Web Watch

In 1948, when a teacher and part-time art critic encouraged his employer, New Trier Township High School, to buy “Still Life with Flowers” by a then-relatively-unknown artist, it seemed like a good idea. The teacher, Frank Holland, planned to use it in class as a prime example of American modernism. Plus, it was going for just $62.50. Turns out Holland’s was a great idea: Christie’s auction house recently sold the school’s painting for $3.1 million to an anonymous bidder. The art classes at New Trier got a lot of use out of “Still Life” over the years, but, starting in the 1970s, it ended up in storage, then in a bank vault, and was finally loaned to the Art Institute of Chicago, after another art teacher recognized its importance. When New Trier originally acquired the piece, its creator, Stuart Davis, was labeled a “lefty” artist, so his work was easily dismissed. Today it’s highly sought-after. New Trier, however, has never been short on cash. Located in a tony Chicago suburb, the 105-year-old elite high school boasts notable alumni such as Donald Rumsfeld, Charlton Heston, and Ann-Margret. “It’s ironic that’s where the work of a communist painter was found and will enrich the budget of one of the wealthiest school districts in the country,” comments one art historian. It appears, at least, that most of the money will go toward enriching the school’s art department.

Posted by Rich Shea, Teacher Magazine at 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

A group of Latino students at Steele Canyon High School in Rancho San Diego, California, had planned to skip classes to attend pro-immigrant rallies this spring. But English teacher Kim Dickinson found that, while the students had strong feelings about the topic, they didn't really know much about the immigration legislation being protested. She challenged them to do more than just add a few more bodies to the protesting crowd. She invited the students back to her classroom and encouraged them to research the issues behind the rallies. Their discussion grew to include dozens of other students and now, two months later, the result is a 50-page book of family histories, narratives and illustrations about immigration and immigrant families' experiences. Most of the essays were written by students who don't speak English as their primary language. Some had only been in the United States for a few years; some didn't use their real names with their writing because of their immigration status. One student's illustration for the volume showed a man separated from a gravesite in Mexico by a border fence. It was meant to highlight the fact that illegal immigrants can't return home to attend relatives' funerals. The original group of students who had been planning to walk out for the rallies said they were glad to have an alternative outlet for their opinions. "I seriously wanted to be with them (the students who walked out)," said Maricruz Pulido. "But I thought if I miss out on school, I'm not doing what I came here for, to get a better education."

Posted by at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

He’s a baseball coach who finds inspiration in photographs of Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer. That’s because 44-year-old Steve DeCaro is also a physics teacher at Mattituck High School on Long Island. For four years, in fact, he’s fused physics and America’s pastime in a way that’s raised achievement levels both in the classroom and on the field. It took a while. For years, the ex-jock who fell in love with physics as a high-schooler (and subsequently earned a master’s degree in the subject) lived two lives, unable to interest his students in the science of baseball or his ballplayers in the practical applications of physics. Then, after joining the Mattituck staff, he demanded that all players take physics and encouraged non-jocks to join the team. Enrollment in physics classes at Mattituck has gone from 17 to 70 since 2002, and the once-ignored AP Physics B exam now has 20 annual takers. The team ain’t too shabby either: 43 wins and 16 losses over three seasons. The ways in which DeCaro combines physics and baseball are best exemplified by Keith Connell. As a junior last year, he joined the team and sat bench mostly because he had a terrible swing. DeCaro soon taught him, however, that one must anchor the back foot, then step forward at just the right time, so as to maximize the energy moving through the bat and into the ball. Keith’s a good student: He’s team captain this year, and batting .337.

