Great Reads

The First-Year Teacher: Teaching with Confidence (K-8) Revised Edition

By Karen A. Bosch and Katharine C. Kersey
The First-Year Teacher offers a helpful guide for anyone just embarking on a teaching career. The book includes tips for grading and paperwork, pointers for dealing with students and their parents, and methods for planning the class curriculum. You'll even find step-by-step plans for the first four weeks of school. The revised edition features 24 new pages! Available for $16.95.

Classroom Management

Managing student behavior can be the greatest challenge facing a beginning teacher. This kit, which includes a VHS video and CD, will assist new or even experienced teachers with the demanding task of keeping their classroom in order. You'll find suggestions about everything from establishing classroom rules to discussing problems with parents. The kit, suitable for K-12 classrooms, will give you creative solutions to common classroom management dilemmas. Available for $14.95.

Books Your Kids Will Talk About!
A Guide to Children's Literature for Teachers and Parents (K-6)

By Susan Hepler and Maria Salvadore
This comprehensive book list is an easy reference for teachers or parents looking to involve themselves more with their children's reading. The guide divides the books around topics important to children, such as going to school or making friends. Each item includes a short review and recommendations for including the book in the school curriculum. Available for $19.95.

But High School Teaching Is Different! Success Strategies for New Secondary Teachers

By Mary C. Clement
This book provides practical advice to teachers just getting started in a high school environment and includes job search tips, classroom management recommendations, and professional development advice. Available for $5.50.

How to Get Grants and Free Stuff

Teacher-to-Teacher Series
This book is an indispensable resource to schools—and educators—low on funds and supplies. You'll find advice from other classroom teachers about the grant-writing process, developing successful applications, and ideas for securing financial support or even free classroom equipment. Available for $9.95.

Standing in Your Shoes: A Checklist for Classroom and Substitute Teachers

By Doug Provencio
Whether you work as a substitute or a full-time educator, this book is for you. Classroom teachers will find advice on leaving good instructions, preparing students for their substitute, and preparing for last-minute emergencies. Meanwhile, substitutes will find tricks and tips for working with skimpy lesson plans, managing student behavior, and handling long-term assignments. Standing in Your Shoes also provides ideas for improving communication between classroom teachers and their subs. Available for $5.50.

Quick Clicks

Job Market

Teachers-Teachers.com

This free service allows applicants to post their r³sum³s online, search for jobs by location, receive news about available teaching positions, and send application materials electronically.

GreatTeacher.net

This Web site 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 r³sum³s online at the site.

EduTech

This site offers search engines that sort jobs by location, category, and job title. You'll also find information on job fairs, the latest job postings, and frequently asked questions about issues prospective teachers face.

Teachingjobs.com

This site 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.

American Association for Employment in Education

AAEE provides information to college career centers, school districts, and teacher candidates about the education job market. On the Web site, preservice teachers will find job hunt publications, links to online job databases, and information on teacher certification. Check out the annual supply and demand report for information about the need for teachers in your field.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a branch of the U.S. Department of Labor, collects and distributes data about the current job market. Every two years, the Bureau releases a revised Occupational Outlook Handbook, which includes detailed job descriptions, information on working conditions, training and education required, wage estimates, and future job prospects for a variety of occupations. You can search the handbook on the Web site and also find statistical information about education employment.

Call Me MISTER

This teacher recruitment program, based at Clemson University, encourages young African-American men to teach in South Carolina public elementary schools. The project provides tuition assistance and focuses on academic rigor and mentoring. Graduates of the program must teach in South Carolina for one year for every year they received tuition. You can download an application to sign up for the program on the Web site.

Recruiting New Teachers, Inc.

RNT works to bolster the teaching profession, expand the pool of qualified teachers, and promote strategies for effective teacher recruitment, development, and retention.At the Web site, prospective teachers will find quick access to resources such as a national job bank (searchable by state), links to financial aid programs, and information about state requirements for licensure and certification.

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 Web site includes a list of volunteer opportunities across the United States.

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.

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.

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 Web site or go directly to the National Service-Learning Exchange.

Political Action

NEA's Legislative Action Center

Keep up with news from Capitol Hill at NEA's Legislative Action Center. You can track your state senator's or representative's voting record and even send an e-mail message to your state and federal legislators. Don't forget to sign up for the e-mail action alerts!

Center on Education Policy

The Center helps Americans better understand the role of public education in a democracy and conducts research to inform the public about topics such as testing, vouchers, and school improvement.

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.

American Association of University Women

Since 1881, AAUW has focused on expanding women's rights in academia and other areas, focusing 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 protect civil rights through advocacy for supportive legislation.

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.

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 Web site includes programs and resources to help teachers challenge prejudice and discrimination.

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. You'll also find links to labor news publications; labor, employment, and government statistics; and relevant legislation.

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.

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 Web site also offers information on classroom activities, tools, and grants.

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.

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.

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.

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 Web sites.

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.

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. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $3,000. For more information, go to the NFIE Web site at

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.

"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 Web site also includes links to education stories from daily newspapers.

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.

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.

SchoolGrants

This Web site offers grant-writing tips, free newsletters, sample proposals, and information about dozens of federal, state, and national grant opportunities for K–12 schools.

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.