January 2005 Table of Contents Cover Story Closing the Gap Features What Now? Stop, Look and Listen Departments Spotlight ESP Money People Last Bell Editor's Note President's Viewpoint Up Front Leading the Way State Report Debate Resources Books by NEA Members Reader Services Weigh in on Debate Topics Change your address Write a letter View past issues Check out our bonus edition

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Plan Ahead with a Grant From The NEA Foundation

There's plenty of time to submit an application to The NEA Foundation by the February 1 grant review date. No matter what your goal, a grant from The NEA Foundation can help give you the tools you need to be successful in the new year. Will 2005 bring opportunities to develop your professional skills? Will it be the year for innovative new projects in your school? Making your plans happen can be as simple as sending in your application.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing, year-round basis for both Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants, so it's never too late to apply. If you apply by February 1, you will know if your grant is approved by June 15. Grants fund activities for 12 months from the award date.

NEA members just like you have applied for and received over 1,500 grants throughout the years. Read about their projects at www.neafoundation.org, and then submit your own idea. Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants are available for all subjects, including the arts, literacy, science, and technology.

All members who are practicing K–12 public school teachers, education support professionals, or higher education faculty and staff at public colleges and universities are encouraged to apply. We now offer bigger and better grants—up to $5,000 per project—to fund your BIG ideas.

Applying for a grant is easy, so why wait? Visit www.neafoundation.org for more information, including guidelines and an application. Or call 202-822-7840.

ESP Technology Grants

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To help local education support professional Associations use the NEA ESP Information System (ESPIS) and other online resources, NEA offers ESP Technology Grants. Administered by NEA's ESP Quality program, Technology Grants are awarded in amounts from $250 to $3,500. Grants provide an opportunity for ESP locals to involve members in the application of technology in projects that could help their locals, schools, and communities.

ESPIS provides ESP members and staff immediate and widespread opportunities to share data and information throughout all levels of the organization. ESPIS includes NEA's ESP Web site at www.nea.org/esphome, the ESP Listserv, the ESP Data Book, and a variety of publications. ESPIS and the Technology Grant Program are overseen by a User Advisory Group comprising governance and staff who are available to provide training on the use of ESPIS.

For more information, go to www.nea.org/esphome/members/techgrnt.html or contact the ESP Program Assistant at NEA's ESP Quality program (202-822-7131), 1201 16th Street, N.W., Room 410, Washington, DC 20036. Submit grant applications following the procedures listed on the Web site. Applications must be submitted using the online application form and be postmarked by April 15, 2005.

NEA-Saturn/ UAW Partnership Award

The NEA-Saturn/UAW Partnership Award recognizes NEA locals and their school districts who work together as partners in pursuit of quality education. The 2005 Partnership Awards seek "best practices" mentoring programs that are created and sustained through the joint efforts of both the school district and the union and have resulted in substantially assisting new teachers in their education careers.

Six winners will be recognized at the NEA Annual Meeting and in their home districts. Winners will also be invited to visit the Saturn Plant in Tennessee during American Education Week in November.

The 2005 application deadline is February 25, 2005. For more information, go to http://web.inetba.com/saturnuaw/filecabinet/Satfile/partnership.html or call 800-738-1817.

NEH 2005 Summer Opportunities

Every year, the National Endowment for the Humanities offers K–12 teachers opportunities to participate in a series of Summer Seminars and Institutes on various humanities topics. Seminars are limited to 15 participants and are led by university scholars with a special interest or expertise in the specific subject. Teachers selected to participate will be awarded a fixed stipend between $1,800 and $4,200 to help cover travel costs, books, and other research and living expenses. A list of available seminars, as well as information on how to apply for the stipends, can be found at www.neh.gov/projects/si-school.html. Full-time teachers in American K–12 schools are eligible to apply. General questions concerning the program may be directed to 202-606-8463 or e-mail: sem-inst@neh.gov. The application deadline is March 1, 2005.

