Education World

Dear Education Professionals,

Welcome to Education World's News Headlines of the Week Newsletter. This EDlines newsletter is published weekly as a free service by Education World^®. You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up to receive updates of EDlines of the Week. If you enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to forward it to other teachers. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, you may sign up at http://www.educationworld.com/maillist.shtml. To unsubscribe, see instructions at the bottom of this newsletter.

Education World is the largest *free* resource on the Web for teachers and school administrators. We remain a free resource thanks to the support of our advertisers -- so please click on ads of interest and visit our advertisers' sites.

The news stories referenced in this newsletter are collected by Education World editors. They are gathered from Education World and a wide variety of other education news sources. Some of the headlines also appear in Education World's EDscoops page, which is updated daily.

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This week's newsletter is sponsored by Creativity Workshop.

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Many teachers taking the workshop get credits and receive educational grants or financial aid from their schools.
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This week's newsletter is sponsored by
American Public University.

American Public University, regionally accredited as a member institution of APUS, offers a variety of M.Ed. and other programs suitable for educators at the Certificate, Associate, Bachelor's, and Master's levels. All courses are online, affordable, and conveniently schedule for the working professional.
Empower yourself through APU.

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Volume 8, Issue 47
December 3, 2009

Teachers Observing Teachers Sparks Discussions, New Ideas Looking for a way to encourage more collaboration and reflection among his staff, principal Terry Bradley worked with university professors to implement peer walk-throughs. The observations and discussions have changed the way teachers teach. Included: How peer walk-throughs work. Giving Arts a Boost Now a successful businessman, Richard Fields still remembers his elementary school music teacher. He's funding an extensive arts program at his former school to give today's students the experiences he had. Pete Hall's Always Strive To Be a Better You Who’s Your Joey Amalfitano? You wake up late, you burn the toast, the cat vomited on the rug and you find out by stepping in it, you leave the house just barely behind schedule but then have to stop for gas… Ever had a day like that? That’s the day you have to find your Joey Amalfitano. Ken Shore: The ABCs of Bullying Prevention The Assembly Your challenge when faced with misbehavior during an assembly is to respond in a way that leaves the misbehaving student's dignity intact and allows others to enjoy the program Doug Johnson: Tech Proof Is Educational Climate Change Ahead? I believe a meteor is on the educational horizon that will dramatically alter the school climate and give rise to a new breed of educators -- that meteor is affordable 1:1 computing. Focus On… Testing Like it or not, testing is here to stay. And, believe it or not, some principals are even making the best of it. They use creative approaches to Test Week that help build stronger school communities. Some are even having fun with testing! The articles in this archive share practical tips for making the most of Test Week.   This Week’s Survey Question Has your school gone “green?” Last Week’s Survey Question Have you incorporated mobile technology into your classroom?

Ed Heads Education World shares education headlines in the news. Broadband Teaching Gets Boost in Idaho Schools Idaho officials are experimenting with a teaching method that allows students and teachers to videoconference via a broadband connection -- meaning that teachers in one school can connect with students in another. 12/01/2009 Building Bridges to Families While studies have shown a link between parental involvement and student achievement, new teachers are rarely taught how to foster relationships with students' families. Should outreach be part of teacher training? 11/30/2009 Pilot Program Eases Sixth-Graders Into Middle School A pilot program is helping Atlanta sixth-grade students make an easier transition to middle school -- switching them to "block" schedules and increasing the amount of time they spend on each subject. 11/30/2009 Minnesota Students Acing Yoga Some educators are using yoga to calm and focus students as well as to improve posture, balance, and even grades. The teachers say yoga can be especially helpful for students with special needs. 11/29/2009 Pilot Program Eases Sixth-Graders Into Middle School Four Atlanta middle schools are piloting a program that helps sixth-graders, who were "king of the hill" at their previous school, adjust to middle school by having fewer teachers and longer academic periods. 11/30/2009 Class Sizes Rise, Mostly Due to Budget Cuts Propelled by budget cuts and enrollment increases, class sizes in New York City public schools rose this year, with high school students and kindergartners in particular feeling the squeeze. 11/30/2009 "My Access" Helps Students Write A Web-based instructional program is helping students in Utah improve their writing skills. The program uses artificial-intelligence to score students' writing and provide instant feedback on writing assignments. 11/27/2009 See more education news headlines in our EDscoops Archive.

