Bus Behavior

Managing students behavior is as important on the bus as it is in the classroom. Drivers share strategies for keeping their eyes on the road and their passengers in their seats.

Special Education

The reauthorized federal education law should help educators reach students faster, more effectively, and with less pointless paperwork.

Para Help

Each day teachers around the country rely on their paraeducator colleagues to get the job done. Meet Barbara Salazar, a powerhouse of a helping hand to a very grateful teacher.

Music Power

Legendary folk musician and social activist Peter Yarrow uses music to teach students respect for each other and equips teachers with the tools needed to transform schools into safe, compassionate places.

Should "tracking" be abolished? Yes. Second-grade teacher Janice Wilson says "I was a 'brain' in high school, always in the honors classes getting good grades. However, I feel that tracking unnecessarily classifies, labels, and segregates students." No. High school English teacher Joyce Davis says, "I teach at a Blue Ribbon school of excellence, highly respected for the number of college-bound student graduates. We use tracking in some academic areas to best meet student needs. We offer a basic level, a college-bound level, an accelerated level, an honors level, and in some areas, AP classes." Read more of their rationales or cast your vote. Yes    No

Spotlight

Mississippi educators, led by the Mississippi Education Association, fight for adequate resources for public schools, training a 90,000-strong cadre of citizens armed with letter-writing and lobbying skills and the will to demand funding from legislators.

ESP

Living wage crusader Debbie Minnick tells fellow education support professionals how to organize for a decent raise.

Health & Fitness

Teaching is challenging enough, but how about teaching with a life-threatening illness or a physical disability? Meet three such heroes, everyday folks who've managed to  to turn life-transforming health challenges into opportunities to succeed. 

Bulletin Board

Do students really need to go or are they just trying for an extra break? Your colleagues share tips on how to rein in the cheaters.

People

Fourth-grade social studies teacher Matthew Wilson catches and releases rattlesnakes to collect wildlife data; library media specialist Phyllis Hall brings books to impoverished areas of South America.

Last Bell

Not so long ago, elementary teachers in California had to be proficient at playing the autoharp and teaching music. A retired educator reflects on the joy of injecting music into daily classroom life.

Editor's Note

President's Viewpoint

UpFront

U.S. elementary and middle school students are doing well in math and science but losing ground in high school.

Leading the Way

State Report

Resources

Yikes! Not me!

While grading essays for my 10th-grade class one evening, I came across a student's paper that was fairly well-written. This student was not doing well in class, and because there was such improvement, I wanted to tell her how proud I was of her achievement. I wrote on the paper in large red letters, "SEE ME."

After I handed the papers back and the bell rang, she tapped me on the shoulder, held up the paper, and said, "Mr. P., I can't see you, I'm seeing four other guys!"

At that point I didn't know what to say and just squeaked out, "Good job."

—Alan Pressman
Montville, New Jersey

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Send it to neatoday@nea.org.