And Now a Word From the Public

Photo by C Squared Studios

If you're still trying to wrap your arms around the new Elementary and Secondary Education Act, consider yourself in good company. A recent poll by Gallup and Phi Delta Kappa found that most Americans know little about the so-called "No Child Left Behind" Act.

And the more they find out, the less they like it. When asked about some of the law's strategies, turns out many Americans disapprove. Some 66 percent, for example, believe the quality of a school can't be judged by a single test covering math and reading, and 80 percent say they're concerned that the emphasis on testing will narrow the scope of what students learn in school. About three-fourths believe the emphasis should be on improving their child's present school-not transferring to another. Not exactly a rousing show of support, but who's surprised?

Teacher Training: Left Behind?

In all the hoopla over how best to boost student achievement and teacher quality, the real-life professional development needs of educators often get short shrift. So here's something to think about:

The Administration claims it is providing "record support for teacher training and professional development." Yet President Bush's Fiscal Year 2004 budget cuts funding for critical Elementary and Secondary Education Act teacher training programs. Consider what would be snatched if the President gets his way: $81 million in Teacher Quality State Grants, $88 million in Math-Science Partnerships, $15 million for Advanced Credentialing, $63 million for Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology.

Ah, the Holidays...

We know, we know. Life can be maddening during this season of tinsel, teacakes, and too-much-to-do. Then again, it can be downright magical. Here are a few tips for spreading the joy.

1. Help produce your school's holiday program. Note that we say "help"-not do the whole thing yourself. You might discover some latent singing and dancing talent, and end up having a jolly good time.

2. Help your students think of others-in new ways. Food drives and shelter visits are fine, but other possibilities abound. Make holiday cards for retirement or assisted-living homes. Pair your kids with "buddies" in a shelter or hospital and have them pledge the "gift" of a letter a month. Or create a book of "good cheer" poems, copy them, tie with a ribbon, and deliver to a school across town.

3. Easy does it. Don't try to pack in a zillion tests and assignments before the holiday break. And cool shopping stress by hitting the Internet for online buys and the stores midweek at night, when crowds are thin.

4. Throw a party with a purpose. Invite friends and family over to make homemade gifts or decorations-for their friends, for your students, for the sick or needy, or all. Choose simple projects (ornaments, cookies, etc.), stir up a pot of chili, put in a call for favorite holiday music, and laugh until the sun comes up.

Lobbying Against GPO/WEP

More than 150 NEA activists fanned across Capitol Hill on October 1 to urge lawmakers to protect public educators' retirement benefits by repealing the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Other members, meanwhile, made more than 6,000 phone calls-and most to good end. As of press time, the House GPO/WEP repeal bill (H.R. 594) had 269 co-sponsors and the Senate version (S. 349) had 25. Now the tough part: getting the bill out of committee and onto the floor in the middle of a budget debate. Go to www.nea.org/socialsecurity for more.

Capitol Report

IDEA Update
As Congress continued the sticky task of revising the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Senate handed down a bit of good news in September. It voted to more than double the amount of special education funding provided by the House and recommended by the President for 2004. The amendment, offered by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) as part of the annual appropriations bill, called for a total $2.2 billion in IDEA funds for Fiscal Year 2004. It was a welcome first step toward assuring NEA members and parents that the federal government is approaching its commitment to provide funding needed for a quality education for children with special needs.

Despite this win, NEA remains vigilant. Stay tuned to NEA's Legislative Action Center at www.nea.org/lac for word on what you can do as the IDEA bill moves through Congress. To join the NEA IDEA Activist list, send an e-mail to NEA staffer Patti Ralabate at pralabate@nea.org.

Vouchers in D.C.
It was not a good news vote: House members passed a $10 million voucher plan for Washington, D.C., public schools in September, the first such federally funded program in the nation. The plan squeaked through with a single vote after the Republican leadership extended the official voting time. To NEA's dismay, several members of the House who had been on record opposing vouchers were not on hand for the vote. At press time the Senate was gearing up to have its say. NEA President Reg Weaver said the organization would be watching to see who shows up for the vote.