Posted by Rich Shea, Teacher Magazine at 3:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Most graduating seniors at the top of their class get up in front of peers and parents to make a speech. Gallatin High School valedictorian Chris Linzy did just that, but now the Tennessee teen faces disorderly conduct charges carrying a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail for his attempt to speak—plus the possibility he won’t receive his diploma. “This is blown so far out of proportion,” said the boy’s father, David Linzy. “This wasn't an incident where he vandalized something, streaked across the stage, or set off fireworks." He did break the rules, however. At Gallatin High, the student body president addresses the graduates, but not the valedictorian—a policy Chris wanted to question in his speech. However, after grabbing the microphone away from the teacher who read off students’ names, Chris was only able to get a few sentences out before the power to the amplifier was cut. He’s since apologized to principal Rufus Lassiter, but the administrator still isn’t saying whether he’ll get to officially graduate. Moreover, Lassiter is upset by all the media attention the valedictorian’s interruption has drawn at the expense of the other seniors: “The good kids that wanted to do right and obey the rules, they're being left out."

Posted by Scott J. Cech, Teacher Magazine at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Middle school language arts teacher Janice Ramsey has hit upon a paradox: Many kids say they hate writing, but, what with e-mail and instant messaging, they’re virtually doing it in their sleep. Building on that opening, Ramsey, who teaches at Booth Middle School in Woodstock, Georgia, has developed a writing curriculum that’s oriented around e-mail composition. Instead of blaming e-mail for the world’s grammatical ills, that is, she uses it to teach kids about structure, style, and voice. “What’s associated with e-mail? Plain old letter-writing,” she reasons. Who knew? Ramsey says working in the electronic medium gives her students a greater sense of engagement, which has shown in their grades. She plans to present her findings this summer as part of a university professional-development program. In the meantime, the idea of adapting student writing to new modes of communication is already being welcomed. “Literacy instruction and written instruction tend to be quite old-fashioned; we’re still working from a 1950s model,” observed Jennifer Stone, a professor at the University of Washington.

Posted by at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's not just gas prices that are up these days. For students at Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona, the cost of ketchup has gone through the roof. Enterprising senior Kirk Alvers has calculated that while gas prices are hovering at $3 per gallon, the cost of ketchup in the school cafeteria is $18 for 36 ounces. The price spike is connected to a new cafeteria policy under which students ordering burgers and fries must purchase, at 25 cents for two, any ketchup packets they want beyond the three that come with the meal. Principal Kristine Marchiando explained the new policy this way: "If you have unrestricted access to things that explode, things will happen." Apparently, students stomping on ketchup packets necessitated expensive clean-up in the outdoor lunch area. Alvers and other students argued that a few freshmen were behind the ketchup misuse and it was unfair to punish (and charge) the entire student body. They recently wore "Free Heinz" T-shirts and hung posters protesting the ketchup policy. Principal Marchiando said the school had bigger issues to deal with, including construction, overcrowding, and a black widow spider infestation. At least the spiders aren't ketchup fans.

Posted by at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Recess is on the chopping block, and its supporters are stamping their feet, complaining loudly, and talking to anyone who will listen. And that's just the parents. Kids are getting involved, too, through a massive "Rescuing Recess" letter-writing campaign spearheaded by the National PTA and the Cartoon Network. New government study results show that the percentage of schools that don't have recess is on the rise. And while the recess-less schools are still in the minority—only 7 percent of 1st graders and 13 percent of 6th graders have no recess—many parents sense that school-sanctioned playtime is under attack, and they're ready to put up a racket to save it. Parents in Tacoma, Washington, want the school to mandate separate recess periods each day, rather than just designating lunch as the time for students to kick back. While school officials blame academic pressure and increased testing when cutting recess time, some parents are adamant that playtime is non-negotiable. "It's a time for children to be imaginative, to show innovation on the playground," said parent Diane Larson.

