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March 2009
Vol 6 No 3
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Teachers.Net Gazette Vol.6 No.3 March 2009

Cover Story by Graysen Walles
Teachers are Brave
Somewhere in this country a drive-by was avoided, a robbery was reconsidered, or a suicide attempt was abandoned because a teacher was willing to show up and make a difference in the classroom, administrative office, after school activity, or at the home of a child.


Harry & Rosemary Wong: Effective Teaching
Assessing for Student Learning

Columns
»The 21st Century Teaching-Learning Environment - (Think Outside the Classroom Box)Hal Portner
»Why Do You Teach?Sue Gruber
»Educating Homeless ChildrenLeah Davies
»Old School Progress ReportsTodd R. Nelson
»Habit vs. Awareness for the 3 Practices and for the Hierarchy of Social DevelopmentMarvin Marshall
»The Busy Educator's Monthly FiveMarjan Glavac
»Dear Barbara - Advice for SubsBarbara Pressman
»Global Travel GuruJosette Bonafino
»Tool & ToysRick Morris

Articles
»Economic Relief for TeachersTeachers.Net
»Fifty Years of TeachingBill Page
»Strange SignsTim Newlin
»A Dozen Surefire Tips To Maximize Flexible Grouping and Small Group LearningSusan Fitzell
»Time to Reward YourselfAlan Haskvitz
»March 2009 Writing PromptsJames Wayne
»Using Photographs To Inspire Writing VHank Kellner
»What’s Wrong With Teacher Education In This Country?Howard Seeman
»“Slumdog Millionaire” Teaches About Education, TooDorothy Rich
»Teachers’ Role in Improving Students’ Thinking Skills: Moving beyond the ‘sage on the stage’Ambreen Ahmed

Features
»Apple Seeds: Inspiring QuotesBarb Stutesman
»Today Is... Daily CommemorationRon Victoria
»The Lighter Side of Teaching
»Teacher Blogs Showcase
»Liz Phillips' Printable Discipline Rubric
»Photo tour: 4th Grade Classroom
»Lessons, Resources and Theme Activities: March 2009
»Featured Lesson: Recognizing Bullying
»Modeling Guided Reading FAQ, Periodic Table of Videos – Fascinating Chemistry!, Carl Sagan - 4th Dimension Explanation, Parabolas in the Real World, Al Jolson sings - Brother Can You Spare a Dime?, Lovers’ Waltz - Casey Willis on violin, Meet Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
»Live on Teachers.Net: March 2009
»T-Netters Share Favorite Recipes
»Managing Hyperactive Students
»Newsdesk: Events & Opportunities for Teachers
»This Board’s For Me!


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Cover Story by Graysen Walles

Effective Teaching by Harry & Rosemary Wong

Contributors this month: Graysen Walles, Hal Portner, Sue Gruber, Leah Davies, Todd R. Nelson, Marvin Marshall, Marjan Glavac, Barbara Pressman, Josette Bonafino, Rick Morris, Bill Page, Tim Newlin, Susan Fitzell, Alan Haskvitz, James Wayne, Hank Kellner, Howard Seeman, Dorothy Rich, Ambreen Ahmed, Barb Stutesman, Ron Victoria, Liz Phillips, and YENDOR.

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Dorothy Rich

Archive | Biography | Resources | Discussion

“Slumdog Millionaire” Teaches About Education, Too
Mark Twain reminded us: “Don’t let schooling interfere with your education,” wisdom hardly being listened to today
by Dorothy Rich

Continued from page 1
March 1, 2009

Today, schooling has virtually taken over education. The discussion is narrowly defined: how to change schooling. We forget that children bring the seeds of their early and continuing success in school from their home and neighborhood.

The concern about teacher accountability is so great that what’s overlooked is the accountability of the family and the wider community outside the school walls. This is where children spend almost 90% of their time. We can change all the school assessments, but unless the issues of child poverty and health are addressed, we are re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

In education, almost everyone talks about evidence that particular programs and curricula work or don’t work. What is being looked is test score results. I support good test scores, but there is a growing trend, mistaken I believe, to think of education as a fairly narrow science.

If education is a science, then it is many sciences, not just one. We know so much more today than we used to know about the complexities of learning and teaching. We know about the importance of encouragement, about parental involvement, about student focus and motivation.

And yes, case studies from the MegaSkills® Program indicate that we can actually teach the resilient attitudes and behaviors that the little boy in “Slumdog” somehow, in this fairy tale, came to on his own. But we have make room in the school day and at home to teach these.

Our children to be successful and happy don’t need to become millionaires… but they need to know how to keep going to be the learners they need to be in the 21st century. We know a lot about how to produce these results that include test scores but go well beyond-- and we can’t afford to go backwards.



» More Gazette articles...




About Dorothy Rich...

Dorothy Rich, Ed. D. is the author of MegaSkills®: Building Our Children’s Character and Achievement in School and in Life. She is the founder of the nonprofit Home and School Institute and a former member of the National Assessment Governing Board.

www.megaskills.org
dorothyrich@starpower.net


Dorothy Rich Articles on Teachers.Net...
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