School-Wise Books Newsletter
For Parents, Teachers, and Students
June, 2007 ~ Issue #17
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In This Issue
-- Heads Up: MySpace
-- In the News
-- It's a Fact
-- Websites to Visit
-- Summer Websites
-- Readers' Feedback
-- Readers' Poll
-- A Gavi-Good Recipe
-- Fiber-Rich News
-- A Final Note

Dear Readers,

June can't be beat. The 14th brings us Flag Day, first celebrated by school teacher, BJ Cigrand to mark the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of the Stars and Stripes. That's quickly followed on the 17th by Father's Day. Shortly thereafter, we arrive at the longest day of the year and the start of summer. And, somewhere in between all those days, school lets out!

However, though the school year is winding down, social networking sites will continue to gain in popularity, so we're starting off with "Heads Up: MySpace," followed by "In the News," featuring Shakespeare, the teaming up of Bill Gates and Eli Broad, conflicts swirling around Reading First, and much more.

Facts galore come next, everything from the impact of Harry Potter on kids' reading habits to Ipods and NCLB. Websites to visit come next--including summer-ready ones. Then it's time for our "Readers' Poll." Last month's question focused on extending the school day/year, and it started quite a buzz. This month, we want your input on the effectiveness anti-bullying programs.

Finally, to wrap things up, Gavi serves up her easy and good-for-you baked tilapia, after which we add some important fiber facts before signing off.

As always, thank you for your support and positive comments. Look for abbreviated versions of our newsletter in July and August, and please visit us at www.schoolwisebooks.com for more information, discounted book and tips booklet purchases, along with helpful articles. We hope you'll also join our blog and community board. To email us, go to carol@schoolwisebooks.com.


Heads Up: MySpace
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Some say, "What you don't know won't hurt you." Don't believe them. Social networking via the Internet has changed the rules--not unnecessarily for the better-- and we'd all better get in the know. Candice M. Kelsey, author of Generation MYSPACE, gives ample warning: "MySpace is at the front lines of redefining today's teenager . . . In this parent-free zone, every teen can pretend to be anything or anyone they want." That's not for the better, either. Some stats from her book, gleaned from several surveys:

87% of 12-17-year-olds are Internet users, and 50% go online daily.
29% of surveyed students said their parents or guardians would disapprove if they knew what they were doing on the Internet.
64% of online teens say that most teens do things online that they wouldn't want their parents to know about.
33% of 13-17-year-olds, and 48% of 16-17-year- olds report that their parents or guardians know "very little" or "nothing" about what they do on the Internet.

Kelsey's advice? Sign up on MySpace yourself, creating a profile and then logging on once a day for a week. You'll see kids giving out personal information, topless teenie boppers, sexual acts, and other hair-raising sights. Oh, yes, MySpace is also haven to all manner of bullies who harass, threaten, impersonate, denigrate, exclude, and even post private or embarrassing information. Log on and be informed, so you can engage your child in a dialogue about the risks and benefits of connecting socially on the Internet. www.ct.gov/ag offers an easy-to-follow guide to creating your own MySpace profile. Be sure to also visit these helpful sites:
www.stopbullyingnow.com
www.iSafe.org
www.VirtualMysteryTour.com

In the News
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Last year's "Educating Teachers" report suggests that 62% of teacher-education program grads felt they'd been poorly prepared. One proposed solution: have colleges certify teachers, thus making them responsible for teacher quality. Another suggestion: have colleges partner with districts and unions, mentoring new teachers for their first three years.

Fairfax, Virginia school officials have decided not to defy federal testing rules for students with limited English skills so as not to lose about $17 million in federal aid. The US Department of Education has since promised to help them develop new tests for these children in coming years.

Few colleges now require English majors to study Shakespeare. Harvard is the only ivy-league school that does nowadays. Of the Big 10 schools, only Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin do; among the top liberal arts colleges, only Middlebury, Smith, and Wellesley have such a requirement.