Taking Names and Saving Jobs

It hasn't exactly been fun and games in Birmingham, Alabama, of late, but the local affiliate has been playing hardball anyway-and winning.

It all started with the revelation last year that the school system was carrying a whopping $25 million deficit, owing to financial mismanagement. Out went the school superintendent and in came a new one, who went for the jugular and quickly RIF'ed nearly 600 teachers and support professionals to avoid a state takeover.

The Birmingham Education Association (BEA) and Birmingham Education Support Professionals were not happy campers. With the help of UniServ directors Phadra Williams and Jeffery McDaniels, members went into high gear with round-the-clock organizing, planning, and strategizing, and within months, developed a seven-point accountability scheme for officials to consider. It included a generous retirement buyout plan the city council ultimately funded, a $20 million emergency escrow account, and several other key money-saving measures. With scores of members rallying, the politicos bought in-and because of a clause BEA had earlier negotiated, guaranteeing the recall of nontenured staff for a year, 387 teachers and 270 support professionals got their jobs back.

"It was an ordeal," says Emma Burnett, president of Birmingham ESPs, "but when officials see big numbers of people coming together, they respond."

Savoring the victory, though, was short-lived. Because of the statewide rejection in September of a much-needed tax increase, thousands of teacher and support professional jobs will be on the line next year. Says Wanda Murray, president of the Birmingham local, "We're already back at the drawing board."

Big Brother Is Watching

When students in Biloxi, Mississippi, returned to classes in September, they gave a welcome nod to their teachers-and to a slew of Webcams installed to keep track of the goings-on in every classroom and hallway.

The cameras sit discreetly in domes on the ceiling and offer school administrators a sweeping view of all classrooms. The $2 million project, paid for with casino revenue, is part of a national trend toward cameras in classrooms, but no other district has gone quite so far.

Biloxi started installing the cameras two years ago-as a preventive measure against mischief and crime, according to officials-and now more than 500 cameras sit perched in district schools. No serious offenses have been captured, just minor thefts and disputes.

A bit too much eyeballin'? Some civil libertarians and privacy advocates think so. But Beverly Sanders, president of the Mississippi Association of Educators, says most parents, students, and teachers seem undaunted. "The school district talked to teachers before they did it," says Sanders, "and so far everyone seems to be really comfortable with it."

--Urmila Subramanyam

Why Good Schools 'Fail'

Still bent on figuring out why so many schools (87 percent in Florida!) are on those "failing schools" lists released under the new federal education act? Here's the secret: The law requires it. Read it yourself at www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/107-110.pdf. It's in Title I, Part A, Subpart 1, Section 1111, subsection (b)(2)(E). Or try searching for "percentile."

Each state is directed to set a standard so high that at least one out of five students attends a school this year that misses its adequate yearly progress target, or AYP.

Any state that does not have 20 percent of its students in schools labeled below par is breaking the law.

The schools could all be fabulous or making great progress, but it makes no difference. Why? Because they're graded on a curve that gives F's to a very large number.

A host of other provisions can push those numbers much higher, such as a requirement that 95 percent of students in as many as nine subgroups take the required tests on the required day. NEA is working hard to change the law so good schools don't get tarred and schools that really need improvement can get help. Its proposals are included in a bill filed by U.S. Representative Ted Strickland (D-OH), H.R. 3049. Go to www.nea.org/newsreleases/2003/nr030910.html for more. (A tip: Some states show very few schools on their lists. That's because they're not counting all schools that miss their AYP targets. Some are simply listing those that are already subject to ESEA's escalating punishments-that is, Title I schools that have fallen short of academic standards for two years.)

