Tomorrow's Teachers -- 2003

Resources

Great Reads

Meeting the Challenge: Special Education Tools that Work for All Kids
By Patti Ralabate
This tool kit provides general and special educators effective strategies to help students struggling to overcome academic or behavior difficulties. The book includes useful ideas and practical, timesaving strategies, as well as sample checklists, rubrics, conference planning sheets, and other resources teachers can copy and use or modify to make their own. Available for $15.95.

The New IDEA Survival Guide
By Sabrina Holcomb with Ed Amundson and Patti Ralabate
This easy-to-read book explains the most pressing concerns about IDEA '97 including discipline, developing individualized education programs, managing paperwork, and communicating with parents. Available for $5.95.

Pitfalls and Potholes: A Checklist for Avoiding Common Mistakes of Beginning Teachers
By Barbara A. Murray and Kenneth T. Murray
The revised edition of this popular checklist book, will help you avoid many of the mistakes new teachers encounter. The book includes tips for landing a job, managing student conduct, getting along with administrators, avoiding lawsuits, teaching with confidence, and more. Available for $4.50.

Teaching with Technology
Teacher-to-Teacher Series
In a world where schools are connected to the Web and students surf the Internet with ease, teachers are discovering that it's not enough for kids to be computer-literate. They need to be information-literate as well. In this book, classroom teachers, library/media specialists, and computer resource teachers share the strategies they're using to revamp instruction and help their students develop the critical thinking and interpersonal skills they need to become better learners. Available for $9.95.

The Inspiring Teacher: New Beginnings for the 21st Century
By Robert Sullo
This book is a valuable resource for teachers new to the profession and for experienced teachers who want to revitalize their classrooms. The book includes information on brain-based learning, forming positive alliances with colleagues and parents, and resolving conflicts effectively. You'll also learn how to inspire your students by drawing forth their potential. Available for $14.95.

Quick Clicks

NEA

Check out www.nea.org for Association news; links to NEA publications, state affiliates, and member benefits; information on special events such as NEA's Read Across America; and sites for and about members.

OWL

At www.owl.org, the new online community for NEA members, you'll find lesson plans, classroom management ideas, NEA news, and job search advice. You can register to receive classroom tips by e-mail and for special discounts on online courses, offered through NEA partners.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Literacy Connections
This organization offers resources and tips on tutoring and teaching children, adults, and English-language learners basic reading and writing skills. The website includes a list of volunteer opportunities across the United States. http://literacyvolunteer.homestead.com/

Learn and Serve
Learn and Serve America provides grants to community-oriented school projects. The program helps nearly one million students, from kindergarten through college, meet community needs, while they improve their academic skills and learn the habits of good citizenship. Recipients use the grants to create new programs or replicate existing ones and to train staff, faculty, and volunteers. For more, call 202/606-5000 or visit www.learnandserve.org/.

National Institute for Literacy
Help expand the social and economic opportunities for individuals with few or no literacy skills by teaching them how to read and write. This federal organization supports the development of high-quality literacy services and compiles data about literacy rates among various population groups in the United States. www.nifl.gov/

National Youth Leadership Council
The NYLC promotes service-learning through youth camps, conferences, exchanges, forums, and awards. The Council supports projects that integrate community service with academic curricula and oversees the National Service-Learning Exchange, which connects community service student organizations with 450 volunteer peer mentors with experience on service-learning projects. The mentors offer advice, supervise certain activities, present ideas at conferences or meetings, and provide feedback on proposed projects. Visit the NYLC website at www.nylc.org/ or go directly to the National Service-Learning Exchange at www.nslexchange.org/.

