Election Day is just around the corner, and as voters go to the polls to cast their ballots, in many states, they vote on more than just candidates. Most voters will have several ballot referendums to vote yay or nay on, and the consequences of those decisions influence policy. Take as one example the recent vote on gay marriage in the state of North Carolina. It is no different with ballot referendums on public school funding. This fall, five states have some such type of ballot initiative...

Should the annual classic~ It's the Great Pumpkin~ Charlie Brown~" be shelved? Does it advocate... bullying? That's the thought of Buzz Bishop. The father thinks a television program that has kids calling each other words like dumb~ blockhead and stupid is wrong. Bishop feels that the classic television program~which first aired on October 27~ 1966~ shows young kids that it's OK to taunt others. What do you think~ does Buzz Bishop have a point? Could watching~ It's the Great Pumpkin~ Charlie...

When it comes to teaching~ often times~ I think we have it backwards.

We think that the students are expected to sit there and be interested in what we teach them. They are supposed to fall in love with our curriculum and become engaged.

I remember when teaching middle school~ how fellow teachers would complain about their kids not be interested (which naturally led to behavior problems and headaches). While still a novice to the profession~ I instinctively knew I had to do...

Do you want to make a student or the whole class feel like a rock star?

Just get them some press.

Kids love to see themselves in the newspaper. I guess it strikes a basic need to be recognized, but it seems just about every child gets really excited when a reporter and photographer show up to the class.

Not to mention, learning to attract good press can also help teachers with fundraising efforts and other causes.

As a former news reporter, who covered the...