A Whole Lotta Kids Goin' On

The number of children in elementary and high schools alone-more than 53 million-has exceeded the 1969 baby boomer record of 51.6 million. That's the last year the official boomers (born 1946-64) passed through the nation's schools.

Global Takes

Rat races for tots?
Put off by parents trying to teach their three-year-olds their times tables? It appears to be a global phenomenon. According to Education Week, parents at a New Zealand child care center want their two-year-olds in formal learning sessions, which the head of the center calls "ridiculous." New Zealand kindergarten educator Sharon Walch says, "We have three- and four-year-olds going to ballet, music, reading, and they get to school and they are exhausted." Preschoolers, she claims, should play.

Meanwhile, British educators are warning parents not to "hot-house" their little children because it will only lead them to rebel later on. And the Japan Times reports that educator and author Takao Yamazaki believes the violent elementary school bullying that's been making news over there is a reaction to extreme pressure for higher test scores.

African Tragedy
All but 1 of the 25 countries with the world's highest mortality rates for children under five are in Africa, according to the latest UNICEF statistics. The exception: Afghanistan at No. 4. All but one of the five countries with the lowest child mortality rates are Scandinavian. The exception: Singapore, which is tied for second (with Norway). The United States is in 34th place out of 193, tied with Croatia and Malaysia and behind Canada and every country in Western Europe.

High School to College: The Great Disconnect

Some 70 percent of American high school grads go to college within two years, but many arrive on campus toting a backpack of misconceptions-mainly because the information they've gotten from their high schools conflict with the college reality.

That's the conclusion of "Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K-12 and Postsecondary Education Systems Undermine Student Aspirations," a six-year national study conducted by Stanford University's The Bridge Project.

According to the study, many high schoolers actually think getting accepted into college is the hardest part of the game. No wonder half are forced to take remedial classes. Why the confusion?

Lack of communication, for one, says Michael Kirst, a Stanford education professor and key researcher. "Of the 49 states that have K-12 standards, not one conferred with public higher education systems as to how they should be teaching the students," he says. "We think these students are set up to fail." Kirst's study suggests that colleges give parents and educators more accurate and high-quality course information; that students get access to courses that prepare them for college; and that educators examine the relationship between postsecondary placement exams and K-12 exit level exams. "This cannot be solved by the two sectors working independently," says Kirst.

[Book Focus]
Try a Lil' Happiness

Is it so farfetched to suppose that schools should be in the business of making kids happy?

Not at all, says Nel Noddings, professor of education at Stanford University and author of a new book, Happiness and Education (Cambridge University Press). Not only is happiness what most parents want for their children, Noddings notes, but people also simply learn better when they're feeling joy.

How to ratchet up the happy quotient in schools? Noddings suggests doing the stuff that allows educators to know students better-developing expanded guidance programs and using multi-grade "looping," for example. She also envisions a curriculum that draws more of its lessons from family life and the natural world, and offers students more chances to explore learning opportunities that pique their interest.

Easier said than done in this frenzied era of high-stakes testing, Noddings concedes. "Both students and teachers are caught up in a deadly serious campaign to amass facts and skills that can be easily tested," she writes. "Even if scores go up in the next few years (and that is by no means certain), it is not clear how much lasting learning will have taken place."

Noddings' ideas for shifting priorities may go against the grain and even sound pie-in-the sky to teachers scrambling to keep up with current demands. Yet one should not dismiss them. However far removed from present school practices, an education that puts a smile on the faces of kids is one clearly worth a fight.

Reaching Out to the Newbies

Help for new teachers in Tampa, Florida, is no more than a phone call away.

This fall the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association (HCTA) launched a hotline for rookie educators.

Members manned the phone lines for four weeks, advising and, at times, consoling several hundred callers each night.

But that wasn't the end to the new teacher bonanza. Need a mentor? HCTA can get you one-a National Board-certified one, at that. Looking for a friend to show you the ropes? Sign up for the local's First Buddy program. Want help setting up your grade book or connecting with parents? Check out the weekend workshops. And, by the way, it's all free if you have three or fewer years of teaching experience.

