What March Madness Has to Do With the NEA
March 24, 2008 - A whole lot, according to one member.

The $125,000 Salary Experiment
March 21, 2008 - Will high salaries attract the best teachers?

Dropout Prevention 2.0
March 20, 2008 - Some districts are spending millions on media campaigns to "rebrand" school to would-be and recent dropouts.

Teacher Pay Falls into the Gap
March 18, 2008 - Public school teachers are paid about 15 percent less a week than people in similar professions with similar educations.

Bus Drivers are Educators Too
March 14, 2008 - A story about a school district's effort to get bus drivers involved in cutting down on inter-ethnic bullying on the ride to school.

Arts Smarts
March 13, 2008 - Turns out the arts do play a vital role in education.

Read Across on the Web
March 11, 2008 - Last week NEA celebrated the 51st birthday of The Cat in the Hat and the birthday of Dr. Seuss with its nation-wide reading event, Read Across America.

 

Read more about preschoolers in Oklahoma.

March 2008

ESPs at Work

More Than 'Campus Cops'

School resource officers are also role models for students and staff

by John Rosales

Michael Houston is a School Resource Officer at Loftis Middle School in Hixson, Tennessee.   Unlike many other school resource offiers, he doesn’t work directly for the school district. Houston is employed by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department as a member of a select group of specially-trained, veteran law enforcement officers assigned to a school full time.

“The school is my beat,” says Houston, 37. “I consider the students to be like my children – all 902 of them.”

As a certified police officer, Houston has the same uniform, badge, weapons and arrest powers as other law enforcement officers.   He even works as a patrol officer during the summer break, “to keep up with the streets, stay fresh,” he says.

Typically, Houston responds to law violations or safety-related incidents at school and the nearby neighborhood.   He drives a fully-equipped “marked unit” and carries handcuffs, Mace, expandable baton, two radios and a gun.

“My belt is pretty much full,” he says. “I get questions about the gun (from students) on a daily basis. And no, I have never shot anyone or been shot.”  

And the two radios?

“One is for the school and the other is for the sheriff’s department,” he says. Houston is allowed by school officials to answer neighborhood calls, especially if a juvenile is involved.

“If there is nothing going on at school, I will go out and assist another officer,” he says. “If it’s one of my students, they might want to see a familiar face.”

School Resource Officers are taught to be accessible and familiar to students so when an emergency occurs, a bond has been set.

“We’re taught to establish a rapport with students,” he says. “The more friends I make, the more I will be informed about what is happening at school.”   The SRO program is patterned after the Triad-plus Concept of law enforcer- instructor- advisor, with the concept of being a role model at the center.  

   There are 20 SROs based at 18 Hamilton County schools, plus three supervisors assigned to headquarters. At Loftis, Houston works alone, usually arriving an hour before his official starting time of 7 a.m. and staying past his last bell at 3 p.m.

“I like to check my e-mail and get caught up on paperwork before students arrive (about 6:45 a.m.),” he says.

The SRO’s mission is to be a visible presence on campus to deter, prevent, and respond to crime. They also advise school officials on law-related matters, help assess school safety needs, and serves as a link to other emergency personnel during crisis incidents.

“We’re not just campus cops,” says Houston, a 10-year police veteran. “I give lectures on anything law-enforcement related.   I talk with kids about personal issues, like an abusive situation at home.”

In the classroom, SROs serves as guest instructors, teaching law-related and safety-related topics which are relevant to the school's learning goals. As advisors, they serve in an informal capacity as a conflict mediator to students.

“I work under confidentiality,” he says. “I enjoy coming in and talking with the kids about anything on their minds -- skateboarding, video games, sports.” 

Houston also speaks to students about bullying and aggression, dating violence, driving safety, fingerprint evidence, Internet safety, search and seizure laws, and sex crimes.  He uses some lectures not only to educate students, but also to inform them of their rights as potential victims of a crime.

“We need to know if a child is being harmed or abused in any way,” he says. “If a kid talks with a teacher or me about home child abuse, the first person who hears about it is obligated by law to report it.”

While Houston fills many roles at school, he is not a classroom or administrative disciplinarian. School-related discipline for misbehavior or rule violations are left to school officials.

Houston has worked at Loftis since 2000, though spent the 2006-07 school year at nearby Central High School, where he sometimes wore the county's alternate uniform. It is known as the "soft" uniform and consists of a navy blue, embroidered golf shirt and khaki pants.   This type of uniform is more suitable to the school environment and helps students see SROs as more approachable, he says.

“I want them to talk to me,” Houston adds. “They keep me young.”

Staying Aware of Crisis Situations

The 11-year-old girl was so upset that she stormed out of her classroom, flew down a flight of stairs and right out the door.

“I saw her leave and got her to come back inside,” says Laura Vernon, school safety assistant at Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts in Milwaukee. Vernon then called the student’s mother and put the phone in her trembling hands.

“They spoke and she calmed down, and returned to class,” Vernon says. “It’s dangerous to leave school and not tell anyone. I’m just glad I was in the hallway and saw her leave.”

After 32 years of school employment, Vernon has developed a knack for catching mischievous students, like when a gregarious eighth-grader was sliding on the polished counter of a science lab.

“Not once or twice, but three times,” she says. “He didn’t see me, but I saw him. We spend most of our time in the halls or responding to calls of misbehavior in class.”

Vernon  is one of three security officers who work fulltime at Roosevelt keeping the peace among the school’s 850 sixth-to eighth-graders. Each officer works on one of the school’s three different floors. Their 40-hour week sometimes includes training days.

“We constantly receive training to stay aware of crisis situations,” she says.

Vernon ’s day starts as several dozen students begin to trickle in at 7:30 a.m., making a beeline to the cafeteria. They are hungry, groggy and unlikely to cause mischief as participants in the school’s free breakfast program.

“We’re an art school,” she says. “Some of them take that time to practice their instruments.”

At first bell, about 8:40 a.m., Vernon is walking the halls, radio in hand. Roosevelt ’s security guards do not carry handcuffs or pepper spray or anything else.

“It’s just us and being able to talk real good,” Vernon says. “We have radios to communicate with each other.”

Vernon  started work at schools in 1976 as an educational assistant for transitional students from kindergarten to first grade. She then trained to become a hall supervisor in middle schools. Though fashions and trends come and go, Vernon says one thing has not changed among middle schoolers. 

“They sometimes have to be convinced that education should be their priority,” she says. “They have too many distractions.”

Because some students “don’t stay on task in class,” Vernon spends a lot of her time talking about the importance of studying and getting good grades.

“We (security officers) spend a lot of time talking to children about education,” she says.

Though they might lose focus in class, most students at Roosevelt don’t fight, curse or steal.

“We haven’t seen a whole lot of that,” she says. “Our biggest issue is with theft and vandalism that comes from outside of school.”

It’s tempting for outsiders to deface some of the public sculpture dotting the grounds, Vernon    says. Inside, however, the school’s dance studio, orchestra room and art gallery are points of pride for students and go untouched. 

“If a violin is set down somewhere, no one runs off with it,” Vernon says. “Someone turns it in.”

This stellar behavior might be a good reflection on parents, teachers, ESPs and other role models, but even the best students sometimes stray. At those times, Vernon has the freedom to call the ultimate disciplinarian.

