Tax Dollars at Work
Georgia officers travel to Vermont to grill anti-testing advocate.
English
Unsung Heroes
Why aren’t people such as Daniel Shays or Fannie Lou Hamer held up as role models?
Teaching Unsung Heroes
A list of first-person roles that students can play, as described in Bill Bigelow’s article .
Racial/Gender Justice Project
A list of first-person roles that students can play, as described in Bill Bigelow’s article .
Bilingual Education: Strike Two
Arizona voters follow California’s lead and mandate English-only programs.
Bilingual Education Works
Bilingual education is generally misunderstood – even though people appear to understand many of its underlying principles.
Bilingual Education: A Goal for All Children
To defeat English-only initiatives like those bankrolled by Silicon Valley millionaire Ron Unz, progressives need to do a better job of educating the public about the benefits of bilingual education.
Diversity Vs. White Privilege
Christine Sleeter explains why multiculturalism, at its core, is a struggle against racism, and must go beyond an appreciation of diversity.
Michael’s Story
A third-grade teacher helps her students deal with anger and, in the process, learns a few lessons of her own.
Vouchers Go Down to Defeat
Michigan and California voters squash initiatives allowing public dollars for private schools.
Voucher Votes
How previous voucher initiatives have fared at the polls.
Oregon Rejects Anti-Gay Initiative
If it had passed, the so-called “Student Protection Act” could have banned the mere mention of homosexuality in public schools.
Planting Seeds of Solidarity
In discussing global issues, how can a teacher nurture student empathy and caring, yet avoid the trap of an “us versus them” dichotomy?”
Books to Help Build Solidarity
A collection of books useful in working with ideas raised in Peterson’s article, “Planting Seeds of Solidarity.”
Kids Protest Tax on Books
Fifth-graders in Springfield, MA, traveled to the state legislature in Boston on Apr. 26 to address a legislative taxation committee and demand that children’s books be exempted from the state’s 5% sales tax.
The Educational Costs of Standardization
More testing might sound nice as a policy soundbite. But as Texas shows, the move toward high-stakes tests shortchanges learning in the classroom.
Dangers of Early Childhood Testing
As early as 1976 the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) called for a moratorium on standardized testing in the early schools years. A decade later, it strengthened its positions, saying: “We now believe firmly that no standardized testing should occur in preschool and K-2 years. Further we question the need to test every child in the remaining elementary years.”
Students Protest Tests
Hundreds of high school students from across Massachusetts boycotted the state’s high-stakes test this April.
Operation Bearlift
An elementary teacher, weary of gimmicks such as Gum Day and Hat Day, turns to social action to build classroom community.
The Tea Party
A high school English teacher uses a “tea party” – in which students give brief previews of good books – to entice reluctant readers to read.
A Journey to Openness
An elementary principal tells of his journey to openly gay administrator.
Fed Up with Gay-Bashing
An 11-year-old student takes a stand against homophobic slurs.
Defending Freedom of the Press
A middle school student organizes to defend a student newspaper.
Students’ Rights
A handy rundown of the free-speech rights students have under current law.
Please – No More Magic Bullets!
High-Stakes testing is the latest reform designed to save public education. But this reform du jour is a recipe for disaster.