FEATURED STORIES

The Battle for Literacy - Part II
First Lady Laura Bush & Washington Mutual
Unveil Initiative at Mercy College
First Lady Laura Bush and New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein joined officials from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) and Washington Mutual recently to unveil a new initiative to help mid-career professionals realize their dream of becoming a teacher. Supported by a $1.25 million grant from Washington Mutual, the Teaching for Results initiative, a component of the Mercy College New Teacher Residency Program, will help hundreds of New York City professionals from many different career and educational backgrounds bring their expertise to New York City classrooms. READ MORE

Learning Literacy Through Basketball Heroes
by Tom Kertes
“I was an only child growing up at home,” Knicks center Slavko Vranes said. “But I love children. Frankly, I like to be around kids more than I like to be around adults.” READ MORE

Gaston Caperton, College Board President,
Tests the Writing Waters
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Talking about writing, which he calls the “neglected R,” Gaston Caperton, the former Governor of West Virginia and head of the College Board, says it is his number-one priority. Of course, he knows that communication skills are hardly ignored in the nation’s schools, and he acknowledges the many (critics might say superfluity or redundancy of) theories, approaches, programs, and experts already out there addressing the need for proficiency in correctness and thinking skills. READ MORE

The NYC Writing Project: “Neglected ‘R’”
by Marcie Wolfe, Ph.D. & Nancy Mintz, Ph.D.
The New York City Writing Project at Lehman College, CUNY, established in 1978 as the local site of the National Writing Project, reflects the mission of a national network of 175 university-based professional development programs dedicated to the National Commission’s [on Writing] goal of putting “language and communication in their proper place in the classroom.” READ MORE

Barnard College President Judith Shapiro
Speaks on Literacy READ MORE

The National Writing Project—180 Sites . . . & Growing
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Speaking of standards—a standard for teaching writing seems to be emerging in the crowded field of national, regional and local professional development programs, if longevity, numbers of participants and funding resources set criteria. READ MORE

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Products for the Visually Impaired READ MORE

Wheelchair Charities A Superstar
by Mike Cohen
Steve Francis took a pass from Nick Van Exel on the wing and drove past Stephon Marbury for a thunderous highflying one-handed dunk. The Crowd at Madison Square Garden erupted with applause. READ MORE

EDITORIALS

School Reorganization
by Stuart Dunn
When the NYS Legislature eliminated the Board of Education and made the school system into a Mayoralty Agency, they handed Mayor Bloomberg a once in a lifetime opportunity to address the long-term failure of the NYC public schools. READ MORE

SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS

Better Serving Teen Parents
by Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. READ MORE

Bullies & Their Victims
by Curtis Sliwa
I was no saint, let alone an angel of any kind, while pounding the books at St. Matthew’s. It was an elementary school run by the Josephite nuns in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. I’m still haunted by memories of the vibrations from their glares and stares and the sting from their three-foot long rulers cracking down on my knuckles. READ MORE

Creating Concept of Community Within a School
by Sr. Kathleen Fagan, RSHM, Headmistress, Marymount School
From book buddies to senior seminars, Marymount School is committed to building a community in which all members thrive. A handshake at the front door welcomes each student to school, while chapels, retreats and assemblies give us the opportunity to reflect as a group, sharing our vision and goals with each other. READ MORE

Celebrating 100 Years of Flight
by Martin Benante
We are beginning our celebration here at The Cradle of Aviation Museum because New York State is historically the most important region in the United States for the development of American aviation as well for Curtiss-Wright. READ MORE

Foreign Born US Residents Increased 5% Last Year
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
The US Census Bureau released a report recently which sited a 5% increase in the US resident foreign-born population from 2001 to 2002 to a total of 33 million people, equal to the total population of Canada. READ MORE

A Message from Chancellor Matthew Goldstein
I am pleased to invite you to visit “Open Houses” at all 20 CUNY colleges, located in every borough, during CUNY Month November 2003. You will meet financial aid experts, counselors, faculty and students to help you think about the best college program for you. READ MORE

Internet Censorship:
United States v. American Library Association
by Martha McCarthy, Ph.D.
With the mind-boggling growth of the Internet, policy makers have become increasingly concerned about protecting children from viewing pornographic and other harmful materials via cyberspace. READ MORE

Cuomo, Berlusconi & Caperton Announce
AP Italian Course
Representatives of the Italian government and College Board President Gaston Caperton announced the creation of an Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) Course and Examination in Italian Language and Culture. READ MORE