“If I see a child acting out or doing something inappropriate, I will call the parent before it gets to the administrative level,” Vernon says. “Ninety-nine percent of the time, the parent appreciates the call. Administrators appreciate it too.”

At certain “it-hurts-me-more” moments, Vernon has to write-up a student for an infraction, usually involving “being sassy with teachers.”

Students usually try to “save face with their peers,” she says. “And it gets them in trouble.”

Carrying a cell phone to school without permission is a breach of school policy, unless the student has a medical reason for needing the device. To enforce the rule, the school has security monitoring systems, including a policy which encourages surprise scans to check for weapons or unauthorized cell phones.

“If we find a phone, it’s taken and given to the parent,” she says.

Vernon  says her job is primarily about one thing: safety.

“We try real hard to assure that the children and staff are safe in the building,” she says. “In the past, people may not have thought that a security guard was necessary at a school. Due to some incidents, everybody knows you need trained personnel to do this job.”    

Back to "Security Upgrade"

March 2008

ESPs at Work

Security Upgrade

By John Rosales

School security: What was once left to teachers and aides who had "free time" to police hallways is now often the work of highly trained, experienced staff like Sgt. Dan Kivett, the security supervisor at East Valley High School in Redlands, California. Kivett and his crew patrol on foot and bicycle, in golf carts and vehicles.

Today, most schools have emergency plans on file and security personnel in place, a trend that grew after the rash of school shootings in the 1990s. Security service personnel account for 36,000 of NEA's 480,000 education support professionals, and some school systems train ESPs serving in other roles to become security personnel.

They may work security part-time, like Holly Smith and Ivy Richardson, who protect the students at Mesa Ridge High School in Colorado Springs. But whether full-time or part-time, school security guards must always be ready to respond to situations that range from bomb threats to littering, fighting, theft, and vandalism, all in the name of protecting students and the learning environment.

"I don't want to be liked or hated," says Kivett. "I want kids to look at me as fair, consistent, and approachable. That way, we can take good care of them."

To prepare for the day, Kivett finds out which teachers are absent, then briefs his six full-time and three part-time officers about the day's activities. East Valley's 3,650 students start arriving in buses around 6:30 a.m. as Kivett  and his team patrol the 56-acre campus' parking lots, athletic fields, and nearby orange groves. "Students like to hide in the groves and skip first period," he says. Because school officers are not authorized to make arrests off school property or to carry weapons, they coordinate closely with local police.

Kivett sometimes gets anonymous calls from people reporting on students sitting in cars, or hanging out at a restaurant. "Students are a little more sophisticated today (about truancy), but some of the excuses for being tardy never change," says Kivett, 47. His favorite: "Oh, I was already late, so I figured I'd just start with second period."

The Routine: Patrolling is a preventative measure. Some of Kivett's officers have beats; all are trained in crowd control. There are 13 active gangs in the area around the school, which makes the school grounds ripe for incidents.

Kivett says high-profile student-on-student violence in the 1990s changed the role of school security. "We look at things a lot differently now. It's not just a kid talking anymore." Kivett says security guards used to "show up in T-shirts and jeans." Today, the use of walkie-talkies, pepper spray, handcuffs, and security vehicles are standard at many schools. "There's a preventative strategy to much of what we do," says Kivett, who is certified in drug influence recognition.

Kivett says he once discovered a student's wallet chain was from a chainsaw. "He didn't know it could be used as a weapon," Kivett says. As a deterrent, nothing beats the drug dog. "They know the dog can show up at any time and sniff out drugs, gun powder, sulphur...a wide variety of substances," says Kivett, who maintains a permanent display of confiscated items in his office for instructional purposes, though most are turned over to the sheriff's office or the district.

Security training emphasizes prevention. "We're taught how to read the signs when students might start fighting," says Smith. In six years, Smith has witnessed about eight fights. "I try to make a loud sound to get their attention and to control the crowd. If you can get the crowd to back up, instead of egging them on, then the fighters usually stop fighting." Richardson takes solace in knowing she has backup. "We all work together for the benefit of the students, to create a safe environment for learning," she says.

Holly Smith (left), once a night custodian, enrolled in her district's Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) workshop in order to apply for daytime work as a security guard-custodian. She often uses the golf cart to patrol the parking lot, where students sometimes "accidentally" park in teachers' spaces. "My favorite part of the job is building relationships with the kids," Smith says. Richardson also uses the golf cart to patrol those trails around campus favored by smokers.

Continue Reading: More Than Just Campus Cops

Just the Facts

• 85% of school security guards work in school buildings—44% at high schools; 27% at middle or junior high schools; 14% at preschool, kindergarten, or elementary schools. The remaining guards work at multiple levels or district central offices.
• 84% work full-time
• 42% are male.
• 63% have attended at least some college.
• 60% have met specific job requirements such as certifications or special courses.
• 23% must take examinations or courses on a regular basis.
• 48 is the average age

Various security levels—School Resource Officers are usually local or county law enforcement officers. School police departments are regular law enforcement entities that work for, and are paid by, the school district. Hall monitors are often paraprofessionals who perform security functions in addition to administrative duties.

March 2008

In Your Words

What lessons have your students taught you?

A student taught me that a caring teacher opens the door for learning. "Shannon" was an angry, out-of-control 15-year-old. She'd been a runaway since the age of nine, trying to escape an abusive home life. Before moving in with an older cousin, Shannon spent 18 months in juvenile detention. She sat in the back of class, arms crossed defensively. School was stupid, she'd decided. Nothing she'd do in school would matter in her life—until I gave a writing assignment on survival. Shannon's essay was called "I'm a Survivor." It described what she'd been through and how she'd managed to endure. I applauded her ability to share her experiences in writing, and she showed me she did care about doing well in school. I learned that encouraging and accepting her through her writing embraced her spirit.
Sheila Freeman, alternative education English teacher, Van Buren, Arkansas

I've learned to assume nothing! When teaching a unit on tall tales, we read about Pecos Bill who lassos a cyclone. I felt sure my students knew what a cyclone was, but I asked anyway. A boy raised his hand. "I know!" he said. "A monster with one big eye!" Even though I assume they'll know I'm kidding, I ask students which of the four presidents on Mount Rushmore is President Rushmore. "The first one!" a student inevitably shouts. "The third one!" says another. When your students recite the Pledge of Allegiance, do you assume they know the meaning of "pledge," "allegiance," or "indivisible?" They'll learn what they need to know eventually, but in the meantime, assume nothing.
Tim Miller, fifth-grade teacher, Harborcreek, Pennsylvania

Through all my years of teaching, students have taught me many good lessons. One that stands out is that every single child is a unique and special individual seeking to connect and make sense of his or her world. As a teacher, I grab onto their moments of success!
Ana Estrada, kindergarten teacher, Covina, California

I am constantly astounded by students' insight into the complexities of life. At an early age, they understand the difference between right and wrong and see bullying and the subtleties of racism more clearly than some politicians. Through their writing, students let me into their world, show me what they worry about, what they think, and what they see as they walk through their days. It's made me strive to be a better person, a stronger teacher, an advocate for what I, too, know is right and wrong that is buried somewhere inside my grown-up persona.
Sharon Yancey, third-grade teacher, Department of Defense School, U.K.

