Letters

A Longer School Year?
I'm concerned that your article Longer Days, More Learning (February) could give fuel to the California proposal to increase the school year for all middle school students.

The teachers who work at the school from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 200 days a year, seemed enthusiastic. No doubt the pay was an incentive.

But a closer look at the school shows a rather idyllic setting. There's no special ed program, the students come from "families that are economically a little above average," and there is a "strict discipline code." The teachers do admit they are exhausted at the end of the day.

Most public schools don't get to pick and choose the kind of students they will teach.

I'm much more in favor of supporting after-school programs. Students get the extra help they need. Teachers who want the extra money can earn it. Everyone can still have their much-needed vacation time.

Perhaps a longer school year suits special programs. But to enforce it on all schools would be a mistake.

Diane Emmons
Hilmar, California

How does California Governor Gray Davis explain his sudden proposal to tack on another 30 days to the middle school year?

First, the state needs to make sure the state exam and the curriculum conform to each other. Right now, we are expected to test our students in March or April on areas that are not covered until May.

We are trying to teach too much in a limited time, and a lot of students, especially those "at risk," are not getting it.

We use the first month (or three) for review. Why? Because we didn't instill in the students what we wanted them to grasp last year. Why? Too many standards.

We constantly rush to make sure they have just enough knowledge of what's on the state exam to pass it.

According to the Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), students in other countries do better because they have fewer standards. These standards are gone over in depth. No need to review the following year.

Revising the state exam and revising what and how much we teach our children are the answers to some of our educational woes. Not more school daze.

T.H. Ferraro
Mountain View, California

Channel One
I admit, my students can recite most of the commercials on Channel One (<Inside Scoop, February). But for many, this is the only time they hear about current events in a way that captures their interest.

Newspapers do not enter their lives. Channel One brings news to them in an MTV-like way. Let's use it to give them the information they need to become educated citizens!

Mary Conner
Gallup, New Mexico

I'm probably a lone wolf on this, but I vehemently disagree with your article about Channel One.

It is not the simplistic, boneheaded news program the article paints it to be. It is a superbly finetuned instrument of education.

I require my seventh grade students to take notes on the news program each day. I model different notetaking systems on the overhead projector as we listen. My students are too busy taking notes to see commercials, and I time my writing so it happens this way.

We have had impassioned discussions, debates, essays, and re-search papers based on Channel One news programs.

My students can't tell you which commercials they saw on Channel One, but they can tell you about the images of earthquake devastation in India, or about the new discovery of 16 galaxies in outer space.

Margo Ungricht
Lehi, Utah

Voice Strain
I was pleased to see the article on vocal strain (Health and Fitness, February). Two years ago, I was treated for vocal nodules after nearly a decade in the classroom.

The specialist who treated me said vocal nodules are a very common malady for teachers, who daily project their voice and often "work through" a sore throat or cold, further irritating the vocal cords.

My school district was quick to respond, installing a wireless voice amplification system in my room.

Parents were also very supportive, bringing me articles about studies that showed improved student performance in classrooms where voice amplification was used.

The day when voice amplification is standard classroom equipment is still far away. Until then, inexpensive amplification systems can be purchased at an electronics store.

NEA has long strived to give teachers a voice. Now, it can be said that you help to preserve their voices as well.

Rebecca Foxworth
Tracy, California

As a fourth grade teacher and a vocal musician in my church (90-minute rehearsals on Tuesday evenings!), my voice takes the same kind of beating that so many of us endure.

I do feel, though, that you omitted an important aspect of vocal health: proper vocal health habits. In "Vocal Aerobics,"a tape series designed for church musicians (available from www.maranathamusic.com), Steve Bowersox likens the singer to an athlete.

He admonishes those who use their voices extensively to practice such good habits as coughing lightly and swallowing instead of repetitively clearing the throat, drinking plenty of water at room temperature (rather than cold water), and humming or using an "M" or "mom" sound to sing scales.

Just by adopting these few ideas (I warm up on my 15-minute drive to work), I have avoided hoarseness, and I have better resonance and endurance throughout my week.

Daniel Bell
Richland, Washington

Testing
I work with an excellent education staff. Our dedication starts at the top and includes the entire faculty.

We are judged on standard tests. We were in academic emergency. I guess this meant we were not teaching our students. We were teaching English, math, science, language arts, and all other subjects to benefit our students in the future.

Now we are out of academic emergency. I guess this means we are teaching our students. Yes, we are! Teaching the test, not teaching the other things that might actually benefit them in a career. We are not a failing school, though.

Now, let's raise the standards again. This is a great concept, too. Students who had a slim chance of passing the test now have none. Oh well, just another dropout on the street with no diploma.

These students want to achieve, but our great leaders make it impossible for some. I have a question for these leaders: "Why do so many students hate school?"