Caroline Kennedy Addresses Learning Leaders
by Sarah N. Lynch
When Sanford Schwartz retired from Revlon about 10 years ago, he wanted to contribute to his community. Schwartz, of Queens, decided to volunteer by tutoring first graders at PS 169 in Bay Terrace, Queens through Learning Leaders (LL), and Schwartz still enjoys every minute of it. READ MORE

Lessons In Politics
by Dr. Carole G. Hankin with Randi T. Sachs
Every year around this time the posters begin to appear throughout the hallways. In schools at every level from elementary up through college, shortly after students have settled into their classes, attention is turned to student elections. READ MORE

Dr. Twila Liggett:
Executive Producer and Creator of Reading Rainbow
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
While watching the successful 20-year-old PBS-TV program Reading Rainbow, one can’t help but think of the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, which, in this case, is learning to read—a far more valuable “pot.” Dr. Twila Liggett, creator and executive producer explains the origin of the name: “rainbows are always appealing to kids and we wanted our mission to be understood.” READ MORE

LYFEram: Giving Life to Teen Moms Prog
by Michelle Accorso
The “Living for the Young Family through Education Program” (LYFE) is an integral component of many New York City Public Schools. LYFE centers provide day care facilities for the infants and toddlers of students still attending school and provide for their specialized needs. READ MORE

New Beginnings: Manhattan/Hunter Science HS
by Michelle Accorso
Imagine being part of the first group ever in a newly created community. This is the reality for the students at the Manhattan/Hunter Science High School. READ MORE

A New Column Examining Various College Majors:
So, You Want to Major in Poly Sci?
by Sarah N. Lynch READ MORE

COLLEGES

Teachers College Returns to Afghanistan
A team of Teachers College faculty and senior staff spent nearly three weeks during the summer, working with an international team of education experts from seven different countries developing the capacity to write elementary curriculum and textbooks for the Afghan Ministry of Education (MOE). READ MORE

Dean Series:
Dean Jon Snyder:
Transforming Teacher Education at Bank Street
by Sybil Maimin
In a recent conversation with Education Update, Jon Snyder, Dean of the Graduate School of Education at Bank Street College, enthusiastically described two current initiatives, the Kerlin Science Institute and Teachers for a New Era, that illustrate Bank Street’s mission to “discover the environments in which children grow and learn to their full potential, and to educate teachers and others to createthese environments.” READ MORE

Ellis College—Newest School at NYIT
Ellis College, named for the island where immigrants entered America, is a new school offering undergraduate degrees in various business-oriented fields, like marketing and management. Students who enroll will be required to have three years of work experience. READ MORE

Hispanic Higher Ed Community Gets $4.6 Million
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) welcomed the award of $4.67 million in new U.S. Department of Defense. The science grants will go to 17 colleges and universities with high Hispanic student enrollment rates. READ MORE

QCC Celebrates Latino Heritage Month
In celebration of Latino Heritage Month, Queensborough Community College will present a variety of events honoring the contributions of Hispanic-Americans to our society throughout the years. READ MORE

Teachers College: The Writing Center
by Sybil Maimin
Tucked into the basement of the stately red brick Gothic building that is Columbia University’s Teacher’s College (TC), the Graduate Writing Center is a seven-year old indispensable resource for students who need to hone their written-language skills. READ MORE

MEDICAL UPDATE

National Depression Screening Day is October 9th
Your youngest son comes into your room at 6:00 a.m. to let you know that his big sister is having cookies and soda for breakfast. Meanwhile, your seven-year-old has been up all night with a stomach bug. And thus your day begins. READ MORE

October is Lupus Awareness Month:
Mystery Illness Strikes Young Women
No doubt learning that one’s unexplained symptoms—including extreme fatigue, joint pain, sun-sensitivity or a rash—are caused by the disease lupus is a frightening experience for a young woman. But, for many, awareness is the first step toward healthier living. READ MORE

New Study Distinguishes Anthrax from Flu in Event
of Bioterrorist Attack
Edited by Herman Rosen, M.D.
Doctors in the Department of Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical Center have identified key symptoms that may help distinguish flu and other common respiratory conditions from more serious inhaled anthrax in the event of a bioterrorist attack. READ MORE

Estee Lauder & Poly Prep Students
“Make a Difference”
Starting October 1, motorists traveling across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge may wonder why Poly Prep’s clock tower has turned pink. Brooklyn’s 85-year-old landmark will be in good company: Niagara Falls, The Empire State Building, The National Assembly in Paris, the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in London, and Poly’s tower will be among the many buildings illuminated in pink light during the month of October—as part of the Global Landmarks Illumination Initia-tive that heralds Breast Cancer Awareness Month. READ MORE