We want to hear from you! What do you hope students will remember most about you down the road? Tell us, in your words, using specific examples and anecdotes. Visit www.nea.org/forums .

March 2008

Technology Divide

March 2008

Try This!

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt!

And we don’t need to rent a bus. An idea-inspiring jaunt may be just beyond the front door.

By Mary Ellen Flannery

Call for a “Maaap!” like Dora the Explorer. “Back in the Dark Ages, my geography teacher took us outside to create a map of the school grounds, using only our feet as a measuring guide,” recalls a colleague on the NEA online community forum.

Up on the roof! Talk to your school custodian about roof access, where your students can study wind and clouds, observe birds, map their community, and learn about roof construction and drainage. “Kids are curious about areas that are off-limits to them,” notes Indiana teacher Hannah Sitzman. With plenty of notice to your colleagues, take them to the faculty lounge or workroom. Consider letting them use the snack machine as a special reward!

Send older students to read to younger kids or help youngsters with lessons that they’ve already mastered, suggests Cori-Lei Chong. They will be welcomed!

A magnifying glass can be fun to take outside , suggests author Carroll. During a walk around the schoolyard, ask students to take a close look at what’s happening in pavement cracks, on trees, or even between grass blades.

Nutrition manager Claire Bailey takes students behind the scenes in their Lewiston, Maine, cafeteria. “They’re totally amazed!” she says. They step inside the pantry, the refrigerator and freezer—but their favorite sight might be the steam jacket kettle, an enormous gas-powered pot that can boil up to 50 pounds of pasta. “It’s like a big witch’s brew pot.”

You can travel thousands of miles from your school’s computer lab on Web-based “virtual trips.” Rick Barter, technology coordinator at his Maine elementary school, likes Google Earth and Google Earth Community for that very thing. For example, with interactive maps from the Silk Road, kids can “swoop down to places in Asia and see the terrain that was traveled way back then and places visited along the way.”

Call the police! Or the fire department. Officer Friendly usually welcomes the opportunity to bring an official vehicle to school and show students how the job is done.

Take a shape trip , like Cori-Lei Chong, a Hawaii kindergarten teacher, whose students walk around the school (with clipboards in hand) looking for circles and squares. They’ve also done “job tours,” where they visit different job sites in the school—the custodian’s office, the librarian’s desk, the principal’s office, etc.—and then return to the classroom to make a book about people who work in their school.

Visiting the nurse when you’re well is a lot more fun. At Maggie Beall’s Pennsylvania school, her visitors can learn about vision and hearing assessments and even peek inside a classmate’s eardrum. They can try out the stethoscope, count their pulse, and learn about blood pressure. They also can plot individual growth charts, check out their immunization records, and learn about proper hand washing. And don’t forget the reflex hammer. Bong!

High school artists can visit their gymnasium to draw bodies in motion, suggests Minnesota teacher Maureen Gunderson.

Amid the bluejays and woodpeckers, at the edge of his Virginia middle school campus, band director Sean McKillop asks his students to hear “the rhythm and balance of our world’s natural music.” Then off they go to the parking lot, where he revs up his car, flips on his wipers, and shows them that even cars make music.

March 2008

The Guide ...to Entertainment

Talk Back!

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Party Central

Making your house the place to be doesn't have to be expensive.

By Amanda Litvinov

When George Neville became Archbishop of York in 1465, he celebrated with a three-day foodfest that is said to have included 4,000 pigeons, 2,000 pigs, 1,000 sheep, 400 peacocks—and for dessert? Two thousand hot custards. Most 21st-century Americans don't have a taste for peacock, but too many of us resist entertaining at home ("I'm too busy! It's too much work!"), as if the goal is to pull off a spectacle like Neville's legendary feast.

Keeping it simple, you see, is the key.

"Anyone can entertain without overspending if they leave enough time to figure everything out beforehand," says Lori Perkins, author of The Cheapskate's Guide to Entertaining: How to Throw Fabulous Parties on a Modest Budget, and a literary agent who entertains often. With some planning and realistic expectations, you can open your home and break bread—not the bank—with the people you care about.

When it comes to a dinner party, the more time you spend planning, the more money you can save. "People remember good food," Perkins says, "which doesn't need to be expensive, it just needs to be good." Her suggestions? Start with simple bruschetta or stuffed mushrooms, which do take prep time, but not much money.

If you're feeding a large group, think pasta or salad. "Spaghetti and meatballs or chicken pesto is really easy," Perkins says. "With just two pounds of shrimp you can feed at least 20 people with a pasta or salad."

But hey, who says you have to do all the work? Potlucks will never go out of style, says Perkins, and they're great for busy people. Donna Pilato, who for the past eight years has been About.com's entertaining guide, offers another good informal option: the "Make Your Own (fill in the blank) Party." "Hosting a make your own tacos or pizza party gets people interacting. The host does the prep, but everyone shares in the production." It's also perfect for including youngsters, who love customizing their food.

Then again, you know what they say about early birds. (Should we talk about worms in a story about food?) "Brunch is definitely a less expensive, family friendly way to have a party," says Pilato, "and you can set up the night before, with overnight casseroles and purchased pastries."

Of course, many of the best soirees don't revolve around a sit-down meal. Fondue parties, wine tastings, and dessert receptions are all popular options, and guests tend to be more than happy to supply whatever breads, cheeses, wines, or sweets you ask for.

Other gatherings focus on an event as much as the food. Movie viewings require enough comfy seating, snacks, sodas, and perhaps a choice of beer or wine (remember, keeping the spirits capped is one of the best ways to keep dollars in your wallet). "There's always an excuse for a party," says Pilato—March Madness, anyone?—it's just a matter of making it feel like an occasion.

"Go with your strengths," she suggests. "If you're a great cook or baker, make that the focal point of your party. Otherwise, buy the food or host a potluck, and let your style come through by setting the party atmosphere."

But remember, "it only takes a few special touches to make a get-together memorable," says Pilato. Getting too wrapped up in a theme overwhelms the hosts and discourages them from entertaining again anytime soon.

Keep telling yourself you're too busy to entertain—or that your guests expect peacock! and pigeon! and pig!—and you end up depriving yourself of face time with your nearest and dearest. Says Perkins: "When you look back, you'll always wish you had spent more time with friends and family."

