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February 2009
Vol 6 No 2
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Teachers.Net Gazette Vol.6 No.2 February 2009

Cover Story by Alfie Kohn
Why Self-Discipline Is Overrated: The (Troubling) Theory and Practice of Control from Within
To inquire into what underlies the idea of self-discipline is to uncover serious misconceptions about motivation and personality, controversial assumptions about human nature, and disturbing implications regarding how things are arranged in a classroom or a society.


Harry & Rosemary Wong: Effective Teaching
To Be an Effective Teacher
Simply Copy and Paste

Columns
»Do You Have a Student Teacher?Hal Portner
»Test-taking Skills Made EasySue Gruber
»Teaching Children Refusal SkillsLeah Davies
»How to Be ConsistentMarvin Marshall
»The Busy Educator's Monthly FiveMarjan Glavac
»Dear Barbara - Advice for SubsBarbara Pressman
»What Side of the Box are YOU On?Kioni Carter
»Global Travel GuruJosette Bonafino

Articles
»Teacher Study Groups: Taking the “Risk” out of “At-Risk”Bill Page
»Can Anyone Learn to Draw?Tim Newlin
»The Heart of Mathematical ThinkingLaura Candler
»Finding Free Art Materials in Your CommunityMarilyn J. Brackney
»The Downside of Good Test ScoresAlan Haskvitz
»February 2009 Writing PromptsJames Wayne
»In The Middle School (poem)James Wayne
»Using Photographs To Inspire Writing IVHank Kellner
»Teacher Performance AssessmentPanamalai R. Guruprasad
»How To Help Victims Of Bullying: Advice For Parents & EducatorsKathy Noll
»Unwilling Student Meets Unwavering Teacher Lauren Romano
»Notes from The JungleJohn Price
»Lead the Class - Teachers as Leaders John Sweeting
»Opposing Views of a Post-Racial SocietyRoland Laird
»Who Really Needs Four Years of Math and Science? Steve A. Davidson

Features
»Apple Seeds: Inspiring QuotesBarb Stutesman
»Today Is... Daily CommemorationRon Victoria
»The Lighter Side of Teaching
»Teacher Blogs Showcase
»Carol Goodrow’s “Healthy-Ever-After” Children’s Books
»Printable Worksheets & Teaching Aids
»Memo to the New Secretary of Education and
John Stossel: American students are NOT stupid
»Lessons, Resources and Theme Activities: February 2009
»All of the Presidents in Under 2 Minutes!, Needle Sized Art, I Am a Teacher!, How It’s Made: Copy paper, and If My Nose Was Runnin’ Money
»Live on Teachers.Net: February 2009
»T-Netters Share Favorite Recipes
»Technology in the Art Classroom
»Newsdesk: Events & Opportunities for Teachers


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The Teachers.Net Gazette is a collaborative project
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Cover Story by Alfie Kohn

Effective Teaching by Harry & Rosemary Wong

Contributors this month: Alfie Kohn, Sue Gruber, Kioni Carter, Marvin Marshall, , Marjan Glavac, , Hal Portner, Leah Davies, Barbara Pressman, Tim Newlin, Bill Page, James Wayne, Hank Kellner, Josette Bonafino, Marilyn J. Brackney, Barb Stutesman, Ron Victoria, Panamalai R. Guruprasad, Alan Haskvitz, Kathy Noll, Lauren Romano, John Price, John Sweeting, Laura Candler, Roland Laird, Steve A. Davidson, and YENDOR.

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Cover Story: Alfie Kohn


Why Self-Discipline
Is Overrated



To inquire into what underlies the idea of self-discipline is to uncover serious misconceptions about motivation and personality, controversial assumptions about human nature, and disturbing implications regarding how things are arranged in a classroom or a society.

Articles

Teacher Study Groups: Taking the
"Risk" out of "At-Risk"


The alternative to flunking students is teaching them. That requires teachers’ reflecting on their beliefs, perceptions, biases, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors.

By Bill Page



Can Anyone Learn to Draw?

The "natural born artist" is a myth. Even the best of them needed the motivation and desire as well as the training and time.

By Tim Newlin



Finding Free Art Materials in Your Community

When money is tight in school systems, art is frequently the first subject that suffers budget cuts...

By Marilyn Brackney



The Downside of Good Test Scores

I was teaching the way I knew would get the students the highest grades on the test. Some of the most interesting and motivating parts of social studies were being ignored as I struggled to produce high-test scores...

By Alan Haskvitz


February 2009 Writing Prompts

February sees the birth of jeans, a national park, the Supreme Court, and in Japan they’re throwing beans. And then a cow flew a plane...

James Wayne


In The Middle School

In their desks, in the halls, they yell and talk of school, which has lasted forever in their lives, and will last forever, or so it seems....

