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January 22, 2013

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Obama includes school safety, teacher training in inaugural address
In his inaugural address Monday, President Barack Obama highlighted his intention to fund additional training for math and science teachers and focus on school safety during his second term. "Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for and cherished and always safe from harm," Obama said. Education Week/Politics K-12 blog (1/21)

"A gift to preservice and practicing teachers that will be hard to keep on the shelf" (Teachers College Record). 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know is a comprehensive guide to teaching any genre or form in grades 3-9. You'll get a rich collection of mentor texts, tips, and launching points. Preview Chapter 1: Getting and Keeping Writers Motivated.

Focus on Practice

S.D. school's students help each other with math concepts
Educators at Roncalli Primary School in Aberdeen, S.D., are taking extra steps to prepare primary-grade students for more rigorous math standards. Each Friday, kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade students break into small groups after a short teacher-led lesson to help each other with math concepts and skills. School officials say it takes a extra preparation and planning among the teachers, but the results have been positive so far. Aberdeen American News (S.D.) (1/20)

A Powerful Technique for Teaching Children
When teachers use Interactive Modeling to teach classroom behaviors, skills, and routines, children learn quickly and better remember what they learned. The result: More time available for teaching and learning, and a smoother day for everyone. Read sample chapters and order.

Schools Today

Superstorm Sandy wreaks havoc on school calendars
In some parts of New Jersey hard hit by Superstorm Sandy, students and teachers will be in school on some holidays, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which was observed Monday. The elimination of some traditional holidays, such as Presidents Day, comes as some districts also are shortening spring break to make up for days lost during recovery from the storm. Asbury Park Press (Neptune-Asbury Park, N.J.) (1/21)

Ill. district works to turn around low-performing schools
Plans in an Illinois district to turn around the performance of struggling schools includes a greater investment in teachers and classroom technology. Plans call for the addition of homework clubs, support for reading and writing, and additional coordination among teachers. Teachers also will receive more support in learning to use digital resources, begin to focus more on analyzing data on student performance and work to involve parents more in education. TribLocal.com (Chicago area) (1/24)

Other News

Student, peer feedback included in teacher-evaluation plan in Minn. district
Duluth News Tribune (Minn.) (1/20)

Technology improvements are part of transition to the common core
The Sun Herald (Biloxi-Gulfport, Miss.) (1/19)

Developing Leaders

Okla. NBCT overcomes obstacles to earn certification
A National Board Certified Teacher in Oklahoma -- one of 73 recently certified in the state -- credits the support of her family and advice from her mentor for helping her to earn the prestigious credential on her third try. After two narrow misses, special-education teacher Stacy Moss said she was tempted to give up. However, she persevered, retaking the certification exam and working to improve the quality of her videos. Miami News-Record (Okla.) (1/21)

Other News

Calif. teacher joins "great network" of Milken winners
Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (1/19)

Policy News

Should top districts be free from state mandates?
Members of a Tennessee county's school board were expected today to consider a measure that would allow top-performing school districts to be exempt from certain state mandates. Among other things, the proposal would allow high-achieving districts to have more autonomy over spending, teacher evaluations and the school calendar. The Tennessean (Nashville) (tiered subscription model) (1/21)

The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)

Get a rich collection of daily warm-up exercises for grades K-3. Number Sense Routines helps all students build number sense. Dozens of classroom examples illustrate step-by-step how the routines work, how children's number sense develops, and how the routines can easily be incorporated into your current practice. Click here now to preview Chapter 1!

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NBPTS Update

Three of four finalists for 2013 National Teacher of Year are NBCTs
Congratulations to Alex Lopes, Rhonda Holmes-Blankenship and Jeff Charbonneau. The program allows teachers from across the country to collaborate with policymakers at every level and advocate on behalf of the teaching profession.