K–12 Energy Contest

Have you ever needed to open your classroom windows on a cold winter's day to beat the classroom heat? Then your class might want to take the HOBO Energy Challenge, a contest for K–12 teachers and students, sponsored by iScienceProject.

The mission of the contest is simple: use data loggers (portable electronic recording devices that can monitor light usage, room temperature, and relative humidity) to find examples of energy waste in your school. Participating classrooms receive a free HOBO Loaner Package that includes a HOBO data logger, software, and energy-saving contest activities. Classrooms that investigate and document at least one example of energy waste win a complete HOBO data logger system. An entire classroom set of HOBO data loggers will be awarded to elementary, middle, and high-school classrooms that make the greatest effort to investigate energy waste. For more information or to sign up, go to www.iscienceproject.com/energy_challenge/energy_challenge.html. The deadline for contest entries is April 30, 2005.

Listen to a Life Contest

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What can you learn when you listen to a life? A Legacy Project contest can help students find out. To enter, a student (age 8–18) interviews an older person (50 years or older) about his or her hopes and goals throughout life, how he or she achieved goals and overcame obstacles, or how dreams may have changed along the way. What life advice can an older person share? The student then writes an essay based on the interview. Entries must be 300 words or less and be a true story about an older person's life. One student will win an IBM computer and a $1,000 gift certificate to Books Are Fun. Ten runners-up will receive $400 gift certificates to Books Are Fun.

The contest runs to February 28, 2005. For complete contest rules, go to www.legacyproject.org/.

Calling All Kind Teachers

Are lessons in wildlife appreciation or responsible pet care part of your curriculum? Do you lead your class in recycling projects or collections for the needy? If so, then the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) wants to know. NAHEE is seeking nominations for the 2005 National KIND Teacher Award. The award recognizes an outstanding K–6 classroom teacher who consistently incorporates humane education into his or her curriculum.

Teachers may nominate themselves or another teacher at www.nahee.org. The deadline for nominations is February 15, 2005. The winner will receive a plaque, NAHEE's annual teacher resource book, and the Teacher's Care & Carry Kit, which includes Critters with Character lesson plans, posters, and other humane education materials.

Award for Heroic Teachers

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, along with the Partnership for America's Future, Inc., are accepting applicants for the Freida J. Riley Teacher Award.

The $10,000 award identifies and rewards an American teacher who teaches with an illness or disability, has overcome tremendous adversity, or has made an enormous sacrifice of heroism to positively impact students.

Interested teachers should contact the Partnership for America's Future, Inc. at 330-376-8300 for more information and an application, or visit www.pafinc.com/riley/index.htm?id=553. The application deadline is March 4, 2005.

Scholarships For Rainforst Workshop

K–12 teachers and environmental educators can win a $1,000 scholarship to travel to the Amazon and work with scientists in one of the most diverse environments in the world. The Amazon Rainforest Workshop for Educators, scheduled July 5–14, 2005, is a professional development opportunity for teachers to experience a quarter-mile canopy walkway and visit the indigenous people who call the rainforest ecosystem their home. Academic credit is available. The final application deadline is March 8, 2004; Drawings will be held on January 8, February 8, and March 8. The scholarship covers half of the land cost of $1,998. For an application form, go to www.travel2learn.com. For information on this and other programs in Belize or Student Amazon Workshops, call Frances Gatz at 800-669-6806 or e-mail fgatz@earthlink.net.

Distinguished Educator Fellowship

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program is accepting applications for the 2005–06 school year. The program provides a paid fellowship for outstanding K–12 science, math, or technology education teachers. Selected teachers spend a school year in a congressional office, the Department of Energy, or a federal agency, such as NASA, the National Science Foundation, or the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Albert Einstein Fellows bring their knowledge and practical experience of classroom teachers to the government and policy makers. For information and application, visit www.triangle-coalition.org.