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NEW! FROM EDUCATION WORLD
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Each week, Education World spotlights books of interest to educators. This week, read a brief summary of two more of our “top 50 books for educators.”

Teaching Outside the Box
Subtitled, "How to grab your students by their brains," this paperback edition of LouAnne Johnson's well-reviewed book promises a lot of practical guidance for today's classroom teacher. Including a step-by-step plan to make the first week of school a success, the book's advice ranges across classroom management and motivational topics to strategies for teaching the reluctant reader. This is a book not only to read, but also to share with colleagues.
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.

Education: The Practice and Profession of Teaching
Yes, this is a textbook, costing $100 in paperback, not counting a companion book you can get by adding $20 and a package of online resources you can get from www.mylabschool.com. However, the book's fans claim its comprehensiveness and readability make it a worthwhile investment even outside the context of education courses. Case studies that start each chapter, a feature called "teachers and the law," and a guide to certification, are all special features of this most recent edition.
Click to learn more or to purchase this book.

Click the icon to the right to see more books and many other products that are available in the Education World MarketPlace.

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Are you looking for a nice holiday gift for colleagues?
Our Best of... booklets might just fill the bill!

The Best of LEARNING GAMES

If you enjoy Education World's weekly LEARNING GAMES feature, you'll love this book! Education World and the National Education Association (NEA) have joined forces to create a handy, pocket-size booklet of more than 30 of our most popular learning games. PLUS an extra bonus -- ten more games for classroom fun!

These classroom games span the grades and the major subject areas -- and inject a healthy dose of fun into the serious business of teaching and learning. Looking to fill the end of a hectic day with something fun and educational? Looking for a great reward for students that will make valuable use of free time? Looking to reinforce basic skills with a fun activity? These games will fill the bill!

Included in this 80-page booklet you'll find these games and more:

• Math Facts Race (Math, grades K-8)
• You Can Count on Spelling (Math and Language Arts, grades K-12)
• Find It... Fast! (All Subjects, grades K-12)
• Concentration Review Game (All Subjects, grades K-12)
• The Dictionary Game (Language Arts, grades 3-8)
• Play Ball: A Major League Review Game (All Subjects, grades K-12)
• Friendly Feud (All Subjects, grades K-12)
• Plus 35 more games!

The Best of the WRITING BUG

If you enjoy Education World's weekly WRITING BUG feature, you'll love this book! Education World and the National Education Association (NEA) have joined forces to create a handy, pocket-size booklet with 44 of the most popular Writing Bug story starters. Use these Writing Bug activities to engage your students in effective writing. Each writing prompt will spark students' imaginations, tickle their funny bones, and motivate their pencils.

Included: In this booklet you'll find these Writing Bug titles and many more:

• If I Could Interview Any U.S. President...
• The Best Lesson I Ever Learned
• I Got a Postcard from Another Planet
• A Week Without TV
• The Best Invention Ever/The Worst Invention Ever
• Plus 39 more Writing Bug writing prompts!

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For a modest $24.95 PER YEAR, upgrade to Personal Edition, "Super SchoolNotes," with thousands of resources linked to your state's standards.

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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
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Applied Learning

A college business professor was lecturing her students about different ways to bill customers. “Who can give me an example of a system where you are billed before you actually receive your goods?” she asked.

One student piped up, “Tuition!”

More Worst Student Essay Analogies

He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.

Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like “Second Tall Man.”

Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.

The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon.

Dining Out of This World

Billie Jean: When do astronauts eat?

Billy Joe: I don’t know, when do they eat?

Billie Jean: At launch time!

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Teacher: Where is your homework?

Little Johnny: I lost it arguing with this kid who said you weren't the best teacher in the school.

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