ELA, or Every Latest Advance In Internet Assistance January 7

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It’s that time of year again, when elementary students in grades 3, 4 and 5 sharpen their number 2s for a timed “you better know it by now” test that can influence whether or not the NYC Board of Education thinks a student needs summer school, and if s/he will be ready to move onto the next grade. Here is a list of web sites where students can do some last-minute brushing-up on their test-taking skills:

  1. If you’ve taken the NYC Interim Assessment, the Princeton Review, check out your scores and take some practice tests. You’ll need your student ID and last name.
  2. The NYC Testing Program–the same as the one that authors your actual test–has unsecure tests you can use for practice.
  3. You can also get these same unsecure tests, and set them up so that you practice only what you need to at NYLearns.
  4. The Oswego City School District has a helpful site where you can take practice multiple choice questions, and review a test-taking guide for your grade. The answer key is great!

Delivering Another Standard January 5

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There’s another “teacher movie” out, ‘Freedom Writers’ starring Hilary Swank. With mild reviews and what appears to be another formulaic “anyone can make a difference” plot, no teacher I know has plans to see it, at least while in theaters. Check out the NYT review.

A principal of a teacher friend at a public school in Manhattan showed her entire school the recently aired made for TV movie, The Ron Clark Story, based on the life of a Manhattan school teacher who was distinguished as Disney Teacher of the Year in 2001, and author of an inspiring rulebook for teaching success, The Essential 55.

With teacher movies making headlines yet again, it might be time to revisit some oldies, but goodies. Here’s a list of 25 of the more noteworthy, in no particular order:

  1. Stand and Deliver
  2. To Sir, With Love
  3. Lean On Me
  4. Blackboard Jungle
  5. Dangerous Minds
  6. Up and Down Staircase
  7. Coach Carter
  8. To Be, and To Have
  9. Mr. Holland’s Opus
  10. Dead Poet’s Society
  11. Man Without A Face
  12. Teachers
  13. Half Nelson
  14. Conrack
  15. GoodBye, Mr. Chips
  16. Miracle Worker
  17. October Sky
  18. Renaissance Man
  19. Born Yesterday (1950)
  20. Born Yesterday
  21. Educating Rita
  22. Back to School
  23. 187
  24. Finding Forrester
  25. Karate Kid

Students Tout TV for Learning English January 3

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Today my students recommended a slew of television programs that aid them in learning English. TV schedules are online. Here’s their skinny:

Cartoon Network’s Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, My Gym Partner’s A Monkey, and Johnny Bravo

Nick’s SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, and Dora the Explorer

PBS’s Miguel and Maya; Disney’s Go, Baby!

Discovery Channel

and National Geographic.

‘An Inconvenient Truth’ Give-Away January 2

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If you haven’t watched ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, do it. Not only is global warming one of the most important issues of our time, it’s increasingly making news and students are eager to learn why. Clips, or the full-on, can be shown to students, and there is a current offer for teachers to get their own copy, FREE! Go to the official site for more info., then check out their site with educational resources and sign up for their free DVD give-away (you’ll need your school’s tax-exempt ID). Offer ends January 18, 2007.