"We saw that new hires needed a lot more support than they were getting," says Jean Clements, HCTA president. "The district wasn't providing enough of it, so we took up that ball ourselves."

HCTA has one more secret weapon for appealing to the district's new teachers-Teia Baker and other building reps like her. As a third-year teacher, Baker understands what beginning educators need, and she knows the Association can provide it for them.

"The important thing for attracting new teachers is for them to see other new teachers recruiting," says Baker, a third- and fourth-grade teacher. "There's nothing like getting information from someone else who just started teaching."

[Nobody Ever Told Me]
I'm Getting Sleeeeepy...oops.

When I began teaching, I worked very closely with an extraordinary master teacher named Kala Stoddard. I still remember the story she shared with me about her early years in the classroom.

Kala was teaching kindergarten in a separate building across from the school. One afternoon Kala was having a difficult time getting the children to take their naps. So she decided to model the behavior she wanted from the students. She found a rug, snuggled on the floor, closed her eyes, and rested with the children. The next thing she knew she opened her eyes and, to her surprise, gazed up at her principal, who was bending over her. She scurried to her feet among the frolicking five-year-olds, who had been playing while she napped. Fortunately the principal had a sense of humor.

Kala recently passed away, but I still smile whenever I think about her story.

--Barbara Harkness
Special education teacher
Council Grove, Kansas

Got a story?

Do you have a funny or interesting story about your early years in the classroom? E-mail kloschert@nea.org. Please include your name, job title, and the city and state where you work.

[First 5 Years]
Two-Minute Tips

You've Got Mail
I teach high school and very few teenagers share important school information with their parents. So, every week I e-mail the following week's assignment and test schedule to parents and students. I also include notes about upcoming guest speakers, field trips, labs, and special events.

The parents appreciate the information and the contact from me. The students find the messages useful if they forget an assignment or miss a school day. Grades have improved overall since I started the program.

--Shelley Mitchell
Stillwater, Oklahoma

Cashing In
I teach basic algebra and had a problem with student tardies. So I implemented a system to reward attendance and participation. Students receive a "math dollar" each day they arrive on time for class and have the appropriate materials.

They earn extra dollars by correctly answering the weekly featured math problem or by meeting with me for extra help. Students use their math money to pay for special privileges during the year and to purchase items in a year-end auction.

--Ryan Hanson
Devils Lake, North Dakota

One Soy Pocket and an Apple, Please

School lunches have long been a hot spot for parents and educators concerned about soaring childhood obesity. Now comes the question: Can the battle against high-fat, high-salt offerings in school cafeteria lines really be won?

Yes, but with effort, says the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a Washington-based nonprofit group that promotes healthy nutrition. PCRM graded 18 large school districts and found that some were serving up a lot more fresh vegetables and fruits, giving vegan and vegetarian entrees a chance and offering more nondairy, calcium-rich foods for kids who don't digest dairy products. The Detroit school district, slapped with an "F" by the committee last year, turned things around this year and landed the only "A" with a menu of nutrient-rich dishes. Miami, Florida; Gwinnett County, Georgia; and Charlotte, North Carolina, weren't far behind.

But good eatin' doesn't always come easy, concedes Jennifer Keller, a dietician at the PCRM. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, she notes, subsidizes the purchase of beef, pork, cheeses, and white bread products, but not fresh veggies or calcium-fortified juices.

"The districts that do well tend to be very creative," she says. "They pick up the extra costs, make deals with food companies, use a lot of textured vegetable product that can be put in veggie chili or taco filling. It's work, but the benefits to kids are incredible." For more information on the report card, go to www.pcrm.org.

And Speaking of Lunch...

It wasn't long ago that schoolchildren had a full hour to eat, socialize with their friends, and play at recess.

