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November 13, 2009

News about teaching and education excellence

Top Story

Educator: Sometimes it's right to be wrong in the classroom
Students' focus on getting the answers right can be harmful to learning, researchers have found, and teachers can take several steps to correct that behavior, an educator writes in this blog post. Teachers should use open-ended questions -- that even they might have the answers to -- to encourage curiosity and exploration among students. Teachers also should establish learning goals but allow students to deviate from those plans if their curiosity takes them in a different direction. Edutopia.org (11/12)

55 Teaching Dilemmas gives teachers specific, practical ideas for conquering a variety of common challenges: managing classroom time, supporting struggling students, preventing burnout, communicating with parents, motivating students, leading effectively inside and outside the classroom, and much more. Click here to browse the entire book!

Focus on Practice

Students learn about environment by collecting own trash
Two Arizona educators are teaching students about recycling, conservation and the environment by showing them just how much trash they produce. Students were instructed to collect their trash -- produced in school and at home -- for one day. "A lot of people aren't aware of where waste goes and how much they use," one teacher said. "We wanted to show the students that when they throw something away, it doesn't just disappear." Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (11/13)

Theater is used as a tool for teaching math
A Boston-based theater company is performing a math play that is touring nationwide. "Eureka!" tells the story of a struggling math student who receives help from the likes of Albert Einstein and Pythagoras in explaining topics such as number theory, probability and prime numbers. "Anchoring these math concepts in funny moments and creating concrete visual links between the ideas and things we encounter as part of our everyday lives, that's what will make math exciting for students," said teacher Jean Kelley, who suggested the production and consulted on the script. The Boston Globe (11/12)

Schools Today

Recession leads to tough job market for teachers
While widespread hiring in education was the norm just a few years ago, the national economic crisis is being blamed for making it more difficult for recently certified teachers to find teaching jobs. One Texas school district recently received about 5,000 applications to fill 322 teacher jobs. But research shows there is still a shortage of math teachers nationwide, and experts are urging education graduates to be flexible and receive training in hard-to-fill areas such as special education. Google/The Associated Press (11/12)

Students with dyslexia have trouble focusing in noisy schools
Students with developmental dyslexia aren't able to focus on their teacher's voice and ignore distractions in a loud school environment, researchers reported. The study also showed children with dyslexia have a measurable neural impairment that hinders their ability to distinguish speech in noisy settings. The study "provides an objective index that can help in the assessment of children with reading problems," one researcher said. Yahoo!/HealthDay News (11/11)

NBCT collects letters from teachers to Obama
Hundreds of teachers have responded to National Board Certified Teacher Anthony Cody's call to write letters to President Barack Obama to share with the president their vision for education and their thoughts on his administration's reform efforts. Cody has started a Facebook group where teachers can share their thoughts. He has posted some of the letters in this blog post and says he plans to deliver them to the White House and the Department of Education. Teacher Magazine (free registration)/Living in Dialogue blog (11/11)

Astronauts speak with students in person and via satellite
Students from Washington, D.C., and Maryland recently spoke with astronauts on the International Space Station during an event at the Department of Education. Three astronauts also visited the students in person, and students were able to ask questions about space travel. "Opportunities like this make for great future scientists, great future astronauts and great future educators," Principal Benjamin OuYang of his Maryland school students' involvement. The Gazette (Gaithersburg, Md.) (11/11)

Other News

Parents, staff at a successful D.C. school are concerned about Rhee's plans
The Washington Post (11/13)

Developing Leaders

Former TV actor-turned-teacher receives education award
A Miami high-school teacher and former actor on "Miami Vice" has received the prestigious Award for Teaching Excellence from the Florida Education Association. "I try very hard to have my students reach beyond what they think they can do," Joe Underwood said of his teaching philosophy. "They know there are really high expectations for them." The Miami Herald (11/13)

Teachers win award for creation of student book club
Two educators at Stony Creek Elementary School in Indiana are receiving national recognition for a book club they created to help promote reading outside of school. The club features monthly lunch sessions at the school media center, where first-grade teacher Karen Duvall and media specialist Gwen Tetrick read to students from a selection of award-winning books. The book club complements other literacy initiatives at the school, say the educators, that have helped to boost achievement. The Indianapolis Star (11/11)

Policy News

Court: Teacher, administrator statewide pay gap is OK
The Washington Supreme Court has ruled that pay for teachers and other school staff can vary widely among districts in the state -- a practice reinforced when voters approved a referendum calling for uniform cost-of-living pay increases, which only widened the gap. However, critics say that the pay differences are not in line with the state's constitutional commitment to "provide for a general and uniform system of public schools." Google/The Associated Press (11/12)

NBPTS Update

NBCTs -- Increase your Twitter following
National Board Certified Teachers can direct message @NBPTS to be added to the official NBPTS NBCT Twitter list. Send your direct message to @NBPTS with a request to be added as an NBCT. Read more.

Q&A Guide: A helpful recruiting tool
National Board Certified Teachers and other education stakeholders who recruit teachers and school counselors to pursue National Board Certification are encouraged to share the Q&A Guide. Published by NBPTS, this tool provides helpful information about National Board Certification and the National Board Certification process. Read more.


English High School Turnaround Coach	AUSL (Academy for Urban School Leadership)	Chicago, IL
Physical Education Teacher	Gompers Charter Middle School	San Diego, CA