Geography seems to be getting lost as teachers prepare their students for mandated testing, so Congress is now considering the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act designed to improve the K-12 geography curriculum, teacher training, and instructional materials through competitive grants.

Microsoft's Bill Gates and Eli Broad, founder of SunAmerica, Inc. and KBHome, have contributed more than $2 billion to improve schools. Now "they're joining forces for a $60 million foray into politics" to help make education a focus in the 2008 presidential race, calling for "stronger, more consistent curriculum standards nationwide, lengthening the school day and year, and improving teacher quality through merit pay and other measures," writes New York Times reporter David M. Herszenhorn.

Reading First, the $1 billion a year program designed to teach poor children to read by 3rd grade will be investigated by the Justice Department for allegations of mismanagement and conflicts of interest whereby advisors received "significant profits from materials they developed that are now widely used in schools receiving federal grant money."

The American Association of School Administrators says, "We are convinced that NCLB is harming the education of many of the children it is intended to help," placing too much emphasis on standardized testing instead of measuring student progress over time." They cite problems with standards, testing, teachers and teaching, sanctions for struggling schools, community involvement, and funding.

The House recently voted to end the standardized testing of 4-year-olds in the Head Start program, boost spending on the program from the current $6.9 billion to $7.4 billion next year, and require that at least 50% of its teachers hold bachelor's degrees by 2013. It would also increase enrollment and target 25% of the new monies to raise teacher salaries and benefits.

Turnitin.com, the company that checks documents for signs of plagiarism, is being sued for violating high school students' rights under US copyright laws by placing student-written papers into an electronic archive. Turnitin receives about 100,000 student papers every day and serves more than 700 educational institutions, including Harvard and Georgetown, as well as 4,500 high schools.

Employers rank in this order the following knowledge and skills deemed essential for workplace success: 1) critical thinking/problem solving; 2) information technology application; 3) teamwork/collaboration; 4) creativity/innovation; 5) diversity; 6) leadership. The following knowledge domains ranked numbers 12 through 16: foreign languages, mathematics, writing, reading, comprehension.

It's a Fact
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1. According to research by Dr. T. P. Tarshis at Stanford University's Medical Center, 90% of elementary students have been on the receiving end of physical or psychological bullying by their peers; 60% have done some bullying.

2. Baltimore's Woodlawn High School's "100 Strong Male Role Models" is gaining national attention for its effectiveness in giving "young men in struggling schools the tools to thrive." It's also inspired a girls' counterpart.

3. Ohio Governor Ted Strickland claims that by eliminating the state's year-old voucher program, $13.8 million could be saved annually; 10% of its recipients left the program during the year.

4. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 18,000 teachers quit annually.

5. 66 Republicans in the House and Senate have signed on to the A-Plus Act, "legislation that would allow states to sidestep the yearly CLUB tests." NCLB receives stronger support from top-ranked Democrats than Republicans.

6. Kansas Representative Dennis Moore's survey found that 40% of his district's teachers want NCLB repealed, and 90% feel that such subjects as science and social studies are being short-changed because of mandated testing.

7. 49% of 6-18-year-olds believe one person can make a big difference, but only 31% do any volunteer work, according to a Weekly Reader survey.

8. Ipods are now favored by cheaters for recording and playing back answers, downloading crib notes and hiding them in the "lyrics" text files.

9. The National Center for Education Statistics found that 64% of former teachers say they have "more professional autonomy" in their non- education jobs than when they taught.

10. According to a survey of 500 children, 5-17, and their parents, by the Kids and Family Reading Report, more than 50% said they hadn't read for fun until the Potter series, and 65% said they've performed better in school since reading the books. Meanwhile, 63% of boys and 44% of girls feel it necessary to read the series to fit in.

11. About 325 million Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide--121.5 million copies in the US alone. The shortest is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with 341 pages. The longest, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, comes in at 870; the newest, due out on July 21st, fills 784 pages.