A Fairytale Essay Contest

HCA2005 and NEA are sponsoring a Hans Christian Andersen Essay Contest to encourage students to read and help them improve their creative writing skills. The contest is open to students in grades 4–7, who may submit an essay of no more than 250 words on the topic: "Pick any fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen and describe a lesson children can learn by reading this story." Twenty winners and their chaperones will receive an all-expense paid trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, in April 2005 to attend the three-day celebration of the author's 200th birthday. Entries must be postmarked by February 10, 2005.

What's Up at HIN

New Physical Activity and Nutrition Web site for Members!

The SmartBODY Fitness Information Center, NEA HIN's brand new physical activity and nutrition Web site, is here! Packed with links, model programs, and a discussion forum, SmartBODY is a great resource for educators, parents, and anyone who's interested in improving the health of students and school staff. Turn to SmartBODY for physical activity and nutrition models, policies, information, and inspiration. Make fitness and good nutrition a goal in your life and join in the success of others in schools and communities across the country. Start at www.neasmartbody.org.

Help Children with Asthma Fight for Their Rights

The American Lung Association recently launched the "Kids With Asthma Bill of Rights" campaign to help children with asthma talk to their parents and teachers about asthma management. The Bill of Rights includes 10 statements that form the pillars of a complete asthma-management plan, including a child's right to breathe clean air at home and at school, the right to play sports with a doctor's agreement, the right to know his or her asthma triggers, and the right to effective and affordable asthma medications. To sign onto the Bill of Rights petition or to download a copy of the Bill of Rights, visit www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=186670.

Damp Indoor Spaces and Adverse Health Effects Linked

A comprehensive literature review found that there is sufficient evidence associating damp indoor environments with some upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, wheezing, and asthma symptoms in sensitized persons. The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, highlights this in Damp Indoor Spaces and Health, a report that examines the relationship between damp or moldy indoor environments and adverse health outcomes. It also discusses how and where buildings get wet, how dampness influences microbial growth and chemical emissions, and ways to prevent and remediate dampness. A summary of the report is available at www.nap.edu/execsumm_ pdf/11011.pdf. The complete text may be accessed for free at www.nap.edu/books/0309091934/html/.

On The Web

Online Math Library

The Mathematics Association of America, supported by the National Science Foundation, offers a mathematical sciences digital library—MATHDL—for educators and students that includes The Journal of Online Mathematics and its Applications and multiple digital classroom resources such as Java applets, interactive modules, and Flash presentations for studying numerical and graphical solutions of differential equations.

Learn About Finland

Did you know that 34 percent of all Finnish electricity comes from renewable sources? Students will learn this and much more at Project Finland, an award-winning site from the Embassy of Finland. Students ages 9–12 can explore the interactive site, learning about this progressive society, taking quizzes, completing activity guides, and watching video clips of Moomintroll, Finland's most well-known animated character. Environmental, social, and global issues are covered on this virtual tour of Finland. Go to www.projectfinland.org.

Feeling Sleepy?

Caffeine, work, or late night TV keeping you up? The fact is, most people don't get enough sleep. The National Institutes of Health created Sleep, Sleep Disorders, and Biological Rhythms as a learning tool to understand the basic concept of sleep, biological clocks, disorders, and the consequences of deprivation. Geared toward teaching high school students, this site offers lessons and activities to help link the science of sleep and its effect on everyday life.

Space flight in 60 seconds

At the NASA Brain Bites Web site, students can choose from a menu of informative, 60-second videos on eight questions, including: What time is it in space? How do you go to the bathroom in space? How long would a round trip to Mars take? How do you scratch your nose in a spacesuit?

Virtual Spelling Bee

Brandeis University offers students in grades 2–6 a chance to compete with their peers in an online spelling bee. Students use a nickname to register and log in, choose a partner, and test their reading, spelling, and listening skills. No personal information is asked for or given; players only communicate by the choices they make during the game. The site's creators hope the spirit of competition will encourage students to improve skills.

