks In Low-Income Schools
11/18/09 Honoring the Important Work of ESPs
11/17/09 Are YOU the Key to Closing Achievement Gaps?
11/15/09 Schools Nationwide Honor American Education Week
11/13/09 Bringing Hope, Resources to Lower-Performing Schools
11/12/09 To Close or Not to Close: The H1N1 Question
11/10/09 Supporting Our Troops and Our Schools
11/09/09 House Passes Historic Health Insurance Reform Bill
11/06/09 How Should Teachers Be Paid?
11/04/09 Voters Unite to Protect Public Education
11/02/09 National Spotlight Shines on Education Support Professionals
11/02/09 The Global Power of Education
10/30/09 Report: Stimulus was a Lifeline for Nation's Schools
10/29/09 Great Public Schools Begin with Great Teachers
10/28/09 Rep. Kratovil Keeps His Promise on Education
10/27/09 Honoring the Life of Dorothy Rich
10/26/09 Bringing Progress to Priority Schools
10/23/09 Public Education Mourns Loss of Theodore R. Sizer
10/23/09 Preventing Permanent Cuts to Education

Looking for an older story? Check our archives here.