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TEACHERS.NET GAZETTE
DECEMBER 2000
Volume 1 Number 10

COVER STORY
Harry and Rosemary Wong are widely regarded as the most reknowned voices in teacher effectiveness. In this month's cover story, the Wongs explore the most integral factors in teacher effectiveness.
COLUMNS
Effective Teaching by Harry Wong
Promoting Learning by Marv Marshall
Alfie Kohn Article
Jan Fisher Column
4 Blocks by Cheryl Sigmon
School Psychologist by Beth Bruno
ARTICLES
The Child in the Back
Integrative Curriculum in a Standards-Based World
Math Principles and Standards
What's With This E-Book Stuff?
Laughing All the Way
4 Blocks Framework Inspires
4 Blocks So. Cal. Gathering
Fundraising Award
REGULAR FEATURES
Web News & Events
Letters to the Editor
Archives: End of Homework
New in the Lesson Bank
Upcoming Ed Conferences
Humor from the Classroom
Help Wanted - Teaching Jobs
Gazette Back Issues
Gazette Home Delivery:


Send Us Your Web News...
Have a teacher news story or announcement you'd like to see published on our Web News column? Send it to us at editor@teachers.net and we'll include it in an upcoming issue of the gazette.
Bayer/NSF Award For Community Innovation For All U.S. Students In Grades 6 To 8

The Bayer/NSF Award program, now in its fifth year, takes middle-schoolers through a rewarding process, teaching them how to use science and technology to identify a community problem and develop a solution. Working in teams of three or four with an adult coach, participating students step beyond the classroom and into the community by testing their solutions and tapping the help of community leaders and experts along the way.

Ten national finalist teams and their coaches receive a week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort, where they compete for a total of $61,000 in grants and bonds. Students also attend the Christopher Columbus Academy, a custom-designed, multi-day program that gives kids hands-on experience with the innovation process, working side-by-side with experts in science, technology and education. Visit the contest website online at:

http://www.bayernsfaward.com/

There, you'll find complete competition guidelines, the 2000-01 entry form, a "virtual trip" through Finals Week and a variety of related resources and information.


Netscape Announces Final Release of Version 6

It's here! Download Netscape 6 and get the most convenient, customizable and connected browser you ever dreamed possible. Netscape 6 seamlessly combines a Web browser, e-mail, instant-messenger software and new custom-control capabilities, all to make it quicker and easier to connect to what's most important to you. It's the power of the Internet made simple. Streamlined, easy to use interface. The new look and feel of Netscape 6 is smoother and more polished. New buttons and taskbar items are easier to see and "Click". Use the new fun, fresh and contemporary look, or the Classic Netscape theme you're used to.

Built-in search to find things faster. No matter where you are on the Web, just type what you're looking for in the navigation bar and click "Search". It's that easy. No more time spent opening special search pages or frames. Or use Internet keywords to quickly get a stock quote, shop online or even find a job.

My Sidebar keeps you connected. Keep tabs on what's important to your business and personal life, from the latest news to your personal stock portfolio. My Sidebar provides ready-to-use tabs from Netscape and others to help you personalize the Internet. Some tabs, like CNN or CBS, deliver news updates throughout the day.

Easy access to all your email accounts. Stay connected to people in real-time while you're online. Netscape 6 seamlessly combines Instant Messaging with multiple email accounts, including AOL mail and Netscape Webmail.

Save time with Forms Manager. Automatically fill in lenghtly online forms. Just click a button and have your name, address and other repetitive information filled in quickly and automatically with Forms Manager. You can preview and edit the data to guarantee privacy, protection, and control over any information you enter online.

Personalize your browser with Themes. Give Netscape a look that's uniquely you! Customize everything from background design, color and images to how buttons and controls appear. Netscape 6 will be stocking an online Theme Park full of visual options to suit your mood, your personality, or your business image.

Netscape 6 supports multiple platforms, including Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux and UNIX operating systems. Versions for Windows are also available in Japanese, German, French, and for United Kingdom.

Everyone from developers to daily users are calling Netscape 6 the next generation of Internet software. Netscape 6 offers you unmatched convenience features and the ability to stay connected to important information, while also offering the flexibility to deeply customize the browser to fit your individual needs and personality. See for yourself.

Get the New Netscape 6 today and enter to win $100,000 cash or over 1000 other great prizes.


This Month's Cool Site
Ever wonder how fast your Internet connection really is? Wonder no more! Now you can test the throughput rate by simply clicking on the link below. A 1 Megabyte graphic will be downloaded to your computer from the Road Runner site (providers of cable modem service) and after it's loaded you can read your exact connection speed. Check out this month's cool site:



Test your connection speed

 
Teacher News & Events From The Web....
November Teacher News from the Web:


Teachers.Net Loses Friend and Colleague Marcy "Dolfnlvr" Lucas
by Kathleen Carpenter

The Teachers.Net community was saddened to learn of the passing of one of our members, Marcy Lucas, on December 1, 2000, at age 47, following a brief illness. Marcy, a kindergarten teacher known to many by the chat nickname "Dolfnlvr," selected because of her love of dolphins, contributed regularly to the forums at Teachers.Net and was cherished as a devoted, humorous, and supportive friend and colleague.

Marcy leaves her husband and two children. Those who wish to may post a message of condolence at http://www.gooseholler.com/marcy. Submissions will be loaded manually within a day. When you return to the site, reload it in order to view the updated page.

If you would like to receive information about a memorial fund for the purchase of books for Marcy's school, please contact Kathleen Carpenter, Director of Promotions at Teachers.Net, by e-mail at kathleen@teachers.net. (Please type "MARCY FUND" in caps in the subject line.)