No More Licking Envelopes Evite isn't the only electronic invitation service out there. Pick the one that's right for you and get the party started.
	Gather 'round the punch bowl Get the gang organized without an endless exchange of e-mails. Using www.mypunchbowl.com, the host can poll guests about potential event dates, giving extra weight to responses from guests designated VIPs. The party discussion board means everyone can chat without the host's oversight. After the big day, share stories, photos, and video on the After Party section. The site also offers a never-ending list of reasons to celebrate (as if you need it!).
	I dunno. What do you want to do? "Fuzzy planning" is the premise behind www.skobee.com. Name the date and see if your buddies have some ideas, or throw out something you'd like to do and find out when others can join in. If you start an event planning conversation over e-mail, just include simple tags like "when:" and "who:" and cc Skobee. It'll track all discussion threads so you don't have to.
	The democratic party planner Let invitees vote on every aspect of the plans. Planypus is essentially a party wiki, meaning anyone can change its content until an organizer designates it finalized. This is the invite site for those on the go: it'll send updates however you and those on your list care to receive them, including e-mail, SMS, or RSS, and you can export the event to your blog or Web page

Can a snack that calls itself healthier still be tasty? Our tasting panel at Neabsco Elementary School in Woodbridge, Virginia, set out to help us answer that question:   Robert's American Gourmet Veggie Booty Sahale Snacks Valdosta Pecans Trader Joe's Reduced guilt Kettle Cooked Potato Chips Stacy's Garlic & Herb Pita Chips Newman's Own Organic Microwave Pop's Corn Price $2.29/4 oz. $4.69/5 oz. $1.79/7 oz. $2.49/6 oz. $2.79/9 oz. Description Puffed rice and corn flavored with spinach and kale. Black-peppered pecans and cranberries seasoned with orange zest. Slow kettle-cooked in sunflower oil for maximum crunch. Baked pita chips flavored with real parmesan, garlic, and parsley. Bags of organic popcorn that cook in organic oils. Healthier? Other ingredients include cabbage, carrots, and broccoli. Eat a quarter of the bag and you've only consumed 130 calories. Can the other snacks in your pantry boast all natural ingredients, no cholesterol, no trans fats, and low sodium? Snack traditionalists will cheer: 33 percent less fat and 20 percent fewer calories than regular chips. Low sodium, too! Baked and all-natural ingredients mean fats are kept in check. Remember, dipping means more calories. No hydrogenated shortening or trans fatty acids in this "light butter" variety—which is more than can be said for theater popcorn. Our tasting panel says "Tastes like a mouthful of seawater." —Yvette West, fifth-grade teacher "I wasn't expecting the pepper, but the cranberries balanced out the snack." —Tammy Delene, preschool teacher "Pleasant taste, but too hard to chew." —Elaine Crane, special education assistant "Good snack to satisfy those salty cravings." —Derra Banks, librarian "I'm not inspired to give up my movie theater butter." —Celia Stone, P.E. assistant Company fun fact Robert's healthy snack line includes Frooty Booty, Pirate's Swag (trail mix), and Chaos (chips and pretzel mix). Sahale makes six different nut blends. They offer recipes that incorporate the nuts on their Web site. All of the signs inside Trader Joe's stores are painted by local artists. Owner Stacy Madison began selling pita chips when she operated a sandwich cart in Boston. Newman's Own Foundation has given more than $200 million to charity since 1982—all profits after taxes are donated.

Photos: Meiko Arquillos; C Squared Studios; TV photo: Ivan Stevanovic; food items: Groff Creative, inc.

March 2008

The Sexualization of Girls

Lolita in the Classroom

Dolls in fishnets, hair extensions for kids, and pole-dancing Tween tv stars. Girlhood isn't what it used to be, and that means teaching girls isn't either.

By Cynthia Kopkowski

Maybe it was when stores began stocking thongs embroidered with "wink, wink" in sizes for 7- to 10-year-olds, to be covered by sweatpants with "Juicy" stitched across the rear. That's about the time it became apparent that there is less sand in the hourglass for girlhood than there used to be. Or it could have been when teen magazines featured a Skechers footwear ad with popstar Christina Aguilera dressed as a schoolgirl in pigtails with bra exposed. Or perhaps it was the plasticized proliferation of Bratz dolls, with their midriff-baring shirts and fishnet stockings, marketed to little girls.

Although it would be nice to think that educators don't have to worry about our culture's sexualization of younger and younger girls—to assume it is parents', Hollywood's, or Madison Avenue's problem—there's no keeping the effects out of the classroom.

"Sexualizing childhood is diverting students from the kind of learning we want them to do," says Diane Levin, researcher and author of the forthcoming So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do To Protect Their Kids . "With [the No Child Left Behind law's] emphasis on high-stakes testing and the narrowing of the curriculum, there's less time for teachers to address a whole range of issues in children's lives."

It's not easy growing up in a sex-saturated culture. Research linking sexualization to eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem is outlined in last year's report from the American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. So far sexualized childhood has been understood as a social problem and is rarely discussed as something diminishing learning.

Educators on the front lines trying to teach young girls about the damaging influence of media and advertising face tough competition. Celebrity rules in the minds of many young girls today, and what they see on screen, be it TV or computer, is powerful.

On the E! television network's Keeping Up With the Kardashians, star Kim Kardashian giggles as her preteen sister demonstrates a move on a stripper pole installed in one of the house's bedrooms. Over on the CW, the teens in Gossip Girl banter frequently about sex. The show was routinely the top-rated among children ages 12–17 last season. And the girls themselves can become the celebrities, thanks to sultry cell phone self-portraits uploaded to Facebook and MySpace. At the same time, advertising, which was a $20 billion industry in 1979, is now a $250 billion juggernaut.

Pressure on girls now is "totally different," than in previous decades, says Levin. "Kids have always wanted to learn about sex. But what's changed is where they are getting their information from. It's the media—four to six hours a day on screens where marketing to children has become a huge industry and sex is used."

That plays out in the classroom, says Earlene Spencer, a special needs teacher at E.A. Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. "The role of pop culture and what those people are doing is not what we should have to be worried about in the classroom, but we are." Young females she interacts with now seem more unstable emotionally and under greater pressure to have sex than when she started teaching 19 years ago, says Spencer. "It is absolutely harder to be a girl in school now."

Colleague Wes Knape, the school's drama teacher agrees. "You've got pop culture saying it's acceptable to do these things at this age, but pop culture is not there to help you in the classroom."

Even pregnancy is starting to lose a bit of its stigma. Pregnant girls in Knape's class chatter excitedly about their impending motherhood and baby showers. No wonder then that the day after Britney Spears' 16-year-old sister Jamie Lynn Spears announced on the front cover of OK! magazine that she was pregnant in December, CNN ran the headline, "What will you tell your kids?"

So what's an educator to do?

Start by setting a good example , say fellow educators who are concerned by what they view as some colleagues' inappropriate clothing choices. "We need to start by talking to student members about the importance of their own dress," says Vielka Elvebak, a member of NEA's Women's Caucus.

Support dress codes for students. Spencer and Knape say their fellow staff members are wholeheartedly backing a move by the district to institute uniforms and dress regulations. "Anything that distracts from learning needs to go," says Spencer.

Rather than IGNORING THEM , be prepared to respond to specific situations as they arise—a child dressing inappropriately or talking about sexual behavior. "Teachers talking with students, really connecting with them, can help counteract the negative lessons kids are learning about relationships and personal behavior," from other sources, says Levin.

Consider holding seminars for parents on the topic. Teachers like Spencer and Knape would like to see at least one per year. "We need to tell society that we are not the family," says Spencer. Instead, "We need to get to mama."

Send your comments on this story to ckopkowski@nea.org.

photo: groff creative, inc.

March 2008

Salary Trends

Where is Your Pay Plan Heading?

By Mary Ellen Flannery and Alain Jehlen

What do you think about merit pay?

Hate it! Of course!

Unless, perhaps, you don’t…unless, perhaps, it means a series of pay incentives to encourage you to teach in the poorest schools, or a system of rewards for professional development that gets you thinking about curriculum, planning parent outreach events, or conducting classroom research.

Then it gets complicated, no?

