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Welcome to Our Special Edition
By Catherine Capellaro
Everybody says they want "teacher quality" but they don't all mean the same thing. In this issue of Rethinking Schools we we present a variety of voices and opinions, and take a hard look at what teacher quality really is..

Getting to the Heart of Teaching
By The Editors of Rethinking Schools
Catchy slogans, top-down mandates and shallow reforms won't improve teacher quality. Real progress will only happen if teachers, parents, teacher unions and school and community leaders all play a role.

Action Education

Teacher Organizers Take Quality into Their Own Hands
By The Editors of Rethinking Schools
Details on teacher-quality initiatives taking root around the country.

• Getting In Touch
  Contact information for groups profiled in the article.

Special Section on Improving Teacher Quality

Transforming Teacher Education
By Barbara Miner
UCLA's Center Xsets out to help Los Angeles' struggling schools.

• Why Center X?
  Excerpts from the center's mission statement.

• Questioning Scripted Curricula
  Why, and how, some teachers resist tenets of the Open Court reading program.

An Interview with Deborah Meier
By Catherine Capellaro
The visionary school reformer discusses quality teaching, race and class, and the shortcomings of No Child Left Behind.

Teachers Teaching Teachers
By Linda Christensen
In Portland, teachers work together to create teacher-centered professional development.

Cincinnati's Teacher Union Tackles Quality
By Barbara Miner
It's difficult and complex work, but this city's teacher quality initiatives are making a difference.  

• Cincinnati: How the System Works
  Some details of the initiatives.

• An Interview with Tom Mooney
  The Ohio Federation of Teachers president says teacher unions should lead the way on teacher quality.

• Does Improved Teacher Quality Lead to Improved Student Learning?
  It's a tricky question, but some data give reason for hope.

An Interview with Gloria Ladson-Billings
By Wayne Au
One of the leading scholars of the education of African Americans says quality education means addressing issues like educational equity and true desegregation, and judging educational quality on a lot more than test scores. 

Teacher Education Left Behind
By Doug Selwyn
How NCLB harms the preparation of new teachers.

Tips for Working with Student Teachers
By Alana Murray
Practical advice for helping new educators find their feet in the real world of teaching.

Miles of Aisles of Sexism
By Sudie Hofmann
Helping students investigate toy stores – where sex-role stereotypes and the “glory” of war are being sold to kids.

• Possible Questions for Toy Store Investigations
  Also more classroom activities.

Teaching Brown in Tuscaloosa
By Alison Schmitke
How students were inspired by learning about their community's civil rights history.

Lessons in Solidarity
By Larry Miller
A teacher recounts his own experience as a hospital worker, to show students the importance of people sticking together to make needed change.

• Discussion and Writing Questions for Miller's article.

School Days (Hail, Hail Rock 'n' Roll!)
By Rick Mitchell
How music recordings can bring history to life.

• Suggested Recordings

Exploring 'Same' and 'Different' in a Preschool World
By Janet Schmidt
Helping young students overcome bias and embrace diversity.  

• Examples of Good Multicultural and Anti-Bias Literature

Washin' Away
By Ian McFeat
A trial activity asks who's guilty for Katrina's horrors.

• Roles for Katrina Role Play

• All Roles Together

COLUMNS AND DEPARTMENTS

Letters

Strange Stuff

Short Stuff

Good Stuff

Resources