Managing Money

A new "My Money" tool kit from from the Financial Literacy and Education Commission and the Federal Citizen Information Center can help you manage your money better and gain financial security. Learn how to protect your credit record, set up a budget, and manage your credit or solve credit problems with advice from a series of publications. They provide practical suggestions on how to save and invest your money wisely.

Conserving the Rainforests

The Rainforest Alliance offers a free, expanded conservation curriculum with unique units for kindergarten through sixth grade. Each unit features three to four comprehensive multidisciplinary lesson plans, which meet national standards. Topics covered include the Amazon, the Maya forests, migratory birds, and chocolate. Some materials are available in Spanish and Portuguese.

Guide to Everyday Communications

Have you ever been stumped by a youngster asking you how a cell phone worked? Or what the "am" in AM radio stands for? Now you can send them to the FCC Kidszone, a Federal Communications Commission site aiming to educate today's youth on all things regulated by the FCC. Definitions, descriptions, and the history of cell phones, TV, radio, and the Internet can be found here along with teachers and parents' guides to the site.

Books by NEA Members

Tasks Galore

By Laurie Eckenrode, Pat Fennell, and Kathy Hearsey

Penned by teachers with experience working for Division TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped Children), this collection of activities is a valuable resource for those who work with children that have autism and related developmental challenges. Full of interactive, multi-modal tasks and structured activities, the book aims to help these students have success in school. A second book, Tasks Galore for the Real World, takes this goal further, emphasizing tasks to enhance independence for older children, adolescents, and adults. 60 pp. and 67 pp., respectively. $39.95 each from Tasks Galore. To order, go to www.TasksGalore.com.

Media Construction of Presidential Campaigns:
A Document-Based History Kit

By Sox Sperry and Chris Sperry

With all the recent election excitement, teachers may be looking for ways to educate students to think critically about the history of U.S. elections. This multimedia curriculum kit provides an engaging approach to preparing students to analyze the historical, political, and ethical issues related to media and democracy. Included are more than 140 historic media documents, from bumper stickers to old campaign songs, which help students understand the media surrounding elections. 432 pp. $139.95 from Project Look Sharp-Ithaca College. To order, go to www.medialit.org/catalog or call 800-228-4630.

Feng Shui for the Classroom: 101 Easy-to-Use Ideas

By Renée Heiss

It's no surprise that over the course of the busy school year, a classroom can become a bit cluttered and distract from the learning process. This book, written by a child development teacher, applies the ancient Chinese interior decoration concepts of Feng Shui to the classroom, aiming to create a more calm and focused learning environment. By providing ideas on organizing a classroom with balance between opposing forces, such as light and dark, and sound and quiet, this book will help teachers transform an impossible classroom arrangement into a well-managed learning space. 160 pp.

Diversity Calendar

January

January 1–3—Japanese New Year

In Japan, people celebrate the new year by decorating the front entrances of their houses and visiting shrines and friends. This year is Heisei Sixteenth, the 16th year of Emperor Akihito's reign.

January 16—World Religion Day

This day emphasizes that the religions of the world must strive for unity among humans. For more, go to www.worldreligionday.org.

January 17—Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday Observance

A Nobel Peace Prize winner, this civil rights leader was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. King's birthday is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of the month.

January 21—Id al-Adha

This Muslim Holy Day is known as the Feast of the Sacrifice and commemorates the end of the Pilgrimage to Mecca.

February

February 1—National Freedom Day

By presidential proclamation in 1949, this day was established to commemorate the signing of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865.

February 9–March 26—Lent

Christian churches observe this 40-day (excluding Sundays) period of fasting and penitence beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending the Saturday before Easter.

February 9—Chinese New Year

Celebrated by Chinese all over the world with music, dance, costumes, and firecrackers, this day begins the Year of the Rooster.

February 23—W.E.B. DuBois' Birthday

The first African American to hold a doctoral degree, this scholar and social critic helped organize the Niagara Movement, the forerunner of the NAACP. He lived from 1868 to 1963.