Talk about hot button issues, talk about the elephant in the room, merit pay is like a pachyderm on fire these days. Republicans, Democrats, governors, legislators, presidential candidates, and school board members all are advocating for changes in teacher pay. Turn on talk radio. Flip to the opinion pages in your newspaper. This is an issue that simply can’t be ignored.

Already, according to NEA research, at least 36 states plus the District of Columbia have some sort of “alternative compensation” systems in place. And more are certainly on their way. That’s why it’s important for all NEA members to arm themselves with information and resources on the subject. Know what to embrace. Know what to avoid. And know, above all else, that your voice should be heard before anybody changes your pay.

“Information is power,” says NEA President Reg Weaver. “While we can be open to alternatives, we should always oppose politically motivated, quick fixes designed to weaken the voice of teachers and the effectiveness of education employees.

“If they want to talk about changing the way we’re paid, they need to do that with us, not to us.”

PUT THE BRAKES ON

When the new superintendent of Cambridge, Massachusetts, schools first came to town, he found a school committee quite interested in merit pay. So, to illustrate how it might work (or not), the superintendent, Thomas Fowler-Finn, showed his principals and curriculum coordinators a 15-minute video of a teacher at work. He then asked them to rate her performance from 1 to 10.

“I got a couple of 2s, a 3, several 4s and 5s—the entire spectrum, right up to a 10,” he says. With that, they decided those kinds of ratings wouldn’t make a very solid basis for paying people.

Like the gentleman from Cambridge concluded, traveling the road of “merit pay” or “alternative pay” can be dangerous. (See our glossary on page 41 for a quick vocabulary lesson.) There are plenty of potholes out there that can swallow an educator’s paycheck. But basically, according to NEA’s compensation experts, there are three things to avoid:

• Pay based on subjective evaluations. Instead, NEA believes evaluations should be used to improve the practice of teaching and student learning.
• Pay based on student test scores. Students, parents, and teachers would be a lot better served if scores were used to help teachers improve their practice, school curriculum, or other learning conditions.
• Extra pay for teachers in hard-to-fill subjects. This kind of idea leads to trouble and the thinking that some types of teachers are more valuable than others, NEA believes.

To Okaloosa County, Florida, fifth-grade teacher Karen Peek, the whole idea of pay for performance is an insult. “I love my work and I do the best job possible every day. You could offer me $2 million and I couldn’t do it better. Give me a raise—that would be great—but don’t imply that I am holding back and not doing the best I can now.”

GREEN LIGHT MEANS GO!

Thinking about ways to get more money to educators isn’t such a bad thing. Yes, of course, you love the children; it’s a noble profession; and you are making the world a better place. But you can’t get paid a decent wage for that? Nearly half of new teachers leave the classroom during the first five years of teaching—and, although the reasons are varied, low pay is certainly one of them.

NEA supports at least a $40,000 salary for all teachers, and it celebrates the wins of its affiliates who have climbed even higher. (Since 2006, an increasing number of New Jersey school districts have adopted $50K as their base salary. Go Jersey!) It also supports compensation systems that encourage the kinds of things that actually improve teaching and student learning—like skills, knowledge, and experience. Those systems might include:

• Additional pay for National Board Certification or advanced degrees.
• Additional pay for taking on the role of mentor to newer colleagues, or for gaining new knowledge through professional development or experiences.
• Incentives to attract caring and qualified teachers to hard-to-staff schools. (Local teachers would know best how to provide those incentives or how much money it might take to be effective.)

“Through our plan, we’re developing a learning community,” says Maureen Gunderson of Le Center, Minnesota, where bonuses are earned mostly from working with colleagues to improve practice.

But what works in rural Minnesota might not work in Jersey City or Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and vice versa. While there are basic principles that hold true everywhere—for example, pay based on test scores is a bad idea on both coasts and all the places in between—you’ll know what’s best for you and your colleagues.

Whatever it is, NEA and your state affiliate can help you get it. Go to www.nea.org/pay for more information. And read on for examples of the pluses and minuses of far-ranging plans from Portland, Maine, to Houston, Texas.

FLORIDA

When former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed into a law a merit-pay plan called STAR (Special Teachers Are Rewarded), who knew that the spotlight would be shined on thousands of teachers who simply said no to the test-driven bonuses? Last year, it was repealed by the Florida Legislature and replaced with a new model.

The old STAR system was funded with $147.5 million by the state Legislature to provide 25 percent of the state’s teachers with 5 percent bonuses. Each district was supposed to negotiate its own plan with local Associations, but the state required them to be based on test scores. In many districts, teachers just walked away.

In 2007, STAR was replaced by MAP (Merit Award Program) . Teachers hoped it would be better because it does allow districts to look at improvement rates, but bonuses must be based on very complicated actuarial tables developed by a state contractor. And it still doesn’t appear as if the state will consider other activities.

In Escambia County, for example, a proposed plan added incentives for community involvement, professional development, and leadership. The state rejected it—and now it appears as if fewer than 10 Florida districts will sign on.

NEW YORK CITY

Last October, the mayor, schools chief, and union leaders in the nation’s biggest school system announced they had bargained a pay-for-performance plan about which they could all be enthusiastic.

• The program does not replace the existing salary schedule. It adds bonuses.
• Schools qualify for bonuses if students meet targets for raising test scores.
• The bonus goes to the whole school, not individuals. A committee—the principal, a principal’s designee, and two representatives elected by union members—decides how to divvy up the money among the staff.
• The school’s total bonus equals $3,000 times the number of union-represented educators.
• The program is voluntary in the sense that schools only take part if 55 percent of union members and the principal vote to opt in.
• Government officials also agreed to support pension improvements for all teachers.

“This shuts the door on the individual merit pay plans that I abhor,” says United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO

The ski area around Vail, Colorado, is a leading example of the Milken Family Foundation’s Teacher Advancement Program (TAP). Milken says teachers should vote on joining TAP, but here, according to Jason Glass, the district’s new human resources director, “It was forced on the teachers, and we’re still healing that.” A teacher-administrator committee is working on changes.

• The system replaced the salary schedule.
• A tax increase helped pay for it.
• About half of a teacher’s annual raise depends on evaluations by principals and master teachers. Glass says there’s a subjective element, despite efforts to get all evaluators on the same page.
• The rest of the raise depends partly on the school’s test scores and partly on the score growth for a teacher’s own students.
• The score calculations use a secret formula devised by researcher William Sanders.

“The complexity is daunting to folks,” says Glass. “They’re not sure how their raise is calculated. We have to make it more clear.” But he’s committed to making pay-for-performance work. Union leader Todd Huck says the district has trouble finding enough respected, experienced teachers willing to evaluate their peers, even though master teachers are paid extra.

HOUSTON

When respected “Teachers of the Year” didn’t get bonus checks last year, many had to wonder just how the Houston Independent School District decided to allocate more than $14 million in merit pay. The ones who guessed test scores (and only test scores) were right. About 7,400 staff members got checks, ranging from a few hundred dollars to $7,000—and, when the Houston Chronicle published the names and amounts, there was an uproar. Many felt unfairly left out. Later, the Associated Press reported that, because of a computer error, nearly 100 teachers were asked to return amounts up to $2,790.

DENVER

In 2005, Denver became the first big-city school system to buy into pay-for-performance with a complex system called “ProComp.” Teacher approval was contingent on voters passing a $25 million tax increase, enough for an average of $6,000 per teacher.