 
 
 


News From the Teachers.Net Community

Births

  • Laurie/AR due Dec. 22
  • Mim due Dec. 22
  • ika due January
  • hana due May
  • kris/Australia due next spring
  • kdw due next spring
  • Melly due next spring
  • Stewart, father to be, next spring

    Weddings

  • Sherry/NC October 28, 2000
  • Laney October 29, 2000

    Birthdays
    12-1:  Gumbo/LA
    12-3:  Sallie3/DE
    12-4:  AngelaB/3rd/TX
    12-8:  Linda/NM
    12-14:  SusanRCT/4th/OK
    12-16:  Joe
    12-18:  Bill T, Karen (Mrs. Goose), kdw
    12-24:  Emmy Ellis
    12-25:  Life
    12-26:  Merlyn/MD
    12-29:  AngelJ/TX

    To announce your wedding, births, or other news to the Teachers.Net community, email the announcement to kimtracy@teachers.net.
     


    Announcing the first Worldwide BE TOBACCO FREE Cartoon Contest!

    Known as America's #1 rated elementary school drug prevention program, The World's Fastest Clown (TWFC), Mike Guido, has begun to spread his message well beyond North America. Through the exposure of TWFC website, www.worldsfastestclown.com, he is now able to reach youth worldwide. While TWFC has been successful reaching thousands upon thousands of children nationwide through his auto racing, magic shows, and media coverage, expanding to the Internet became the next obvious step to reach even more. With the open gateway to the world, TWFC created a universal contest to promote the campaign's anti-smoking message while exposing the truth about tobacco products. Named the Worldwide BE TOBACCO FREE Cartoon Contest, it is the first ever worldwide anti-smoking contest. "While the facts of poor health, ruined lives, and painful deaths due to tobacco products are becoming known by the youth in their own country, few are aware of the worldwide devastation. This contest will allow people of all ages worldwide to tell the effects/views of tobacco in their country with one universal language, cartoons. Through the humor and pain seen in these cartoons, the youth will realize that there is a common union throughout the world to be tobacco free!" explains TWFC.

    With the promotion of the contest being an essential factor to reach out worldwide, the youth-run DRUG FREE! Racing Promotions Team has worked numerous hours on this project. "We've gone to school, drug/tobacco prevention, and kids sites from all around the world and so far created an email mailing list of over 2,000. Our goal by the holidays is to have sent out 7,500 targeted emails." states the 13 year old Promotions Team Manager, Tiffany Galatovich. She adds, "On the county/state level, we are partnered with the Brevard County, Florida, SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) campaign. From their local and statewide involvement with the Florida Tobacco Pilot Program, kids throughout Florida are hearing about the website and contest. It's exciting to see how fast the contest is spreading!"

    Of course, with any contest, the enticement of a super prize becomes one of the entrants' motivators. In association with CACY (Community Action for Capable Youth), in Mansfield, Ohio, community minded sponsors, Sea-Doo, Andretti Thrill Park, and Con's Cycle Center (all located in Melbourne, Florida), donated a new Sea-Doo GSX watercraft for the grand prize. Making the grand prize worldwide friendly, the winner will have the option to take 2,500 U.S. dollars. In addition, when the contest is used for a school class or club project and someone from the group becomes the Grand Prize winner, the teacher will be awarded 250 U.S. dollars to be used for class/club supplies and a celebration party! To enter the contest, visit TWFC website, read the rules, complete and print the entry form, draw the cartoon(s), and send it/them in! The contest is open to everyone, all ages worldwide. All entries must be received by April 14, 2001.

    In addition to creating the exciting website and contest, TWFC is working towards next year's racing/show program. Plans are in the works to have TWFC compete in the SCCA Trans-Am Series along with competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series road race events. The Magic Shows will be performed at elementary schools in conjunction with the racing schedule. Also planned for next year will be the debut of TWFC's custom school bus transporter, which will carry the show/race car to the school shows and race events.

    Come visit the website, not just for the Cartoon Contest, but also for some humorous, to the point, anti-smoking tobacco ad parodies, activity pages, and a chance to also win in the Monthly Giveaway Contest! Great for all ages!
     


    Civic Art Competition looks to schools to promote new Honda Civic

    Honda.co.uk has formed a unique partnership with Schoolsnet.com, the UK's No1 education website, to run a special art competition that will promote the new Honda Civic - recently launched at the NEC Motor Show in Birmingham - in a novel way.

    The Civic Art competition is open to all Secondary School children in the United Kingdom. Children are invited to express their creativity by producing a drawing, painting or photograph inspired by one of three themes: power, space or style. The closing date for entries is 30 December 2000.

    Honda spokesperson Rebecca Adamson said, "The aim of this competition is to encourage the younger generation to express themselves and create art to promote our new car. This type of promotion up to now has always been an adults advantage."

    She added "Being a family brand, Honda always aim to appeal to the whole family and we felt this partnership with Schoolsnet would invite young, fresh perspectives that we are only too happy to reward generously."

    The school attended by each of the three winners will win a Honda people carrier for their school. Other prizes include day trips for each National winners class to a Tate Gallery, a Playstation 2, and three winners from each age group will receive a micro scooter.

    Andy Cowlishaw, Schoolsnet's head of sales, said "Schoolsnet is very pleased to be working with Honda to promote art in secondary schools over the UK. This competition is a great opportunity for children to develop their artistic skills and to use their imaginations in a new and exciting way." He added "We are grateful to Honda for their generosity with the prizes for this competition."

    The most creative 60 entries will be displayed on the Schoolsnet website between January 8 and February 28 2001. Visitors to the Schoolsnet site will be able to vote for their favourite work.

    For further details about the Civic Art competition click here: http://www.honda.co.uk/civic_live_it/competition.html


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