In Print

Grading Schools

In America's "Failing" Schools, educational testing expert W. James Popham helps to make sense of school evaluation under the No Child Left Behind law, paying attention to the implications of standardized testing. In straightforward language, Popham explains what it means for a school to fail, offers concrete suggestions for what can be done in response, and argues why a "failing" school may still be a good school. 157 pp.

Bilingual Ghost Story

Elena's father didn't believe that the old rundown house was haunted even though everybody else was afraid to rent it. In Ghost Fever or Mal de Fantasma—a bilingual English and Spanish book—author Joe Hayes tells the story of how Elena solves the mystery of the ghost girl and recovers from her ghost fever, all while learning a few life lessons. 90 pp.

Working is for the (guide) Dogs

Ira the dog is training to become a service dog by learning to assist people who are not able to move around easily. But the new facility he's supposed to attend for specialized training isn't ready, so Ira must face the new challenge of learning to become a guide dog for the blind. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent describes Ira's career change in The Right Dog for the Job: Ira's Path from Service Dog to Guide Dog, which contains charming photographs and a good overview for young readers of guide dog training. 32 pp.

Not Every Crowd is a Good One

Yankee Girl, by Mary Ann Rodman, tells of Northerner Alice Ann Moxley's desire to fit in at school in her new Mississippi hometown in the 1960s South. Snubbed by the popular girls, Alice tries to befriend Valerie, the new Black girl and other outsider in her school, only to discover that the only way to be popular is to join the others in making Valerie miserable—until a tragedy wakes Alice up to the ramifications of following the crowd over following her heart. 219 pp.

Principles for Better Parenting

Dr. Laurence Steinberg offers his ideas and knowledge on parenting in The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting, a succinct guide that distills decades of research and experience into enduring principles. A well-known expert on adolescence, Steinberg explains his rules through anecdotes and examples that parents can relate to and understand. 224 pp.

Advice for Pre-Retirees

Fred Brock's Retire on Less Than You Think breaks with the conventional wisdom that you need 80 or even 100 percent of your income to make ends meet during retirement. He believes you can retire on less, quite comfortably, if you're willing to make a few painless lifestyle changes such as moving to where the cost-of-living is lower or tapping your home equity. Targeted to pre-retirees, the book offers solid advice and worksheets to ease your number-crunching. 192 pp.

All About Greece

With lively writing, photos of landscapes and artifacts, and interesting asides and facts peppered throughout the book's margins, The Ancient Greek World, by Jennifer T. Roberts and Tracy Barrett, renders the lives of ancient people in vivid and poignant detail for middle school students. 192 pp.

NEA's Read Across America is Where It's Hat!

Trying to make your plans for Read Across America day? Looking for tips and resources for your reluctant teen readers or materials to showcase literacy all year long? NEA's Read Across America has created a monthly

E-newsletter offering news from Read Across America partner organizations and resources you can use in your classroom or community. Go to www.nea.org/readacross to sign up for the E-newsletter and request a Read Across America resource kit filled with posters, a members-only CD-ROM, and more.

On TV

Do You Speak American?

PBS, January 5, 8 p.m., ET, check local listings.

Photo by Don Purdue/Thirteen/WNET New York

The power of speech and how our manner of speaking is interpreted by others is explored in Robert MacNeil's new three-part series about language. The reporter/ writer/host crisscrosses the country from Maine to California to discover the diversity, and sometimes controversy, of "American English" in all its ever-growing, slang-riddled glory. He covers hot topics like Ebonics and the infiltration of Spanish into our culture, and interviews common folks and celebrities about their lingo. Look for education materials at www.pbs.org/speak/.

Independent Lens: A Touch of Greatness

PBS, January 11, 10 p.m., ET, check local listings.

