TALK BACK

NEA Today, Sep 2005

Good News, Great Ideas, and Inspiration

As teacher Sally Graven of Ohio points out in your cover story ("Good News," May), novels can be what history students best remember. At Oak Park High School in Illinois, we once had a two-year world history course so we could add novels and other works to the course of study.

Meeting students even 20 years later revealed the power of certain titles. They remembered exploring books like Lord of the Flies; One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich; The Good Earth; Cry, the Beloved Country; Nectar in a Sieve; 1984; and Fahrenheit 457.

Too often schools race through their history curriculum. Students need time to absorb and reflect on material in a course. Their ability to remember books they've read means they have learned useful material.

THOMAS FERGUSON

Oak Park, Illinois

It was wonderful to see DeLores Pressley featured in "Oprah and Me" (cover story, May). Oprah's "Tribute to Teachers" show was a milestone in my life as well. My students, who were featured and taped alongside me, were overwhelmed, as I was.

I've received calls from teachers from all over the United States who saw the story about my battle with breast cancer and my effort to keep on teaching. Many shared their own personal health stories. We agreed that continuing to teach during our illnesses was a driving factor in becoming well. Our students inspired us to continue-in spite of our illnesses. It's the best example of how our students really do give back to us.

PATRICIA ALONSO

Rutland, Vermont

DONATE THAT CELL PHONE

I read with interest Mary Rowland's article on choosing a new cell phone (Money, May). I'm a teacher who helped found a company, Cell Cycle, that raises money for charities and nonprofits. We conduct used cell phone drives around the country-one of our beneficiaries is school libraries, which raise money for new books or equipment.

Phones that can be refurbished or resold can earn 5 to 50 dollars or more. Those that no longer work can be broken down into components and recycled. One cell phone battery can contaminate the water required to fill an Olympicsized swimming pool. The longer we keep these phones in use, the better. For more info, see www.cellularcycle.com.

COREY BROWN

Fremont, California

WHAT'S OVER THE RAINBOW?

I've been reading NEA Today since I was a college student in 1953, but my faith was shattered when I read your travel story ("Over the Rainbow," May). Your headline said "If your travel horizon is as flat and gray as Kansas...." Granted, the western one-fourth of the state is rather flat, but not gray, ever! And the "Balkans" in the southeastern part of the state and the "Little Alps" in the northeastern corner are aptly named.

ELEANOR MILLER

Topeka, Kansas

NO RECHARGING REQUIRED

I was dismayed by Dorothy Moody's "No" response to the question of whether the school year should be longer (Debate, May). In my 18 years of teaching experience and union service, I've never suffered "burnout." We don't "need" our summer breaks to "recharge our batteries" or "regain our patience." Most of my colleagues devote their summers to furthering their professional abilities or developing new curricula. Most of us spend at least four weeks each year, in addition to the traditional school year, completing professional duties.

DOUGLAS LOVE

Bem'cia, California

WHAT'S THE LESSON OF 9/11?

I was pleased to see "Teaching 9/11" (Spotlight, April), since I'm always interested in hearing about teaching current global events. However, Robert Peterson does not seem to be teaching about 9/11, but rather about global economic injustice.

The attacks of September 11 were carried out by people who were neither poor, nor acting on behalf of the world's poor. Their motivations were apparently religious and nationalistic. Let's dispel the myths of the right and left right now: Saddam did not aid Bin Laden, and Islamic fundamentalism terrorism is not retaliation for the sweatshops of Asia and the poverty of Africa. We can teach our kids to understand America's flaws and strengths honestly, without ascribing noble motivations to terrorists.

CHARLOTTE HONIGMAN-SMITH

San Francisco, California

STAMP OUT BULLYING, PERIOD

"Teaching Tolerance" (April) intimates the only harassment issue in schools deals with sexual identity. American educators are focused on bullying and harassment of all students and staff. The The U.S. Department of Education reports that in 2001,12 percent of students ages 12-18 reported someone at school used hate-related words against them. And they reported that the nature of this hate speech varied-from words related to race, religion, political view, and disability to sexual identity or orientation.

An anti-bullying Web site, www.bullypolice.org, reports that 90 percent of students felt being bullied caused social, emotional, or academic problems and that both bullies and victims have problems later in life. Each month, 250,000-plus students are physically attacked in schools. Yet 69 percent of students believe schools respond poorly to reports of bullying.