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"Immigration, undocumented workers, visas and green cards, border guards and fences—all volatile words with the buzz amplified in an election year," writes Joyce Adams Burner in the recent Curriculum Connections. Check out the several new young adult novels that Burner says succeed in turning the lens of personal narrative onto these issues, "seeing past stereotypes to the fallible human beings caught in the controversies and the violence."
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| Interview |
| Teacher Absenteeism Affects Student Achievement |
 Does teacher absenteeism have a direct impact on student achievement? You bet, say Harvard researchers Raegen Miller, Richard Murnane, and John Willett, who are examining the effect of teacher absences on fourth-grade test scores in a large, urban school district.
SLJ spoke to Miller about his findings, which show that just 10 teacher absences in a school year can lead to a significant loss in math achievement. When the regular teacher is gone for two weeks, that absence can set students back for the same amount of time—and even more.
What impact does teacher absenteeism have on student test scores?
The impact is educationally significant. One reason is that schools serving concentrations of students living in poverty tend to have higher levels of teacher absence. In other words, teacher absence compounds the already troubling equity problems in public schools.
read more... |
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| News and Views |
| Study: NCLB's Accountability Requirement Feeds Drop-out Rates |
Here's a new and significant research finding that won't surprise many of No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) school-based critics: high-stakes, test-based accountability—exactly what the law promotes—has a direct, negative impact on graduation rates.
That result, from a new study out of Rice University in Houston and the University of Texas-Austin, flies in the face of NCLB's aim: to improve schools and create more equitable educational success for minorities. read more... |
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| Nominate a Library for the Information Literacy Goal Award and Win $10,000 |
If you know of a public or school library with an innovative information literacy program, consider nominating it for the World Book/ALA Information Literacy Goal Award—and a chance to win $10,000.
The award promotes effective information literacy programs that focus on users who are likely to need the most help in obtaining access to print and digital information and evaluating the quality of the information. read more... |
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| Remarkable Reads |
| Native Americans |
Virtually every community in the United States has some connection to Native Americans. Whether the context is historical or contemporary, all learners can benefit from exploring the heritage and impact of Native Americans today. If you want to learn more about the subject, make plans to attend The Native American Literature Symposium, Many Voices, One Center, March 27–29, in Minneapolis, MN.
BRUCHAC, Joseph. Seeing the Circle. photos by John Christopher Fine. Robert C. Owen. 1999. Tr $14.95. ISBN 978-1-57274-327-4.
Gr 2-5–Bruchac walks readers through his daily routine, which includes exercise and yard work along with writing.
read more... |
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| Librarian's Internet |
| FCC Kids Zone |
| www.fcc.gov/cgb/kidszone/ |
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1875 and two years later it was already becoming essential for businesses and individuals. The telephone has changed dramatically over the years, from operators having to place all calls, to pulse vs. tone dialing, to answering machines, to cordless phones, to cell phones, and now to phones that are combined with video cameras, MP3 players, and Internet access. The phone has come a long, long way since Alexander Graham Bell’s time!
This Web site has three graded “zones" (K–3, 4–8, 9–12) that answer kids’ commonly asked questions. For instance, how does a cell phone work? What is a cell phone tower? How do pagers work? How does a fax machine work? Are cell phone calls private? Kids will want to click on the “Satellite Learning Center" to find out how communications satellites work. The “What’s That Mean?" glossary of well-known, but often not understood, communication terms is a “must see" for both curious kids and adults.—Gail Junion-Metz
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| Head of Southern History & Literature Dept. |
Birmingham Public Library
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham Public Library in Birmingham, Alabama is seeking an individual to be responsible for one of the largest historical collections to be found in a public library in the state of Alabama.
To see all positions available through the SLJ Career Center, click here...
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