Acute Nursing Shortage in US
The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) praised Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME) for their continued leadership in passing an amendment in the U.S. Senate to increase funding for the Nurse Reinvestment Act and other key Title VIII nursing workforce development programs by $50 million, thereby bringing total funding for these efforts to almost $163 million. READ MORE

Innovative Spinal Surgery in Live Webcast
A new minimally invasive approach to spinal surgery will be broadcast live on the Internet at 5 pm EDT on Tuesday, October 7 from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. READ MORE

CHILDREN'S CORNER

Fall into Fun at the New York Botanical Garden
In what seems like the blink of an eye, summer has ended. But the excitement of the fall season has just begun. This means there are new and interesting sights and sounds at The New York Botanical Garden. READ MORE

Dr. Toy Presents Best Toys for October READ MORE

New Official Website Offers US Kids A Look At Life In Britain READ MORE

BOOKS

Get Off the Fence!
by Rhoda Makoff, Ph.D. & Jeffrey Makoff, Esq.
Reviewed by Merri Rosenberg READ MORE

Logos Bookstore’s Recommendations READ MORE

MUSIC, ART & DANCE

30 Years of Memorable Music Toshiko Akiyoshi
& All That Jazz
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Remember the old joke—how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. Well, Toshiko Akiyoshi’s been there and now, after 30 years as a composer and conductor of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, she will be disbanding her group in order to devote herself to practice, practice,practice. READ MORE

Art is Core of Education
by Scott Noppe-Brandon
Several weeks ago I heard Chancellor Klein speak at a breakfast held at New York Law School. His speech was excellent, as were the questions that followed. READ MORE

Chanteuse Barbara Lowin Offers “Everything I Love”
Love is everywhere as Barbara Lowin premieres her new show, “Everything I Love,” an evening of continental cabaret, at Danny’s Skylight Room Cabaret. Featuring music director Christopher Marlowe on piano, and directed by Scott Barnes, “Everything I Love,” is subtitled Songs from Near and Far Away. READ MORE

METROBEAT

Celebrating New York City’s Rich Ethnic Diversity
by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
No city on earth can match New York’s rich ethnic diversity; we’re truly the world’s second home. READ MORE

What’s Out There, & How to Get It
by Matilda Raffa Cuomo and Karen T. Schlesinger
When school starts in September, parents and children focus on the beginning of a new year: new classes, new teachers, new classmates, new friends, new school outfits, sometimes a new school. Hope is in the air, and the possibilities seem boundless. READ MORE

Move Over Assistant Principals?
by Jill Levy
Saturday, Sept. 6, was a remarkable day. The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) made a spectacular showing in the Labor Day Parade as more than 200 members along with family, friends, children and grandchildren marched up Fifth Avenue.
READ MORE

Mayor & Chancellor Asked To Move On Healthy Schools
by Assemblyman Steven Sanders
The State Assembly over the past several years, working with the Healthy Schools Network of New York State, has initiated important measures to keep children safe in school. In the area of violence prevention and physical security, New York State has made great strides. READ MORE

MUSEUMS

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan Celebrates 30 Years of Helping Families
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is celebrating its 30th birthday! For three decades, CMOM has been a center of fun, educational activities, exhibits and programs for families and children of all ages and backgrounds. READ MORE

American Museum of Natural History:
New Hall for Ancient Meteorites
by Jan Aaron READ MORE

Debra Pasquerette, Education Doyenne of the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Home of Hollywood and the silver screen, Los Angeles would seem a natural place to cultivate children’s interest in theater. READ MORE

TECHNOLOGY

Growing Up With The Internet, Teens Need To Sort The Good From The Bad
by Mitchell Levine
Computers have revolutionized communications, and today’s teens have access to vast educational and entertainment resources while online. The Technology Student Association (TSA), a national student organization devoted exclusively to the needs of young people interested in technology, knows it is prudent to protect the privacy and safety of today’syouth. READ MORE

Product Review:
Wolfram Research’s Mathematica 5
by Mitchell Levine
As a science and technology editor for a New York City-based education trade, I get to examine and evaluate a lot of software. Something on the order of several first-rate products, and even operating systems, every month. READ MORE

Rockefeller U’s Precollege Science Education Program for K-12 Teachers
Science teachers in public, private, or parochial schools in the tri-state area are encouraged to apply to be a Rockefeller University Outreach Teacher Fellow. READ MORE

The Statistics of Standards Erosion:
An Interview with Dr. Valen Johnson
by Mitchell Levine
In the mid-Nineties, as a professor of Biostatistics at Duke University, Valen Johnson noticed a strange phenomenon occurring in the grading system of that highly regarded institution: Almost half the GPAs awarded by the college were in fact A to A pluses. READ MORE