POLITICAL ACTION

Center on Education Policy
As a national, independent advocate for public education and for more effective public schools, the Center helps Americans better understand the role of public education in a democracy and the need to improve the academic quality of public schools. The Center on Education Policy conducts research and informs the public about topics such as testing, vouchers, and school improvement. www.ctredpol.org/

National Association for the Education of Young Children
NAEYC is an organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of programs for children from birth through third grade. NAEYC works to improve professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education and to build public support for high quality early childhood programs. www.naeyc.org/

American Association of University Women
Since 1881, AAUW has focused on expanding women's rights in academia and other areas. Many projects focus on increasing girls' interest and achievement in math, science, and technology. AAUW staunchly defends civil rights, gender equity, and women's health and reproductive choices. www.aauw.org

American Civil Liberties Union
The ACLU defends the civil rights guaranteed by the U.S Constitution. Some of the ACLU's focus areas include civil rights in schools, the separation of church and state, and the rights of minorities. www.aclu.org/

Close Up Foundation
The Close Up Foundation's programs encourage teachers, students, and young adults to participate in the American democratic process through trips to Washington, D.C., and activities with local and state governments. Close Up uses a hands-on approach to educate people about how the government functions. www.closeup.org/

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
ASCD works to improve public education by developing teachers' abilities to solve difficult problems, diversifying school communities, and influencing policies that favor public education. www.ascd.org/

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
For the past 93 years the NAACP has worked for equity and democracy by opposing discriminatory and unjust policies. The primary focus of the NAACP continues to be the protection and enhancement of the civil rights of African-Americans and other minorities. The NAACP works at the national, regional, and local level to secure civil rights through advocacy for supportive legislation. www.naacp.org/

National Coalition Against Censorship
The National Coalition Against Censorship functions as an alliance of 50 nonprofit organizations. NCAC denounces the suppression of intellectual, artistic, social, and political activities protected by the First Amendment. The group believes that freedom of speech, movement, thought, and expression are fundamental in a democratic society. NCAC works to educate its members and the public about the dangers of censorship. www.ncac.org/

Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League combats anti-Semitism, bigotry, and intolerance on various fronts. The organization helps the victims of hate crimes, works to protect individual civil rights, lobbies legislators, and educates people about the danger presented by hate groups. The website includes programs and resources to help teachers challenge prejudice and discrimination. www.adl.org/

Labornet
Labornet compiles online information about labor unions in the United States and abroad. The site highlights workers' grievances and labor campaigns and offers news to keep workers informed about union activities. Visitors to the website will find links to labor news publications; labor, employment, and government statistics; and relevant legislation. www.labornet.org

Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign defends the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered citizens. HRC effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support to candidates for federal office, and works to educate the public on a wide array of topics, including workplace, family, and discrimination issues, that affect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Americans. www.hrc.org/

Teaching Tolerance Program
The Teaching Tolerance Program is a national education project developed by the Southern Poverty Law Center. It emphasizes the importance of understanding others and creating positive classroom environments. The program celebrates diversity and offers resources for teachers. The website also offers information on classroom activities, tools, and grants. www.splcenter.org/teachingtolerance/tt-index.html

National Dropout Prevention Center
The NDPC provides information for researchers, educators, and policy makers about at-risk students. The NDPC also serves as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention and offers strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America's schools. www.dropoutprevention.org/

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
This group of more than 40 religious, labor, medical, educational, and civic organizations focuses on reducing gun violence. CSGV actively lobbies Congress and state legislatures and supports measures such as handgun licensing and registration, regulating firearms as consumer products, banning assault weapons, and establishing a national one-handgun-a-month purchase limit. Additionally, the Coalition actively opposes gun lobby efforts to weaken America's gun laws, such as limiting state concealed weapons laws or protecting the gun industry from liability. www.csgv.org/

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Council for Exceptional Children
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) works with both students with disabilities and the gifted. The organization advocates for sound government policies and offers opportunities for professional development to special education teachers. www.cec.sped.org/

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
The Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) supports special education programs for children, youth, and adults. OSERS also conducts research and publishes information on issues related to special education. www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/index.html