Posted by at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The 1999 Columbine High School massacre has inspired movies, books, and plays, so it's not entirely surprising that the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history would one day be made into a video game. Still, the freeware Super Columbine Massacre RPG is decidedly creepy. Using cartoonish, Donkey Kong-style graphics of the school and killers, interspersed with news photos of the tragedy, the program puts the gamer in the black trench-coated role of Eric Harris as he and Dylan Klebold shoot teachers and classmates to death. Though many victims and afflicted family members predictably find the game in unspeakably bad taste, that reaction isn't unanimous. "I think I get what he was trying to do, at least in part," said Richard Castaldo, a Columbine student who was paralyzed from the chest down in the shooting. He downloaded and played the game after reading about it on a gaming Web site. "Parts of it were difficult to play through, but overall, I get the feeling it might even be helpful in some ways."

Posted by Scott J. Cech, Teacher Magazine at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

"No pass, no play" isn't a new idea. For years, school districts have been requiring high school athletes to maintain basic academic standards in order to suit up for the game. But in one Texas school district, simply attending football games as a spectator could soon require passing grades. The same goes for band concerts and other extracurriculars. The superintendent of DeSoto schools says this "No pass, no attend" policy is only in the "thinking out loud" stages, but parents and students are already choosing up sides. Brittany Jackson, a 9th grader, was outraged at the proposal. "Just because a student doesn't make grades doesn't mean they can't cheer on their team," she said. "That's crazy." Many parents supported the idea of greater consequences for students' academic performance, but were wary about how the policy would be enforced. Tom Hutton, staff attorney for the National Association of School Boards, said he understands the district's desire to motivate students. But he called the proposal "an administrative nightmare," and questioned its legality. The legal director at the Texas Association of School Boards said the plan would fly, legally, as long as failing students weren't publicly identified. But then, their absense at the Big Game could speak volumes.

Posted by at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Thousands of high schools seniors in California may be putting in last-minute cap-and-gown orders. A Superior Court judge in Alameda County has struck down the state’s high school exit exam, meaning that some students who’ve yet to pass the test may get to graduate this spring, after all. Judge Robert Freedman ruled that the exit-exam requirement, which was being enforced for the first time this year, discriminates against minority and low-income students who are poorly served by California’s school system. “Students in economically challenged communities have not had an equal opportunity to learn the materials,” he said, adding that the “scarcity of resources” was most severe for English language learners. Some 47,000 California seniors (about 11 percent) have yet to pass the test, but it was unclear how many of those have met all other requirements necessary to graduate. California schools Superintendent Jack O’ Connell called ruling “bad news for [among others] employers want meaning restored to our high school diplomas,” and vowed to issue an appeal this week. But students newly eligible to graduate weren’t waiting to plan for the future. “I feel very happy,” Liliana Valenzuela, the 18-year-old lead plaintiff in the case, said in Spanish. “Now I’ll be able to have my diploma and fulfill my desire to become a nurse.”

Posted by at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The California Senate has approved legislation that would require the state’s schools to teach students about the historical contributions of gay Americans. If signed into law, the measure could have ramifications nationwide, since California’s curriculum carries a great deal of weight with textbook publishers. Advocates say teaching students about the role of gays in American history is a natural extension of current civil rights studies in social science courses. They also believe it would foster a more accepting environment for kids who are gay or lesbian. Opponents, however, called the legislation an affront to family values (“Happy Mother’s Day, California,” sneered the president of the Campaign for Children and Families), and criticized it as educationally specious. Republican Senator Bill Morrow, for example, argued that emphasizing particular historical figures’ homosexuality is irrelevant since “their contribution to history has nothing to do with their sexual proclivities.” The measure must still be passed by the state Assembly and signed by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has yet to voice a position on it.

Posted by at 3:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As if the College Board hasn't had a bad enough run of publicity lately, company officials are now reporting lower-than-average SAT scores among this fall's incoming freshmen. Though the complete national results won't be in until late summer, preliminary surveys of 15 colleges and universities found SAT scores averaging 10 to 20 points below the expected levels. Experts point out that this year's seniors were the first to take the "new" SAT, which includes an essay-writing section and clocks in at a whopping 3 hours, 35 minutes. These added stresses, it's hypothesized, could have caused both fatigue and performance anxiety in the test-takers. "It was so much longer, and the kids were so hyped about it because this test had never been given before, " said Kathryn M. Napper, director of admissions at George Washington University (and the mom of a high school senior). Then there's the money factor: The SAT is more expensive—$41.50, as opposed to $28.50 for the old test. The new price point, one observer noted, means fewer kids are taking it more than once. And since retesting raises scores by an average 30 points, there's a good chance that the heftier price tag is keeping scores down.