James Wayne


Using Photography To Inspire Writing IV

The author of Write What You See: 99 Photographs To Inspire Writing shares his teaching techniques The fourth in a series of articles.

Hank Kellner


Teacher Performance Assessment

The quality of classroom processes is a function of how effectively a teacher guides his/her class, and the goal of teacher evaluation should be to improve classroom processes.

P.R. Guruprasad


How To Help Victims Of Bullying: Advice For Parents & Educators

The US Justice Department says 80% of all students have been the victims of some form of Bullying. It’s time to start "Taking the Bully by the Horns."

Kathy Noll


Unwilling Student Meets Unwavering Teacher

I realized that if one teacher took the time to tell me that I had a future, maybe it was true.

Lauren Romano


Notes From The Jungle - International Educator in Our Time

In this excerpt, author John Price begins his candid and sometimes irreverent account of headmastering in a large school far from his native UK.

John Price


Lead the Class - Teachers as Leaders

I am writing for those of us in schools at which "self-starter" is not a phrase often applied to a student.

John Sweeting


Teachers.Net Favorites
Teachers.Netters Share Favorite Recipes

Warm up with white chicken chili and old family recipes for cornbread, chocolate gravy, and two skillet meals, shared by T-Netters on the Teachers Chatboard. Bon Appétit!



Who Really Needs Four Years of Math and Science?

I posit that increasing these requirements will increase the drop-out rate. Further, we will witness the demise of vocational education programs and fewer students enrolling in fine arts classes.

Steven Davidson


Teachers.Net Community
IMHO - Educators
Speaking Up


Memo to the New Secretary of Education and John Stossel: American students are NOT stupid.



Collective Wisdom
Technology in the
Art Classroom


Art teachers collaborate on a wish list for 21st century art instruction equipment.




Harry and Rosemary Wong


To Be an Effective Teacher Simply Copy and Paste


Bev Wahl started her teaching career like so many of us did—taking over for a teacher in the middle of a school year. For many first year teachers, this is a doomsday scenario....

Columns



Do You Have a Student Teacher?

Having a student teacher requires a delicate balance between encouragement and evaluation.

By Hal Portner


Instant Ideas for Busy Teachers

Test-taking Skills Made Easy

Here are some easy ways to help your students feel relaxed and prepared for standardized testing without creating extra work for yourself.

By Sue Gruber



Teaching Children
Refusal Skills


Children who are taught refusal skills are more likely to make positive choices and refrain from engaging in high-risk behaviors.

By Leah Davies


Promoting Learning & Discipline

How to Be Consistent

Although consistency is important, imposing the same consequence on all students is the least fair approach.

By Dr. Marvin Marshall


The Busy Educator's Monthly 5:
February 2009


Use an artists’ online toolkit to create a work of art; Interactive animal detectives build thinking skills; Myths teach word origins; Teachers without borders close the education divide; Aquatic science resources!

By Marjan Glavac



Advice for Substitute Teachers
Recess for All or Some? and
Keep Teaching the Lesson or Stop for One?


Helping Substitute teachers deal with students who misbehave.

By Barbara Pressman



Coaching the Urban Educator
What Side of the Box are YOU On?

You might be wondering how you let what you want in, or how to help your children to get what they really want. Well, the first place to start is by thinking outside of the box.

By Kioni Carter




Global Travel Guru
Pre-Trip Planning Tips and Traveling to Iceland

Our Global Guru educational travel expert lists important pre-trip planning tips for The Land of Fire and Ice.

By Josette Bonafino

Features


Teachers.Net Community
Teacher Blogs Showcase

Teacher-bloggers share their interests and display their various skills and hobbies!



Teachers.Net Recommends
Carol Goodrow’s "Healthy-Ever-After" Children’s Books

A trio of books that can lead kids to live healthily ever after!



Free Downloads
Printable Worksheets & Teaching Aids

Thanks to the creativity and generosity of the Teachers.Net community, we offer the following printables for teachers. Just click and print!



Teachers.Net Favorites
Featured Lesson Plans, Resources
and Theme Activities


Lessons & Activities to Celebrate Seuss, Read Across America, Lincoln, Black History Month



Opposing Views of a Post-Racial Society

Written by Author of "Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans."

Roland Laird


Streaming Video
Teachers.Net Video Bytes



All of the Presidents in Under 2 Minutes!; Needle Sized Art; I Am a Teacher!; How It’s Made: Copy paper; If My Nose Was Runnin’ Money


Teachers.Net Community

Barb S. HS/MI
Apple Seeds
Ron/NJ
Today Is...
February 2009 Events
Live Chats


The Teachers.Net Newsdesk

The Lighter Side of Teaching




The Gazette is a collaborative project published by the Teachers.Net community. Submit your work to the Gazette.


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