• The plan was bargained, not imposed, after a union-management pilot project.
• It is optional for teachers already in the system, mandatory for new hires.
• It replaces the old salary schedule. There are no seniority steps.
• The extra money goes to individuals, but there’s no limit on how many teachers can get raises at a school, so colleagues are not competing.
• The biggest raises are for graduate degrees and extra courses. Teachers can also qualify for more money by getting good evaluations from principals, by working in schools or fields in which there is a shortage of candidates, and for helping their students meet test score goals.
• Test score goals are not one-size-fits-all. They are negotiated, case-by-case, between teachers and principals.

MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN

In 1999, this small Wisconsin district led the way for effective salary reform with a collective bargaining agreement designed to attract and retain great teachers. Instead of the traditional “bachelor’s” and “master’s” lanes, Manitowoc teachers move up when they complete certain activities, like earning academy credits or National Board Certification. Since then, their turnover rate has fallen by half, and a quarter of their teachers take academy classes every year. Said nationally certified third-grade teacher Sandra Maedke: “We do have a great pay plan incentive here in Manitowoc. That, of course, cannot be the only incentive for taking on such an intensive and rigorous challenge as the National Boards—but it helps.”

CHATTANOOGA

Just a few years ago, Chattanooga’s urban schools weren’t where many teachers wanted to be. (Sixty-four open jobs were advertised in one year—one applicant applied.) But a vibrant partnership, kicked off by a grant from the NEA Foundation, between the nine schools and the Hamilton County Education Association has brought new energy. To recruit and retain great teachers, their negotiated contract now includes a system of bonuses, which include $5,000 recruitment bonuses for teachers with a record of improving test scores; $5,000 retention bonuses for high-performing teachers; and $1,000 team bonuses for all school employees at a school with high scores.

PORTLAND, MAINE

The Portland (Maine) Education Association recently transformed its experience-based salary scale into a new system that puts a premium on teacher-directed professional learning and experience.

Instead of advancing in pay through the years, teachers earn more by obtaining professional development of their choosing. Such things might include conducting classroom research, handling a parent involvement program, developing curriculum, presenting at a conference, grant-writing, and more. “It allows incredible opportunities to tailor your own professional development,” says chief negotiator Gary Vines, a high school guidance counselor.

AND IT’S WORKING. During the past 18 months, the 675 members have submitted more than 60,000 hours of learning. That’s more money for them—and better learning opportunities for kids, too. “The best indicator of student learning is teacher learning,” Vines says.

Read more about these new pay plans, and find out how you can get involved in the fight for professional pay for teachers and a living wage for all education support professionals, at www.nea.org/pay .

March 2008

Resources

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Deadline Approaching

for the NEA Foundation's June 2008 Grant Review

applications are due by june 1, 2008, for both the Student Achievement Grants and the Learning & Leadership Grants

Student Achievement Grants provide $5,000 to improve the academic achievement of students by engaging them in critical thinking and problem-solving that deepens their knowledge of standards-based subject matter.

Learning & Leadership Grants provide opportunities for teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff to engage in high-quality

professional development and lead their colleagues in professional growth. The grant amount is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study.

Recipients will be notified by August 15, 2008. Grants fund

activities for 12 months from the award date. For more information, including guidelines and applications, visit www.neafoundation.org or call (202) 822-7840.

christopher columbus awards

The Christopher Columbus Awards, a national, community-based science and technology program for middle school students, challenge students to work in teams of three or four with an adult coach to identify a problem in their community and apply the scientific method to create an innovative solution.

Four finalist teams and their coaches will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World to attend National Championship Week and compete for valuable U.S. Savings Bonds, plus a $200 development grant to further refine their idea.

The deadline to apply is March 17, 2008. For more information and to apply, visit www.christophercolumbusawards.com.

stars of teaching shine

The U.S. Department of Education's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative

is accepting nominations for the 2008 American Stars of Teaching program. Parents, students, colleagues, school administrators, and others can nominate an exemplary teacher who they believe has the qualities to be an American Star of Teaching.

U.S. teachers who are improving student achievement using innovative strategies in the classroom and making a difference in the lives of their students are eligible to apply. One American Star will be

honored in each state and the District of Columbia.

The deadline to submit a nomination is March 31, 2008. Go to www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/index.html for more information and to read about past winners.

Career and Technical education award

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is sponsoring an essay contest in the memory of former ACTE senior director of communications, Cliff Weiss (1951–2004). Cliff Weiss had a passion for career and technical education, and the contest recognizes CTE students who share the same passion and talents.

This year, secondary and post-secondary students who are enrolled in at least one career and technical education course will be asked to respond to the question: "How will what you learned in CTE help the American economy in five years?" The essay should be no less than 500 words in length for post-secondary and no more than 500 words in length for secondary students. One entry in each category will win $250 and publication in ACTE's Techniques magazine.

The deadline to enter is March 31, 2008. For more information, go to www.acteonline.org/about/awards/CWMEC/index.cfm.

Project Ignition Teen Driver Safety grants

A multi-phase service-learning competition, Project Ignition helps teens spread their own words about driver safety and win grant money for their schools.

Sponsored by State Farm and coordinated by the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC), the program gives students, grades 9–12, and their teachers a chance to work together to address the overall issue of teen driver safety—how it affects them, their community, and the world.

With the support of a teacher/advisor and their school or organization, students are given free reign over how to communicate their message. Elements can include traditional and non-traditional media: TV, print, radio, Internet (e-mail blasts, Web casts), direct (mail, posters, flyers), events/festivals, performance art (dance, drama, music), exhibitions (art, photography, sculpture), short films, cinema trailers, publishing (books, magazines) and more.

Important dates include:

May 16, 2008 Deadline to submit ideas/applications

early june 25 winners are notified

Early September Presentation of $2,000 grant checks

September–December Students implement grant ideas

December 1 Deadline to submit final projects

Mid-January 2009 10 finalists awarded up to $5,000

for travel to the National Service Learning Conference

March 2009 National Service Learning Conference (Nashville)

At the conference, the 10 finalist projects will be presented to an audience of peers, and a single Best of the Best award of $10,000 will be given to a selected school or organization.

Visit www.sfprojectignition.com for more information.

Go Overboard challenge grants

Burton Snowboards and Girl Overboard author Justina Chen Headley, in partnership with Youth Venture, are co-sponsoring the Go Overboard Challenge Grants to find the best youth-led ideas to change the world.

Students are encouraged to form teams and commit to a cause they're already passionate about—whether it's saving the environment, ending world hunger, or protecting endangered species. For example, Olympic Gold medalist Hannah Teter bottles Vermont-grown maple syrup ("Hannah's Gold") to earn money for AIDS orphans in Africa. The best ideas will win one of many grants of up to $1,000 each to put the plans into action.

The application deadline is May 1, 2008. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis. Visit www.burton.com/gobsite/ChallengeGrant.

aspx for complete information and rules.

Sprint Ahead for Education Grants

The Sprint Foundation will award grants to school districts and individual schools to fund the purchase of resource materials,

supplies, equipment, and software that facilitates and encourages character education among K–12 students.

Applications will be accepted for character education programs that promote youth leadership, youth volunteerism, school pride, and a positive school culture. Examples include:

Costs associated with hosting a youth leadership conference

Character education curriculum and teacher training

Direct project-related costs for community service/service-

learning programs

School improvement projects that serve to enhance and build

school pride.