Posted by at 3:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

These days, prom organizers are taking a page from nightclubs' book by carding partygoers at the door. Except at the prom, they're making sure guests are young enough. In many high schools, new policies govern how old students' prom dates can be. And in most cases, 20 or 21 is the cutoff. At one Minnesota school, the rule was implemented after a past prom where a student brought a 48-year-old date. "A 48-year-old at prom just seemed very unwholesome to us," said the school's prom adviser. Concerns about alcohol use also come into play; many schools ban dates who are old enough to purchase booze. Students' opinions on the date rule are mixed. Rosalie Carnegie, a senior barred from bringing her 22-year-old Iraq War-veteran fiancé to the prom, was understandably disappointed, though she said she respected the rule. But another senior called the age cutoff "kind of stupid." "I'm pretty sure a 21-year-old isn't too thrilled to go to prom," she said. "They aren't going to prom to get drunk; they're going because their date wants to."

Posted by at 3:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just because Mitchell Yaksh is graduating in a class of one doesn't mean he's celebrating the occasion alone. Along with his principal and teacher—his father and mother, respectively—about 140 relatives and friends were on hand recently for the homeschooler's pomp-and-circumstance-laden commencement exercise. Though the school itself is just a den in his family’s Atlanta home, Mitchell wore a cap and gown and received an official-looking diploma at the ceremony, just like his six older siblings had. "We wanted them to be able to look back and say … they never felt that they missed out on anything," explained teacher/mother Marilyn Yaksh. Nor was Mitchell’s event the most elaborate in the area. Parents of 35 home school seniors recently attended a graduation ceremony for their students and more than 800 guests at the cavernous Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, complete with a speech by Governor Sonny Perdue.

Posted by Scott J. Cech, Teacher Magazine at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last August, outside of a season-opener football game between rival high schools in Miami, Florida, 17-year-old James "3J" Lewis was shot and killed. His best friend, Derrick Chiverton's, gut reaction was understandable: He wanted revenge. But classmate Brittany Little suggested instead that Derrick play the titular role in an off-Broadway play called Zooman and the Sign, which would later be performed at a theater festival. "I wanted to find an outlet for us to channel our anger," explained Brittany, a senior at Miami Northwestern Senior High School. "We did the show in memory of James, and it hit a lot of chords." Not only did the performance of the play, about a family caught in the crossfire of drug-related violence, "quell a volatile situation and promote harmony and understanding," according to one former school official; but it also garnered Brittany the Princeton Prize in Race Relations. Given annually by the Princeton University Alumni Council, the award spotlights high school students whose actions positively affect their communities. Brittany, who's from a single-parent family and supervises a drama-club program called Theater Against Violence, seems much older than her 17 years. She's "always there for whoever needs her, taking kids under her wings and making a difference in their lives," said drama teacher Charlette Seward. That was certainly true in Derrick's case. Of his role in the play, and how it purged his anger, he said: "I had to become a monster, something I would never want to be."

Posted by Rich Shea, Teacher Magazine at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It’s not often that you hear about a professional-development event that rocks. But some 400 educators gathered at a South Los Angeles middle school this weekend for a conference on the uses of hip-hop as an instructional tool. Workshop participants were encouraged to let students compose hip-hop songs as a way to get comfortable with the writing process. They also learned how to help students analyze rappers’ lyrics using the conventions of English Lit. The goal of the conference—organized by graduate students at UCLA along with local community groups—was to give teachers a way to make learning more relevant to urban youths. “Why not use [their] culture to connect?” said UCLA grad student Mark Gonzales. “It allows them to engage.”

