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Sugary sodas hard to give up
Due to contracts and up front money, schools across the country are finding themselves stuck between the vending machine and a hard place. Less than a year after the nation's largest beverage companies pledged to remove high-calorie drinks and limit sugary Read More...
Not for the squeamish
My kindergarten grandson told me a few days ago that he was going to get to dissect a frog when he was older. He told me that it was something he had to do because "they don't give you a choice, Bee". I see the older kids are already spreading the news. Read More...
Should teachers remain neutral on hot topics?
Being neutral on important issues is a hard line to walk in the classroom. Students question teachers constantly on how they plan to vote or how they feel about current topics in the news. Legislators in Arizona want to force teachers to keep their opinions Read More...
Smile, You're On YouTube
My advice to new teachers is always, "Never let them see you mad." New technology is taking this to a new level. Students are capturing angry teachers at their worst moments and putting them on YouTube. I remember one incident in a computer lab when I Read More...
Support for New Teachers
Mentoring programs are not new. Veteran teachers are often paired with new teachers in order to help launch successful teaching careers. This was not the case when I first started teaching. I started my first year in a third grade classroom in a tough Read More...
How Do You Feel About Homework?
In My Teenagers' Homework Ate Their Free Time , an article written by Jay Matthews of the Washington Post, a mother wishes her children actually had time to watch TV. In responding to a question about homework vs. TV, she wrote: Although homework can Read More...
Parents Who Skip Scheduled Conferences Could Face Charges
A legislator in Houston wants to subject parents to criminal charges for skipping a scheduled meeting with their child's teacher. Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, said it is time for the state to crack down on Texans who are shirking their parental responsibilities Read More...
Can Bullies Be Stopped?
As a former victim of bullying, I would like to think that others wouldn't have to endure the same school experiences that I did. As a teacher, I tried numerous times to stop bullying but met with limited success. Principal Alan J. Capasso of Greenwich Read More...
Spanking Ban Proposed in California
Assembly woman Sally Leiber wants to protect toddlers and babies and plans to introduce a bill to prevent spankings. On latimes.com the Bay Area Democrat explains her reasoning in an article titled "A spanking ban: are we gonna get it?" She has received Read More...
Test Yourself
Test yourself on three questions from the 2004 standard eighth-grade reading test released by the Virginia Department of Education. I credit washingtonpost.com with sharing this and making me laugh this morning, and I needed a laugh today. So, go ahead, Read More...
Should Schools Issue Report Cards About Body Mass Scores?
Some students are receiving more than the traditional report card. According to an article on nytimes.com The practice of reporting students' body mass scores to parents originated a few years ago as just one tactic in a war on childhood obesity that Read More...
Once Again, Teachers are on the "Firing" Line
I knew it would happen. Yet another committee has decided that teachers are the ones to blame when students don't do well. After all, they can't do anything about the parents or living situations that some of these children might have, so according to Read More...
Oprah Winfrey Helps Disadvantaged Girls
Oprah is at it again. It would be great if we all had her money and concern for others. As reported on nationalpost.com Oprah has started a school to help disadvantaged girls to the tune of $40 million. She had made a promise to Nelson Mandela, the former Read More...