Teacher Update: Does 'Last Hired, First Fired' Really Make Sense?

[Howard Hartman]

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Republishing of Teacher Update e-newsletter and access to articles courtesy of edweek.org

	April 1, 2010
Top Story TOP Sponsored by: Teacher Leaders Network + Does 'Last Hired, First Fired' Really Make Sense? Heather Wolpert-Gawron says schools are shackled by a system set up to reward people based on their hire date instead of their ability and effort levels. Advertisement Instead of drilling on what's wrong with a sentence, Everyday Editing suggests inviting students to use mentor texts and make editing a meaningful part of the writing process. Includes 10 lesson sets. Preview Chapter 1! More Stories TOP Get these and other stories at: www.teachermagazine.org. (Note: Links to AP stories expire in 30 days.) Trend Tracker + New Directions in Teacher Staffing Teaching appears to be becoming a bit less rigid as a profession, with a growing number of career-changers working in classrooms and more educators taking on “hybrid” roles within schools, according to a new national survey of teachers. + Jaime Escalante, 'Stand and Deliver' Teacher, R.I.P. Jaime Escalante, who transformed a tough Los Angeles high school by motivating struggling inner-city students to master advanced math, died Tuesday at age 79 after battling cancer for several years. (AP) + Local Buy-In Helps Two States Win Race to Top District and teachers’ union support, and strong data systems, were keys to victory for Delaware and Tennessee in the contest’s first round. • State EdWatch: How Key Were Race to Top's Live Performances? (Education Week) + Bullying Raises Questions About Schools’ Vigilance After a recent spate of bullying cases across the country, questions have arisen about how accountable school officials should be for stopping bullying. • Youths Charged After Suicide of Bullied Student (AP) Commentary + Is Firing Teachers the Answer? There's never a school in which every teacher is incompetent, argues Paul Kelleher, so wholesale dismissals risk losing valuable experience and know-how. (Education Week) + N.J. Governor Offers Schools Wage-Freeze Incentives After criticizing the state teachers’ union for refusing to sacrifice benefits, Gov. Chris Christie will offer more state aid to any school districts whose teachers agree to a wage freeze for the 2011 fiscal year. (AP) + L.A. District Shortens School Year Under the agreement, teachers would take five unpaid furlough days during the 2010-11 school year and seven the next year, saving the nation's largest school district $180 million. • Few Teaching Jobs Open in Pa. (AP) Discussion TOP What Can Teachers Do About Bullying? School bullying is in the spotlight this week with the news that nine Massachusetts students have been charged in a harrassment campaign that apparently led to a 15-year-old girl's suicide. What's your reaction? How bad is bullying in your school? Have you tried to confront it? What can teachers do to prevent bullying or help victims? Have you had any training in dealing with such issues? Do anti-bullying laws make a difference? Share your experiences and advice. Join the discussion. Upcoming Webinars TOP Online Learning in a Hybrid World Thursday, April 8, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time Sponsored by Blackboard K-12 As online learning gains traction within brick-and-mortar schools, a hybrid model of face-to-face and Internet-based coursework is emerging as the most popular form of e-instruction. But it takes more than computer access to create a successful hybrid-learning program. Join our expert guests for a discussion of how administrators can incorporate online courses into their students' school days, and how in-person instructors can help make the online-learning experience work better for students. Response to Intervention: Making It Work Thursday, April 15, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time Sponsored by Intel Join two experts for an in-depth discussion of how schools and teachers can address challenges in implementing the response-to-intervention framework for school improvement. Teacher Blogs TOP Blogboard The Rogue Sub Mei Flower figured her class would still run fine after leaving explicit instructions for a substitute while she was sick...that is, until the "rogue sub" came along. And more. A Place at the Table What Went Down in Georgia Susan Graham examines a school in Georgia that followed the "fire all teachers" policy that was popularized last month by a school in Rhode Island. Road Diaries: Teacher of the Year The Scarlet T Anthony Mullen tells a Wall Street money manager that he could have had the "job security" that he imagines teachers have...but he decided to make a lot of money instead. Living in Dialogue Florida Teachers on Fire over SB 6 Anthony Cody breaks down the nitty-gritty of the new Florida law that would eliminate tenure, remove support for National Board certification, and base a large part of teacher evaluations and pay on student performance. Teacher in a Strange Land Let's Say You're a Teacher Nancy Flanagan asks, "Seriously. What do teachers have to do to prove their dedication and their worth?" The Book Whisperer Resources for Discovering Books: Jen's Book Page Donalyn Miller shares the resources she uses to discover new books. Today's pick: Jen's Book Page. Unwrapping the Gifted RTI and Gifted—Revisited Tamara Fisher links her readers to two new sources of information about response to intervention and its possible adaptations for gifted students. Web Watch TOP Our Web Watch feature is now a daily blog! Get the latest and most provocative education news for teachers. Comments welcome. Food Fight A new reality TV show has British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver landing at an elementary school in America's "unhealthiest city" to help the students clean up their food act. Teacher Fakes Shooting for Sake of Science A science teacher in the U.K. faked his own death on his school's playground for a science project, but not all student witnesses were in the know. Professional Development TOP Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook Don't miss our exclusive directory of professional development resources and services. Browse resources in classroom management, English-language learners, differentiated instruction, professional learning communities, special education, and more. Follow Us: TOP Teacher on Twitter Follow all of the latest Teacher news on Twitter. Teacher on Facebook Become a fan of Teacher on Facebook to stay up-to-date with teacher-related news!	Advertisement View All Top School Jobs + High School Literacy Coordinator, Green Dot, Los Angeles, CA + High School Math Program Coordinator, Green Dot, Los Angeles, CA + Director of SPED & Psychological Services, Green Dot, Los Angeles, CA + Administrator in Residence Program, Green Dot, Los Angeles, CA + Middle and High School Principals, Green Dot, Los Angeles, CA Advertisement Readers Poll TOP What's for Lunch? How would you best describe the quality of your school's lunches? Add your vote to our online poll. See the results of previous polls. Advertisement Education Week's Spotlight Series TOP Reinventing Professional Development With budgets tight, schools are turning to new and creative ideas to conduct professional development effectively and efficiently. This Spotlight examines innovative ideas, including online offerings in today’s teacher professional development arena. View the complete collection of Education Week’s Spotlights here. Advertisement Education Week Events TOP Making Data Matter: Tools to Accelerate Achievement Live Event April 7, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Chicago, IL Register now. Online Learning in a Hybrid World Webinar April 8, 2:00 p.m. Eastern Register now. Sponsored by: Blackboard K-12 Response to Intervention: Making It Work Webinar April 15, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Register now. Sponsored by: Intel Making Data Matter: Tools to Accelerate Achievement Live Event April 19, 8:30 a.m. Eastern Washington, DC Register now. 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