Posted by at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A high school teacher in Paducah, Kentucky, was relieved of her employment after school administrators discovered she appeared in an adult movie more than 10 years ago. Tericka Dye, a science teacher and volleyball coach at Paducah’s Reidland High School, said she deeply regrets having made the film, explaining she was broke and suffering from untreated bipolar disorder at the time. All the same, McCracken County Schools Superintendent Tim Heller told her in a letter that her “presence in the classroom would cause a disruption to the educational process,” particularly for “students who viewed the video or know about it.” (And who doesn’t now?) Not everyone agrees, though. A lawyer hired by the Kentucky Education Association said the termination may be challenged, and some students and parents held an impromptu rally in support of Dye this week. “She’s not the person she was 10 years ago,” said one sympathetic parent. “We’ve all done things that we regret, except hers is on tape.”

Posted by at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Isn’t it about time your 6th graders finally got serious about what they're going to do with their lives? Some lawmakers and education leaders in Florida apparently think so. A new bill in the state’s legislature would mandate intensive career studies for middle schoolers. The measure is part of package of reform proposals put forth by a task force assembled by Republican Governor Jeb Bush. Under the recommendations, kids would also be required to develop an academic and career plan for their high school years. Advocates argue the career-studies requirement would add rigor to the middle school curriculum and give kids a better understanding of real-world expectations. Critics worry that it would inevitably take time away from less patently practical courses like art, music, and physical education. Some educators, meanwhile, question whether the idea is developmentally appropriate: “I’ve taught in middle schools for 21 years, and few to none of my students have ever come to me to talk about a particular career,” observed one Florida teacher. “At that age, they just want to learn and absorb.” And, perhaps, they just want to be 12-year-olds.

Posted by at 1:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (114)

It seems that the old is new again. And by "the old," we mean "weird 1960s fad of gardening-material-as-drug." Thanks to the Internet, teenagers are re-discovering something experts had thought was left far behind in the psychedelic era: Ingesting morning glory seeds in great quantities can lead to an LSD-like altered state. The emerging trend is hard to quantify because purchasing morning glory seeds is, of course, legal. But some garden shops have been keeping a closer eye on their inventory after seeing teenagers buy or steal large quantities of the flower seeds. "You think, 'Hmm,'" said Kristy Peterkin, whose family owns a hardware and garden store. Her teenage employees clued her into the reason the flower seeds were suddenly so popular. The Drug Enforcement Administration claims no knowledge of the psychedelic seeds, and a prominent drug researcher at the University of Michigan said he hadn't heard of the trend, either. "I'm afraid the kids are ahead of me in that case," he said.

Posted by at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spring is in the air, and an 18-year-old’s thoughts turn to, well, just about anything but schoolwork. In acknowledgement of that premise, some high schools are devising novel ways to treat the dread condition known as senioritis. Instead of forcing graduating seniors through the academic paces, they’re encouraging them to go ahead and start thinking about life after high school. New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois, for example, has created a “senior program” designed to help kids learn real-world skills. Students can work as teachers’ aids, participate in community projects, and attend discussion forums on topics like money management and college life. Other schools let seniors start taking courses at local colleges or find off-campus internships. "It’s human to be thinking about what is ahead," said Janice Dreis, co-director of New Trier’s program. "We have to let them think about that."

Posted by at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Turns out students were listening during health class: In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a group of 4th- and 5th-graders refused to sell candy bars and potato chips as part of a fundraising drive for a trip to Washington, D.C. The students argued that selling the junk food went against the healthy-eating lessons they'd learned that year. For a little while, it looked like the trip would have to be cancelled, but donations from supporters—including $16,000 from diet guru Dr. Atkins' widow, Veronica—rolled in to finance the excursion. The candy-free students are enjoying their D.C. visit this week.

Posted by at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)