NCSS would like to share the attached article “The Civic Standard: An Alternative to No Child Left Behind” by Merle S. McClung that was published in the December 3rd edition of Education Week. Characterizing No Child Left Behind as a fundamentally misguided approach, the article harkens back to the role of public education as seen by the founding fathers and makes the case for a present day education policy centered around renewed commitment to the civic standard as an alternative to NCLB.  read more »

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE with Robert Wilson

The Pleasure Principle  read more »

Swing and miss.  “Strike Two.” cried the umpire.  I threw one more pitch right in at the player’s wrists.  He swung hard, but the ball just dribbled right back to the pitcher’s mound.  I picked it up and gently tossed it to the first baseman for the out. 

As the batter turned back toward the dugout, his team captain stepped out and screamed, “Darrell, you’ve got to get over your fear of this guy!” 

The words poured like sweet honey into my ears.

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE with Robert Wilson  read more »

            Don’t Get Stuck in Reverse

I love this quote by Gandalf the Gray from the book Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, “When we despair we cease to choose well.  We give in to short cuts.”  It’s so true and we all know that we have been guilty of it at some point in our lives.

The Bill of Rights Defense Committee, has recently published a 24-page booklet called The “War on Terror” and the Constitution, which provides a concise summary of how key anti-terrorism laws and policies enacted since September 11, 2001, affect Americans’ constitutional rights. The new laws are organized into chapters corresponding to sections of the U.S. Constitution and articles of the Bill of Rights. Stories in each chapter show how the lives of innocent Americans and foreign detainees have been affected.  read more »

PUBLICITY TEXT: Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincolns birth this February 2009 with the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commissions free classroom poster! The front side, suitable for classroom display, is a portrait of Lincoln, while the reverse contains resources for educators, offering suggestions for incorporating Lincolns legacy into the classroom. To request this poster, please call (202) 707-6998 or visit www.abrahamlincoln200.org and click on For Teachers.  read more »

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE with Robert Wilson  read more »

            What Drives Your Desire?

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce American History: Elementary School Edition, a multimedia resource kit providing teachers in grades three through eight with a variety of innovative tools that students can use to explore America’s past.  read more »

Hello MCSS members,] I was contacted by Robert Wilson asking if I would pass on his columns to the membership. He included two of them, below, and asks for feedback. Contact information is at the end. I would also like feedback; are these columns relevant to you? do they belong on our web page? please e-mail me at bremerj@comcast.net.

Janna Bremer, Executive Secretary

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE with Robert Wilson  read more »

                   What's Pushing Your Buttons?

Castro’s Legacy and the Future of Cuba

Free Resource from the Choices Program

On February 19, 2008, Fidel Castro announced to Cuba and to the world that he would not be a candidate for Cuba’s presidency (this position will be elected by the Cuban National Assembly on February 24). Head of Cuba since 1959, Castro was one of the longest serving leaders of the modern era. His time in office, along with the revolution that he helped lead, are the subject of great controversy both within Cuba and around the world.  read more »

FREE Climate Change Curriculum & Cameras Available to Document Climate Change Solutions

Facing the Future (www.facingthefuture.org is pleased to announce the release of Climate Change: Connections and Solutions. These 2-week curriculum units, one for middle and one for high school, encourage students to think critically about climate change and to collaborate to devise solutions. Students learn about climate change within a systems framework, examining interconnections among environmental, social, and economic issues.  read more »