12. 40% of Delaware's high school freshmen don't graduate with their class; 50% of black and Latino students drop out, and, while 50% of white high school grads go to college, only 20% earn degrees. For minority students who enter college, 10% earn a degree.

13. Here are the estimated working hours of full-time teachers NOT INCLUDING out-of-classroom work time:
pre-K & K ~ 37.4 hours
elementary ~ 36.5 hours
secondary ~ 36.9 hours
special ed ~ 35.4 hours

14. The 50 Latin programs at public and private high schools in Maine are in jeopardy because many Latin teachers are retiring, and there are few to take their place.

15. According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 10% of teen girls reported using a prescription drug to get high at least once last year; for teen boys, the ratio was close to one in 13.

16. Outsourcing is in--even when it comes to tutoring and at lower cost and greater convenience. Enrollment in Growing Stars, one such service, includes a $50 initial fee, plus less than $100 for a headset, stylus, and pad, and $160 per month for twice-weekly hour-long sessions.

17. According to the University of Washington and the Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, 40% of 3-month-olds and 90% of 2-year-olds are regular TV viewers. Children younger than one average about one hour per day; by age 2, it's more than 90 minutes per day. Meanwhile, as reported in Pediatrics, 20% of toddlers under 2 have TV sets in their bedrooms.

18. Cursive writing is on its way out, thanks to electronic keyboards. Two years ago, 85% of the more than 4.5 million SAT essays were printed.

19. Paul Vallas, CEO of Philadelphia Public Schools, will soon become head of the New Orleans Recovery School District. In the past 3 years, he dismissed 750 poorly-performing teachers and leaves Philly with a $73 million budget shortfall, plus thousands of students still struggling to reach math and reading proficiency.

20. Annually, the US Department of Agriculture provides 9 million breakfasts and 30 million lunches to students, but experts say meal quality varies.

Websites to Visit
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www.adventuresinsaving.com ~ Sponsored by ING Direct, writers over 6 are invited to create a children's story with a basic financial lesson, such as earning money. The 3 winners, to be announced on June 30th, will each receive $1,000; their stories will then be illustrated and published.

www.tryscience.org ~ Heralded as "your gateway to experience the excitement of contemporary science and technology through on and offline interactivity with science and technology centers worldwide." Loaded with experiments, field trips, and activities for parents, teachers, and kids.

www.discoveryscienceconnection.com ~ "This is the groundbreaking new supplemental science resource, tied to state standards, that blends interactive, inquiry-based content together with formative assessment." Aimed at the middle-school level.

http://free.ed.gov ~ Enables teachers to easily find curriculum resources in over 100 topics, including phys ed, the arts, music, and world languages; includes cross-curricular activities, simulations, and games.

www.teenreads.com ~ Enables teens to find information and features about their favorite authors, books, series, and characters. Includes in-depth author profiles/interviews, excerpts, literary games, contests, and more.

www.journeysinfilm.org ~ "Transforms the way middle school students understand and experience the world, while teaching necessary skills to succeed in tomorrow's global economy . . . by harnessing one of the most powerful forms of media--film."

http://imagiverse.org ~ Says, "Our goal is to spark the flame that will lead young and old to pursue learning as an adventure through imagination." Includes everything from a postcard exchange to an educators' discussion group.

www.urbanext.uicu ~ Offers environmental units of study, complete with teacher guides and lessons, online activities, printable worksheets and videos.

Summer Websites
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www.activitiesforkids.com/travel/travel_games. htm ~ Offers great car games, such as "Are We There Yet?" and "I Spy," plus printable pages to reinforce math facts, states and capitals, and lots more.

http://familyinternet.about.com/pd/summerfunc amp/a/summerfun.htm ~ Offers an online summer camp "filled with things for kids to do online and off this summer." After signing up, each day's activities are delivered to your email address.

www/scholastic.com/summerreading/index. htm ~ Loaded with activities and summer reading lists from preK through 6th and up, plus an opportunity to set summer reading goals.

www.schooltimegames.com ~ Offers learning activities for kids 8 and up, games and puzzles, too--all connected to major school subject areas.