District level grants are available from $10,000 to $25,000. School level grants are available from $500 to $5,000. In 2008, the Sprint Foundation is planning to award up to 75 grants totalling $600,000 in combined awards to schools and school districts.

The application period is March 3–April 15, 2008. Applications must be submitted online at www.sprint.com/citizenship/

education/sprintahead. All applicants will be notified via e-mail of their grant status by June 30.

Planning to Celebrate

Read Across America?

Check out our new materials and tools at the Read Across America Web site. You'll find posters, flyers, proclamations, bookmarks, and more. And don't forget to let us know your plans by taking the Pledge to Participate.

www.nea.org/readacross

March 3, 2008

Take Note

free booklet about cervical cancer

In partnership with the American Social Health Association (www.asha.org), the NEA Health Information Network has produced a free resource to help NEA members and the families and students they serve make informed decisions about cervical cancer prevention. The booklet, Talking About Cervical Cancer Prevention, is a short, engaging resource that provides information about cervical cancer and the virus that causes it: human papillomavirus (HPV). Since the first vaccine was released, many questions have surfaced. This booklet answers many of those questions, such as: Who should get vaccinated? When should I get tested? I have HPV—what now?

Talking About Cervical Cancer Prevention is available for download at www.neahin.org,

or to request copies, contact Sara Jacobson at sjacobson@nea.org or Jamie Ekatomatis at jekatomatis@nea.org.

bringing our troops home

A year has passed since NEA President Reg Weaver wrote to President George Bush to convey NEA's concerns about the ongoing war in Iraq, its impact on students whose parents have been deployed, and its drain on the nation's financial resources. And, while fully supporting the troops in Iraq and insisting they be provided with necessary resources, Weaver—and NEA's Representative Assembly—also called for an appropriate exit strategy to bring them home.

Since then, NEA continues to work with like-minded groups and coalitions and encourages its affiliates and members to do the same. Some of those groups, plus ways to learn more about them, are:

Rethinking Schools—They offer curricular resources, including Whose Wars? Teaching about the Iraq War and the War on Terrorism, at www.rethinkingschools.org

United for Peace in Justice, one of the largest anti-war groups with many local affiliates, at www.unitedforpeace.org

U.S. Labor Against the War, where, among other resources, you can download a poster, at www.uslaboragainstwar.org

CODEPINK, a women-initiated peace movement, at www.codepink4peace.org.

When Girls Don't Graduate, We All Fail

A recent report from the National Women's Law Center (NWLC), When Girls Don't Graduate, We All Fail: A Call to Improve High School Graduation Rates for Girls, finds that girls drop out of high school at almost the same rate as boys. One in four girls won't graduate with a regular diploma within four years. Plus, the economic costs of dropping out are particularly damaging for girls. Female dropouts earn significantly lower wages than male dropouts, are at greater risk of unemployment, and are more likely to rely on public support programs.

The Center emphasizes that interventions to address the crisis must be tailored to the different needs of boys and girls of all races and ethnicities, based on their distinct experiences and the enhanced research and data collection recommended by the report.

Policymakers, educators, students, and parents all have a role to play in providing the support students need to stay in school. A comprehensive prevention strategy also requires:

Combating sexual harassment in schools. Both boys and girls report that they drop out in part because they do not feel safe at school.

Providing better support for pregnant and parenting students. Pregnancy and parenting responsibilities play a significant role in many girls' decisions to drop out of school.

Ensuring equal access for girls to career and technical

education classes. These classes provide training for high-skill,

high-wage jobs. Offering career education programs that empha-

size the link between academic work, college success, and careers

has been proven to reduce dropout rates.

Ensuring equal access for girls to after-school programs,

including athletics. Studies show that participation improves

graduation rates and academic achievement.

NWLC has created primers on sexual harassment, pregnant and parenting students, career and technical education, and Title IX athletics requirements. To download, visit www.nwlc.org/dropout.

the trinational coalition: finding common ground

On the 40th anniversary of the 1968 Mexican student protests and the Los Angeles student walkouts, the eighth Trinational Conference in Defense of Public Education will be held at the United Teachers Los Angeles headquarters April 18–20.

The Trinational Coalition to Defend Public Education first met in 1994, when delegates from the United States, Canada, and Mexico gathered to coordinate opposition efforts to NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement). Since then, the Coalition has continued to defend public education and the rights of educators to organize, and also to fight against privatization and trade liberalization. A recent effort considered how to best support protesting teachers in Oaxaca, Mexico, and their demands for better pay and resources.

Although many of their efforts and membership have been Mexican or Canadian, the Coalition hopes to involve more American members in its work. For more information, or to contact any of the national coordinators, including U.S. Coordinator Dan Leahy, go to www.trinationalcoalition.org.

THIRD ANNUAL AMERICAN MOCK TRIAL INVITATIONAL

The North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation invite qualifying high school student teams to compete against top mock trial finalists from all parts of the world in the third American Mock Trial Invitational (AMTI) for high school students May 18–20, 2008, at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Contestants will try a challenging case, visit an outdoor recreation center, and enjoy a private dinner and educational tour of the Mint Museum of Art.

The cost to register a team (a team consists of 7–10 students) is $200, which includes continental breakfasts; hot buffet lunches; an orientation dinner; bus transportation; AMTI souvenirs; and trial practice rooms for scrimmages. If you are interested, contact Sheila Boro, Director of Mock Trial Programs, New Jersey State Bar Foundation, as soon as possible at (732) 937-7519 or sboro@njsbf.org.

saying 'thank you'

to teachers

When asked what gift they would most like to receive from their students, nearly half of all teachers say a simple "thank you" will suffice. Last year, NEA and the National Parent Teacher Association joined forces to build the "Nation's Largest Teacher Thank You Card." The effort will culminate during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4–11) with the card's unveiling. Thousands of individual thank you cards from people across the nation will be compiled into one gigantic card that will travel to major cities and events throughout the year and serve as a public tribute to teachers and a reminder of the hard work and dedication that goes into teaching.

There are two easy ways to participate: Send a thank you e-card by visiting www.teacherthankyoucard.org or mail a thank you card to: The Nation's Largest Teacher Thank You Card, c/o NEA/PTA, P.O. Box 66458, Washington, D.C. 20035

A problem of the senses

Pat is a fourth-grader who seems to be in constant motion. He pokes and bumps into other students and gets into confrontations that seem irrational and unnecessary. What's his problem?

His doctor says it's "sensory integration dysfunction," an inability to "modulate, discriminate, coordinate, or organize sensation adaptively." There are ways to help him—ways to avoid setting him off and also ways to help him learn to change how he responds to stimulation. NEA's Web site has more information on this problem, and links to other sites that can help if Pat, or someone like him is one of your students. Find them at www.nea.org/specialed/ resources-specialed.html, along with a wealth of other materials and links for educators of children with disabilities.

assessing threats in school

When faced with a student who may be prone to violence, how do administrators know when to worry, when not to worry, and how to intervene? Educators across three counties in Oregon faced this situation, and in searching for answers, developed Student Threat Assessment (STAT)—a regional system that draws resources from schools, mental health agencies, law enforcement bureaus, and other youth-serving organizations.