But a study out of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, shows the time children now have to eat is rapidly declining-it's now on average 15 minutes, less time than people in prisons get for their meals.

According to the study, which examined 400 school districts, by the time children march in to the cafeteria, wait in line, and sort out their money or tickets with the cashier, they really have only about five minutes to chow down. This is a huge contrast to the way children eat lunch in Europe, says researcher Karen Evans Stout. In many European countries, children spend time eating, socializing, and learning how to communicate with others. The fix: Stout suggests giving American kids at least 25 minutes to eat. That way they get "a community experience-one in which they learn from the positive interaction with their peers."

On History's Trail-Two Decades Later

Retirement has brought no let-up for NEA members Elliot Palmer and wife, Juanita. Nearly 20 years ago, the couple co-founded the African-American Cultural Complex in Raleigh, North Carolina-now the most comprehensive resource center on Black history in the United States.

With their own money, the Palmers constructed the museum's facilities-including three exhibition cottages, inventions and photographs of revolutionary politicians, an amphitheatre, and a nature trail on three-acre property. All available to the public for free, the complex attracts some 100,000 visitors each year.

Teachers in the Durham County public school system for a combined 64 years, the Palmers say the project was something they simply had to do. "We had been teaching all kinds of history lessons," said Elliot, "but we didn't think the curriculum offered sufficient information of African-American history."

Their production of "The Amistad Saga: Reflections," an outdoor play based on the slave revolt on the Amistad ship, is the only American play produced, written, and directed by and about Blacks.

The Palmers, to whom NEA awarded the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Award this year, sponsor grade school history scholarship contests and also run a mobile outreach program that this year visited rest homes, correctional facilities, and more than 1,200 schools.

"When we see how far people travel to learn about their heritage, and how many other ethnic groups come to learn about African-American culture, we know we're doing a good job," said Elliot.

Say What?! It's Really a Word?

So you're walking down the hallway and you overhear two of your students laughing about a certain "phat" girl in class. You stop. Should you a) chastise them for being cruel? Or b) keep going because you know they're agreeing the girl looks good?

If you picked b, count yourself tuned in, because "phat" is definitely not "fat"-and it's definitely a word, according to the new 11th Edition Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. The dictionary, which gets a blockbuster update every 10 years, has officially etched some 10,000 new words into its pages this time around-gems like dot-comer, headbanger (rock musician); dead president (dollar bill), and mockumentary.

Know about those? Don't gloat too much.

"As far as kids go, if it's in the dictionary, it's passé," says Kathleen Doherty, an editor at Webster's. Which means if you're hip to "himbo"-as in bimbo-you're cool. That one hasn't made the cut yet. Turns out it can take up to 10 years of tracking a word in print before it can be considered "real." Same with definitions. The revised dictionary, with its companion CD-ROM, caught up with popular culture and offers up some 100,000 new meanings for existing words. A voucher, for example, is no longer just "a piece of supporting evidence" or "a check against a future purchase."

It's now...well, you know.

Smile

The first week of school, I was passing out my syllabus for the year to my seventh-grade reading class.
I made a quick comment about the fact that I always disliked it when college professors would read the syllabus to the class word-for-word.

One of my students interjected, "Ms. Riphagen, you went to college?"

"Yes, I did go to college."

"Really? To be a teacher? How long?"

"Well, most people go four or five years," I replied.

"What a waste of time," he shot back.

Annemarie Riphagen
Hickory Hills, Illinois

While surfing the Net for an early childhood special education position, I had to chuckle about a job posting I found: "Emotionally behaviorally disabled teacher for secondary," the ad read.

Linda Reau
Renton, Washington

Recently, I was lecturing to my biology class about the structure of the digestive tract--in particular, the large intestine. I mentioned that this organ had other names, such as the colon or the bowels. One young lady, looking rather perplexed, raised her hand and asked, "But isn't Colon Bowels the Secretary of State?"

Marc Sumberg
Glastonbury, Connecticut