Teachers.Net Gazette Vol.6 No.2

February 2009

	Cover Story by Alfie Kohn
	Why Self-Discipline Is Overrated: The (Troubling) Theory and Practice of Control from Within
To inquire into what underlies the idea of self-discipline is to uncover serious misconceptions about motivation and personality, controversial assumptions about human nature, and disturbing implications regarding how things are arranged in a classroom or a society.
	Harry & Rosemary Wong: Effective Teaching
	To Be an Effective Teacher Simply Copy and Paste
	Columns
»	Do You Have a Student Teacher?Hal Portner
»	Test-taking Skills Made EasySue Gruber
»	Teaching Children Refusal SkillsLeah Davies
»	How to Be ConsistentMarvin Marshall
»	The Busy Educator's Monthly FiveMarjan Glavac
»	Dear Barbara - Advice for SubsBarbara Pressman
»	What Side of the Box are YOU On?Kioni Carter
»	Global Travel GuruJosette Bonafino
	Articles
»	Teacher Study Groups: Taking the “Risk” out of “At-Risk”Bill Page
»	Can Anyone Learn to Draw?Tim Newlin
»	The Heart of Mathematical ThinkingLaura Candler
»	Finding Free Art Materials in Your CommunityMarilyn J. Brackney
»	The Downside of Good Test ScoresAlan Haskvitz
»	February 2009 Writing PromptsJames Wayne
»	In The Middle School (poem)James Wayne
»	Using Photographs To Inspire Writing IVHank Kellner
»	Teacher Performance AssessmentPanamalai R. Guruprasad
»	How To Help Victims Of Bullying: Advice For Parents & EducatorsKathy Noll
»	Unwilling Student Meets Unwavering Teacher Lauren Romano
»	Notes from The JungleJohn Price
»	Lead the Class - Teachers as Leaders John Sweeting
»	Opposing Views of a Post-Racial SocietyRoland Laird
»	Who Really Needs Four Years of Math and Science? Steve A. Davidson
	Features
»	Apple Seeds: Inspiring QuotesBarb Stutesman
»	Today Is... Daily CommemorationRon Victoria
»	The Lighter Side of Teaching
»	Teacher Blogs Showcase
»	Carol Goodrow’s “Healthy-Ever-After” Children’s Books
»	Printable Worksheets & Teaching Aids
»	Memo to the New Secretary of Education and John Stossel: American students are NOT stupid
»	Lessons, Resources and Theme Activities: February 2009
»	All of the Presidents in Under 2 Minutes!, Needle Sized Art, I Am a Teacher!, How It’s Made: Copy paper, and If My Nose Was Runnin’ Money
»	Live on Teachers.Net: February 2009
»	T-Netters Share Favorite Recipes
»	Technology in the Art Classroom
»	Newsdesk: Events & Opportunities for Teachers

The Teachers.Net Gazette is a collaborative project published by the Teachers.Net community Editor in Chief: Kathleen Alape Carpenter Layout Editor: Mary Miehl Cover Story by Alfie Kohn Effective Teaching by Harry & Rosemary Wong Contributors this month: Alfie Kohn, Sue Gruber, Kioni Carter, Marvin Marshall, , Marjan Glavac, , Hal Portner, Leah Davies, Barbara Pressman, Tim Newlin, Bill Page, James Wayne, Hank Kellner, Josette Bonafino, Marilyn J. Brackney, Barb Stutesman, Ron Victoria, Panamalai R. Guruprasad, Alan Haskvitz, Kathy Noll, Lauren Romano, John Price, John Sweeting, Laura Candler, Roland Laird, Steve A. Davidson, and YENDOR. Submissions: click for Submission Guidelines Advertising: contact Bob Reap Subscribe for free home delivery Email: State: - Select State (required) - Alabama Alaska Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington DC Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming -- Canada United Kingdom Australia/NZ Other

James Wayne Poet

Archive | Biography | Resources | Discussion

In The Middle School

by James Wayne Regular contributor to the Gazette February 1, 2009

In The Middle School They think they are so cool, or kewel, the boys beginning to feel like men, the girls beginning to look and feel like women. I laugh inside, my face straight. In their desks, in the halls, they yell and talk of school, which has lasted forever in their lives, and will last forever, or so it seems. Four years ahead is too long. Four years ago, they were ten, nine, eight. I stand in the front of the room or by their desks, straining to see the adults they will become, seeking to make the path to that adulthood straight in the desert of adolescent ignorance. Not to judge them, or condemn their silly fads, or laugh out loud as they preen and poise. I, the path in the desert, who can only smile and not laugh, help, pray for, love, pass or fail them as they choose to work or not, preach, impose consequences, grade, tell and listen to silly jokes, hear secret fears, seeking to ignite internal fires to burn serenely over life, or gutter out, or blaze into incandescence; my monument, my justification. (Copyright © 2009 by James Wayne) » More Gazette articles... http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm

About James Wayne... James Wayne has taught third grade and every grade from fifth to twelfth during a full-time career of 34 years, either in regular classrooms or in AG or AP classes. He began his writing prompts as a way to help teachers improve writing scores in his district. A native of North Carolina, James is a graduate of Duke University and a Vietnam Veteran, having served with the 101st Airborne Division. He continues to work part time for Onslow County Schools as a coordinator of the Academic Derby, a televised scholastic competition serving elementary, middle, and high schools. James resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. James Wayne Articles on Teachers.Net... May Writing Prompts - Temperance (May 2009) April Writing Prompts - Trustworthiness (Apr. 2009) March Writing Prompts - Citizenship (Mar. 2009) February Writing Prompts - Cooperation (Feb. 2009) January Writing Prompts - Integrity (Jan. 2009) December Writing Prompts - Responsibility (Dec. 2008) November Writing Prompts - Caring (Nov. 2008) October Writing Prompts - Self-Discipline (Oct. 2008) September Writing Prompts - Respect (Sept. 2008) August Writing Prompts - Hope (Aug. 2008) July Writing Prompts - Justice (July 2008) June Writing Prompts - Charity (June 2008) May Writing Prompts - Temperance (May 2008) April Writing Prompts - Trustworthiness (April 2008) March Writing Prompts - Citizenship (Mar. 2008) Related Resources & Discussions on Teachers.Net... Social Studies/Geog Reading/Writing HS English Books & Literature Remedial Reading Accelerated Reader 4 Blocks Literacy Building Blocks (K) 6 Traits Writing Book Talk Library/Media Arts Reading First