Educators will want to learn more about the work of "maverick" elementary school teacher, the late Albert Cullum, who spent 10 years teaching young children at Midland School in Rye, New York, during 1956–66. He believed all students are capable of appreciating greatness, or at least a partial understanding of important ideas and great works of art. Classical dramas and plays were the bedrock of his class lessons. Cullum permitted filmmaker Robert Downey to document some interactive (and very active) in-class lessons. Former students tell lots of great stories, but one stands out. Cullum specifically asked to have a fourth-grade boy who was always in the principal's office enrolled in his fifth-grade class. Today, that young man teaches in an inner city school.

TLC Elementary School

The Learning Channel, January 14, 6 a.m., ET, check local listings.

Photo by Alex Adams/DCI

As part of a series designed for grades K­6 consisting of segments edited from original documentaries, "What Is a Living Thing?" examines the seven key characteristics of living things and how biologists classify plants and animals. Can be taped and used in the classroom for two years with materials at discoveryschool.com.

Forecast Earth: Road Risk

The Weather Channel, January 24 and 27, 4 a.m.

This episode of the series that focuses on climatic and environmental forces changing our planet, examines how the growing information network and new road weather technology our nation's transportation department are working with in all kinds of weather keeps roads open, traffic moving, and drivers reaching their destinations safely. Can be taped and used in the classroom forever with teaching materials at www.weatherclassroom.com.

Forensic Detectives: Mysteries and Solutions

Discovery Channel, January 25, 9 a.m., ET.

Illustration: Discovery Communications Inc.

This hourlong program explores skeletons in a mass grave along the route of Napoleon Bonaparte's march to Moscow, the ruins of a Zimbabwean civilization, the authenticity of works of art, and how the digestive system provides clues about eating habits. Can be taped and used in the classroom for one year with teaching materials available at www.discoveryschool.com.

Biography: Jackie Robinson

A&E, January 28, 7 a.m., ET.

Take a look at the career of Hall of Fame baseball player Jackie Robinson, his struggles against injustice in the military, and his participation in the Civil Rights movement. The show can be taped and used in the classroom for two years with teaching materials at www.aetv.com/class.

The Last Day of Pompeii

Discovery Channel, January 30, 8 p.m., ET, check local listings.

Almost 2,000 years ago, the Roman Empire was shaken to its core by the worst natural disaster the ancient world had ever experienced. In less than 24 hours, the entire city of Pompeii, and at least 5,000 of its citizens, were buried under 75 feet of volcanic debris—victims of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This 90-minute special combines cutting-edge historical analysis with human drama and lavish special effects to capture the devastation wrought by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. The show uses scientific evidence unearthed in Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum, as well as the written firsthand account of Pliny the Younger.

Coming next month...

Slavery and The Making of America

PBS, February 9 and 16, 9 p.m., ET, check local listings.

Photo by Jeremy Lock

Thirteen/WNET New York's groundbreaking four-part series chronicles the institution of American slavery from its origins in 1619—when English settlers in Virginia purchased 20 Africans from Dutch traders—through the arrival of the first 11 slaves in New Amsterdam, the American Revolution, the Civil War, the adoption of the 13th Amendment, and Reconstruction. With such breadth comes new perspectives on and facts about slavery that challenge many long-held notions (such as the idea that slavery was strictly a Southern institution; it was a national institution) and highlight the contradictions of a country that was founded on the principle of "liberty and justice for all" but embraced slavery. The series companion Web site www.pbs.org/slavery (coming January 17) expands on the program's content, and an expansive and unique Web site for educators can be found at www.slaveryinamerica.org.

On TV listings are provided by Kidsnet, a national resource for children's media in Washington, D.C., www.kidsnet.org, and by Cable in the Classroom's Access Learning magazine at www.ciconline.org.

Take Note

Support for AIDS Orphans

Of the 11 million children in sub-Saharan Africa who have lost one or both parents to AIDS, nearly 2 million are under the age of five. It is estimated that 150,000 of those young orphans live in Kenya, and poor rural communities and their overburdened caregivers are left to raise these vulnerable children.