IDEA Partnerships
This site offers information to help teachers, administrators, families, and policy makers navigate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Other features include articles, professional development resources, a question-and-answer section, and links to other useful websites. www.ideapractices.org/

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education
NCPS gathers, organizes, and disseminates information for recruiting, preparing, and retaining individuals interested in serving children with disabilities. www.special-ed-careers.org/

GRANTS

NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education
The NEA Foundation awards grants to educators who propose innovative and promising ways to help all students experience academic success and reach their full potential, especially those who have been historically underserved by society's institutions. NFIE conducts research on these efforts and publishes reports on its findings. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $3,000. For more information, go to the NFIE website at www.nfie.org.

SchoolGrants
This website offers grant writing tips, free newsletters, sample proposals, and information about dozens of federal, state, and national grant opportunities for K--12 schools. www.schoolgrants.org/

The Foundation Center
The Foundation Center collects and organizes the names of hundreds of people and organizations that provide funding for socially significant projects. The Center also provides information and research about grant seeking and philanthropic efforts. http://fdncenter.org/

TECHNOLOGY

International Society for Technology in Education
ISTE helps educators incorporate new technologies, such as the Internet, into their classrooms. The nonprofit organization focuses on using information technology to support and improve learning, teaching, and administration in K--12 education and teacher education. ISTE provides information, networking opportunities, and guidance to teachers on incorporating computers, the Internet, and other new technologies into their schools. www.iste.org/

Network of Regional Technology in Education Consortia
This group includes 10 regional technology consortia, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Each regional consortium promotes the effective use of technology and helps integrate computer technology into classrooms by providing technical assistance, professional development, and resources to educators in its respective region. http://rtec.org/

Technology and Learning
In addition to offering an online version of Technology and Learning magazine, techlearning.com offers a wealth of articles about professional development and tips for teaching effectively with technology. www.techlearning.com/

eSchool News
Since 1998, eSchool News has informed K-12 educators about the benefits of using technology to accomplish educational goals. Articles about the effects of technology on teaching, and other school-related matters, appear monthly in the publication, which is available online at www.eschoolnews.com/.

EDUCATION NEWS

NEA Today
Stay up to date on education issues and Association news with NEA Today. The magazine is published eight times a year and is available online at www.nea.org/neatoday/.

Education Week
This weekly publication includes local, state, and national education news and covers issues from preschool through grade 12. Education Week also publishes periodic special reports on topics ranging from technology to textbooks. The website also includes links to education stories from daily newspapers. www.edweek.org

Ed.Net Briefs
This weekly newsletter, available by e-mail, includes condensed versions of the most important education-related news stories found in various print and online sources. The information can be read in less than 10 minutes, which is convenient for students with busy schedules. www.edbriefs.com/

ERIC
The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a national information system designed to provide ready access to an extensive body of education-related literature. The searchable database contains more than one million documents about education issues. www.eric.ed.gov/

JOB SITES

Teachers-Teachers.com
This free service allows applicants to post their résumés and cover letters online, search for jobs by location, receive news about available teaching positions, view school websites, and send application materials electronically. www.teachers-teachers.com/

GreatTeacher.net
This website offers a free service that allows applicants to search for teaching openings by geographical location. Each ad includes a job description and contact information. Applicants also can post their resumes online at the site. www.greatteacher.net/

EduTech
This site offers search engines that sort jobs by location, category, and job title. Information on job fairs, the latest job postings, and frequently asked questions about issues prospective teachers face is available. www.edutech-1.com/

National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse
The National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse, hosted by Recruiting New Teachers, Inc., simplifies the task of recruiting, placing, and retaining teachers in America's public schools by helping aspiring teachers find certification and employment information. www.recruitingteachers.org/

Teachingjobs.com
This website maintains information on thousands of available positions in schools in the United States and overseas. Job seekers can receive newsletters and updates by e-mail about the most recent job openings. www.teachingjobs.com/