Readers' Feedback
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When it comes to extending the school day/year, most of you take exception:

Writes freelancer Marisa Trevino, "Programs to extend school days are expensive and already-strapped school districts must ask: Is this the most efficient way to help students?"

Said US Representative George Miller, "If you're extending the day to bore the hell out of the child, why don't we all just go home and save the overtime. You've got to rethink these models."

"Researchers say that schools should offer more science, social studies, art, and music, as well as creative projects like producing newsletters (to practice writing), or building model houses (to use fractions)." ~ Peg Tyre, Newsweek

"At first, we all thought, 'Oh, my God, these kids are going to have their heads in a book for the same amount of time as working a full-time job,' but then I saw the list of electives the kids could take in the afternoon, including cooking and forensics. Those reinforce core lessons." ~ parent

"I feel money spent to lengthen the school day could better be used to hire teachers to reduce class size and allow us to get more bang for our buck for the time they spend in school. As a teacher of primary grade children, I find it difficult to keep them focused in the afternoon and can only imagine how much genuine learning would go on if an additional hour or two were added each day." ~ teacher

"I know kids don't spend near enough time learning, but I'm afraid a longer day and/or year will turn them off even more." ~ teacher

"I hardly see my kids now. If you keep them in school longer, they'll come home later, be loaded with even more homework. Where's the benefit in that?" ~ parent
"And when will extra-curricular activities such as sports take place? Midnight?" ~ parent

'I'll opt for extra days, not extra hours. When I get home, I still have 131 essays and/or tests to read and grade--plus be a mom and wife. Enough already!" ~ teacher

"Who will pay for this? School district budgets are already tight." ~ teacher

Readers' Poll
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This month we'd like to know your thoughts about MySpace, the hours kids spend on this site and the activities they engage in when online. Have you visited the site, set up a profile, and become familiar with its risks and benefits yourself? Have you talked with your child/children about MySpace? Set up any limits?
Please let us know your views on this important issue for sharing in our July newsletter. Your input is both important and appreciated.

A Gavi-Good Recipe
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Baked Tilapia
Ingredients:
4 tilapia filets
4 pats of butter/margarine
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 tomatoes, chopped
one cup scallions, chopped
4 tsp bread crumbs

Steps to Take:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place filets in a baking dish.
3. On each filet, place one pat of butter, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1/4 cup chopped scallions, and one tsp bread crumbs.
4. Bake for 25 minutes.

Fiber-Rich News
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400 new high-fiber food products were introduced in 2002; in 2006, 890 such new products appeared--even high-fiber cookies.

Fiber, found only in plant foods, is the part of the plant we can't digest. Soluble fiber helps us absorb nutrients from food and slows digestion; the insoluble kind helps food pass through the intestines.

Adults should get anywhere from 21 grams to 38 grams of fiber per day.

In general, Americans consume only 1/2 the recommended amount of fiber.

One cup of broccoli has 5.1 grams of fiber; one cup of chickpeas offers 10.6 grams.

For a list of more high-fiber foods, visit www.wholegrainscouncil.org or www.usda.gov.

A Final Note
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Thank you for reading and responding to The School-Wise Newsletter. We very much appreciate your support and input and hope you will continue to keep in touch by going to carol@schoolwisebooks.com.

For discounted purchases of Getting School-Wise: A Student Guidebook, Other-Wise and School-Wise: A Parent Guidebook, and ESL Activities for Every Month of the School Year, click on www.schoolwisebooks.com/html/buynow. html. By visiting us, you'll also find our new 149 Parenting School-Wise Tips: Intermediate Grades and Up, along with some school-wise articles; you can also get "talking" on our blog. Please join us.

Contact Information
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email: carol@schoolwisebooks.com
phone: 610-277-2711
web: http://www.schoolwisebooks.com
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