You and your class can help by contributing to the Orphan Support Pack Project. Launched by the Academy for Educational Development (AED), the support pack provides the caregivers of children under five orphaned by AIDS in Kenya with urgently needed services and care items, such as a prepaid card good for full immunizations, as well as preschool fees, weekly home visits by a trained community mentor, and access to a caregiver support group for one year. Other items contained in the pack are a "sippy cup" and bowl, a washcloth and soap, a blanket, a ball, a school uniform, a notebook, pencil and crayons, and materials to create a parents memory book.

AED hopes to raise funds initially to provide Orphan Support Packs to 1,000 children in Kenya over the next two years. Each pack costs $100 for a year's worth of services and materials. The packs will be assembled in Kenya to support the local economy.

Request a free information kit or donate to the program.

For Tight Software Budgets

Adobe System Inc.'s Software Donation Program allows U.S. K–12 schools or nonprofit organizations that provide teacher training or develop curriculum for K–12 classrooms to request a maximum of four software packages per year of the latest versions of Adobe software. The program is managed in partnership with Gifts In Kind International. A nominal processing and shipping fee is charged for all software donations. To apply, review eligibility criteria at Adobe's site then download and complete the application for the region in which your school is located. For complete information on the program, go to www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/philanthropy/software.html.

Free Course Management Tool

Grade Connect is an easy-to-use electronic course management system packed with an array of features to help teachers manage their courses easier. Designed by teachers, the program includes an online gradebook that allows you to post up-to-the-day grades and keep students informed on their standing, so there are fewer questions. It will automatically calculate quarter grades as well as allow you to post homework and project assignments along with due dates—the students' personal calendar feature constantly reminds them of upcoming deadlines. The system is online so it requires no special network server or connection. Best of all, the program is free to educators who register at the site. Here's more information and a demo of Grade Connect.

Lessons on the Vietnamese American Experience

Teaching for Tolerance offers online lessons plans that shed light on the complexities of the lives of Vietnamese Americans—and encourages users to bridge cultural gaps through awareness of shared experiences. Designed for use with learners in grades 7 and above, every lesson in this curriculum guide supports national standards for social studies. Preview or download materials.

No Name-Calling Week

NEA has joined forces with over 40 education, mental health, youth advocacy, and social justice organizations to address the problem of name-calling and verbal bullying in U.S. schools. During the week of January 24–28, 2005—No Name-Calling Week—schools serving grades 5–8 across the nation will be asked to take part in a week of educational activities aimed at stopping name-calling and creating safer and more affirming schools for all students. Visit www.NoNameCallingWeek.org to register your school, receive educational materials, and find out more about this project.

Heads Up from NEA Member Benefits

Illustration: Photodisc

Is an IRA Right For You? Few investment opportunities have helped more people prepare for retirement than the Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Depending on your circumstances, a Traditional or Roth IRA might be right for you.

Contributions to a Traditional IRA may be tax deductible and the earnings grow tax-deferred. Distributions from the IRA, however, are taxable. Contributions to a Roth IRA are never tax deductible, but earnings and distributions can be tax free given certain provisions.

Both Traditional and Roth IRAs are available through the NEA Valuebuilder® Program. As with any major financial decision, it is wise to consult with a financial professional. Call 1-800-NEA-VALU and an NEA Valuebuilder Financial Counselor will be happy to meet with you and discuss your various options.

Spent a little more cash than you'd planned to during the holiday season? You could eliminate your debts* with the NEA Personal Loan®, offered by MBNA America. It's easy—if approved, you could consolidate your high-interest debt and save with low rates available for NEA members. This plan includes affordable monthly payments and repayment terms from 24 to 84 months. No collateral is necessary and there are no costs to apply, so call today! Dial 1-800-545-4094 and mention priority code KK2O-QV-042­KA for a decision in as little as 10 minutes. Or visit www.neamb.com/pl to apply online. TDD users, please call 1-800-833-6262.

*MBNA may prohibit use of an NEA Personal Loan to pay off or pay down another MBNA account.

No member dues dollars are ever used to support NEA Member Benefits Programs.