Michael Edwards
Sandusky, Ohio

Not All Can Read
When I read the sub-headline that states the aim is "to make all students successful readers," I rather angrily read the article (Reading, January). Thankfully, the author made no such claim.

My students are in the set "all students." They will never read. They have severe disabilities. Two do not even consistently recognize their own names. They come to school, participate in class, and are an important, vital part of the school. They sure don't read, though.

Diversity includes diversity of ability. Don't cut my students out of their rightful place in the set of "all students."

Patricia Rydeen
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Transfer Students
As a retired third grade teacher, I could relate to the January Dilemma, "How do you bring a transfer student up to speed?"

I used to make a folder for each student leaving my class, including a brief synopsis of books, levels, and units covered in each subject. I gave it to the student and parents, for them to give to the next teacher.

Judith Aten
Emmaus, Pennsylvania

Lazy Students
Myron Richards (Letters, January) seems to think homework should not be assigned if students are going to refuse to do it.

The whole public school philosophy seems to be to give diplomas to everyone who shows up for roll call.

The system would work better if teachers stopped making excuses for lazy students.

Al Davis
Odessa, Texas

Controversy in Class
In response to T. Moore, who says, "If teachers are spending time on a controversial topic, then they are neglecting their academic responsibilities," and to Donalda Alder, who says, "I think it is unethical for teachers to involve their students in politics" (Letters, January), I suggest they flip to that month's cover story to read about Brian LeCloux's students who are "hooked on learning."

These students are enthusiastic precisely because they have been given the freedom to explore controversial subjects. One of our responsibilities as educators is to provide a forum for students to listen to one another's opinions, and to evaluate their own opinions. This is easily accomplished without any injection of the teacher's own view.

What better way to rid the classroom of apathy than to have a lively discussion of a controversial topic?

Karyn LaCroix
Montgomery Village, Maryland

Sharing Books
I was gratified to read about Lori Stratton's approach to teens and reading (My Turn, January). I, too, have experienced both success and amazement at my students' willingness to read, if the material is their own choice. Okay, so we may be missing out on Silas Marner, but I've had the sublime pleasure of watching my students enthusiastically share books.

By incorporating book talks into the curriculum, we actually sell each other on various novels. Perhaps creating lifelong readers is more important than 100-year-old classics.

Katie Porteus
Cardington, Ohio

Boston Public
As one of the most powerful and influential unions in our country, where is our voice? Have we been heard on the subject of Boston Public, the unrealistic and blatantly controversial television show about public education in Boston?

I am outraged and appalled by the characterizations of educators in this show. Portraying teachers with hand-guns and showing intimate relations between teacher and pupil--these fly in the face of the serious work we do.

This show is damaging our professional reputations and tarnishing the image of dedicated individuals who stand and deliver quality moral and ethical education every day of our lives!

Be heard, fellow colleagues, be heard. Or be silent, and give Hollywood full license to define who we are and what we do.

Robert Talmage
Neptune, New Jersey

Please Help
I am compiling a book called Dear Teacher, a collection of notes and letters from students expressing their feelings of gratitude and appreciation to a special teacher. If you can help, please contact me at P. O. Box 2383, Chickasha, OK 73023, artmomma101@aol.com, or 405/222-1708.

Patricia Arthur
Chickasha, Oklahoma

Teacher Aides
Do the majority of K-1 classrooms in the U. S. have aides? If not, are the teachers all going as crazy as I am?

I have 20 students and an aide who comes twice a week for 30 minutes. In order to have small group time with the kids, I have to prepare centers to keep the others busy with literacy tasks. This, in addition to planning for small reading groups, and working in all the rest of the subjects--writing, math, health, science, handwriting, art, and whole group time--is overwhelming!

I find myself spending lots of time on things that could be done by an aide, leaving me time for planning and teaching. I know in Kentucky, all kindergartens have a full time aides--this must be heaven!

Brenda Matthews
Hot Springs, Arkansas

High Stakes Tests Have A Place
How unfortunate that your January cover story takes the typical anti-testing position. Instead of seeing tests as a challenge and learning experience, students, parents, and teachers fear tests for what the tests might show--that they aren't as smart as they'd like to think.

Certainly, the tests are not perfect. But our role as educators should be to improve standardized testing, not dismiss it.

The story highlights the following statement: "The children see reading as a testing situation. They're not going to pick up novels as adults." Based on what? Please, tell us!

Recently, a student told me our state testing was irrelevant. "I'll never have to take a test like that in real life!" This 17-year-old wizard had obviously never heard of bar or CPA exams, medical boards, even certification tests for auto mechanics.

As professionals, we need to move beyond bad-mouthing, scare tactics, and half-truths and work constructively to improve testing in our schools. We need our union to do the same.

Donald Ukrainec
Trenton, Michigan