STAT is designed to address two common types of violence: targeted violence that's planned and aimed at specific individuals; and reactive violence that's an immediate, emotional response to provocation or a perceived threat. Learn about this pioneering effort, plus 10 steps to implementing a threat assessment system, at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Web site: http://nwrel.org/nwedu/

13-01/coord. You can find more strategies and resources on how to make your classroom safer at www.nea.org/ref?threat.

Heads Up from NEA Member Benefits

deals at hundreds of your favorite stores!

NEA Click & Save is an exclusive online shopping service for NEA members that offers savings on brand name merchandise from hundreds of top retailers, online stores, and local merchants. From gourmet food and flowers, travel and vacation deals, entertainment tickets, home décor and electronics, to sports and wellness products, wedding gifts, and even clothing for the entire family, NEA Click & Save offers you dozens of options—and more.

It's easy—just sign up at the NEA Member Benefits Web site and start shopping! When you register, you can even request e-mail reminders from your favorite merchants about upcoming sales and discounts (click on E-mail Reminders at the top of the registration page).

Enjoy shopping convenience and savings now! Visit www.neamb.com/clickandsave.

save 20 percent on weekly reader—only until march 15

since 1902, Weekly Reader has touched the lives of millions of kids and teenagers every week of the school year. Generations of parents and teachers have trusted Weekly Reader to help their children learn and grow in the world around them.

From now through March 15, 2008, NEA Member Benefits and Weekly Reader are offering 20 percent off a classroom subscription for school year 2008–09. Remember, you must act by March 15, 2008, to benefit from this special discount.

For more information or to place an order, go to www.

neamb.com/reader.

Diversity Calendar

march

march—irish american heritage month

Erin go bragh! This month is a time to remember the many ways America is enriched by contributions from people of Irish heritage.

march—youth art month

Youth Art Month emphasizes the value of art education and support for school art programs. Visit www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm, filled with art adventures, activities, and projects.

march—music in our schools month

Since its beginning in 1973 as a one-day celebration, this event has grown into a month-long celebration in schools across the country. Find out more at the National Association for Music Education, www.menc.org/guides/miosm/MIOSMFront.html.

march—National Mental Retardation Awareness Month

The purpose of this event is to increase public awareness of mental retardation and related developmental disabilities. Visit the Arc, a leading organization on mental retardation, at www.thearc.org.

march 1—korean Independence Movement day

Celebrated by citizens in both North and South Korea, this annual observance recalls the beginning of Korea's peaceful movement in 1919 to gain independence from occupying Japan.

march 4—first woman to serve in congress

In 1917, three years before the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote, Jeannette Rankin began her term as a congresswoman from Montana—the first female elected to Congress.

March 8—International Women's Day

Honoring working women everywhere, this day is also the anniversary of the historic 1857 garment and textile workers' strike in New York, one of the first organized actions by women anywhere.

March 10—anniversary of harriet tubman's death

Born into slavery, Tubman freed herself and dedicated her life to freeing others and advancing the rights of Blacks and women.

March 21—BahÁ'Í New Year (NAW-RÚZ)

Beginning at sunset on March 20, this day is one of nine holy days of the year for those of the Bahá'í faith. Visit www.us.bahai.org.

March 23—Easter Sunday

Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first Sunday following the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.

March 25—Greek Independence Day

In 1821, the Greeks began their revolution against Ottoman rule, and fought until 1829 when the modern Greek nation was established.

Women's History Month

The National Women's History Project (NWHP) was founded in 1980. Within a few years it spawned National Women's History Week, and in 1987, with support from women's organizations, museums, libraries, and educators, the NWHP successfully petitioned Congress to expand the observance to a month. The 2008 theme is Women's Art: Women's Vision. Visit www.nwhp.org to find out more. You'll find a calendar of important historical dates featuring women, notable women's birthdays, and more resources to download and buy.

www.greatwomen.org The National Women's Hall of Fame honors American women who have made important contributions to the arts, athletics, business, education, government, the humanities, philanthropy, and science. Check out its collection of women's biographies, where inductees are added continually.

www.nwhm.org The National Women's History Museum is

a nonprofit educational institution dedicated to celebrating the rich and diverse history of women's contributions to American history, culture, and society. The cybermuseum houses online exhibits that include women's suffrage; women's rights; women in athletics, industry, and education; women's roles in World War II; women as spies; women in Jamestown, women in the Progressive Era; and more.

http://library.duke.edu/specialcollections/

collections/digitized/african-american-women The African-American Women section of Duke University's Special Collections Library houses a small but choice cache of letters, manuscripts, and other materials pertaining to a history of African-American women in this country.

On the Web

science sound bytes go down easy

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has launched Bytesize Science, an educational and entertaining podcast for young

listeners. Bytesize Science translates cutting-edge scientific

discoveries from ACS' 36 peer-reviewed journals into stories

for young listeners about science, health, medicine, energy, food, and other topics.

New installments are posted every Monday and are available free of charge. The archive includes items on environmental threats to orcas, a scientific explanation for why some people love chocolate, unlikely new uses for compact discs, and a hairy tale about "hairy roots."

Don't have an iPod? Listen to episodes with your Web browser. Go to http://feeds.feedburner.com/bytesizescience.

free web tool connects teachers and families

SchoolNotes is a free service that teachers can use to post information online, such as homework assignments, resource links, and even "flash-card" quizzes. Parents and students can be notified automatically when the teacher updates the Web page. SchoolNotes complements school sites by allowing teachers to share information on the Web without worrying about HTML or FTP because there is no programming required.

Always available, this free community service allows parents, teachers, and students to access school information from home, work, school, or anywhere the Internet is available. Find out more at www.schoolnotes.com.

harnessing the political power of youth

ServiceVote is a campaign to engage young people in the political process, beginning with voting. ServiceVote 2008 challenges youth to think critically about how they can affect issues by getting involved in the political process and provides opportunities to participate in the presidential election. The Web site features up-to-date news and information on the various races, the presidential candidates, and the defining issues; opportunities for peer interaction and dialogue through a discussion forum where youth can post videos, images, and audio files; and resources to take action through service in the election and in the policy process. Help youth get involved at www.servicevote.org.

Books by NEA Members

telling tales out of school

By Dale Davis

Unemployed Cyrus Henshaw does something he swore he would never do—he applies for a teaching position. Twenty-four hours later he's offered a job as a social studies teacher at Pedagogue Middle School. The peculiar staff are a puzzle, to say the least, but what Cyrus really wants to know—and what nobody will tell him—is what happened to Mr. Marlowe, his predecessor? A comic novel with a rainbow of colorful characters. 56 pp. $19.99. To order, visit www.tatepublishing.com.

jokes from the school bus: jokes we thought we made up

By Jerry Harwood

Why were all of Santa's helpers depressed? Because they had low elf-esteem. What fish goes well with a peanut butter sandwich? A jellyfish. When you're in the fourth grade, it doesn't get better than this. A 30-year veteran of the classroom and school bus has compiled a collection of wacky jokes that will have kids rolling in the aisles. Quick, before they grow up! Ages 4–8. 96 pp. $9.95 from Vantage Press. Visit www.amazon.com to order.

sometimes i dream

By Michael Lariviere

Five students and one teacher go on an incre