Contributions+from+Our+Members

Contributions from Our Members

From time to time we will include interesting articles or resources from our colleagues in Sharon. These resources remind us how important it is to speak up for the good work we all do and to counter the negative messages in the media - enjoy!

**__Cathy Collins__** Sharon High School's new librarian has been featured in the latest edition of the NEA magazine. Cathy shares her ideas about the importance of libraries to the life of a school and the role librarians play in helping students and teachers navigate the intricacies of the internet.

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__Sean O'Reilly__ engages readers in conversations about education and politics on his blog. Check it out! []

While she was teaching in Cambridge, __Courtney Malcolm__ wrote a letter to the editor of the Atlantic magazine in response to an article on education.To view the letter online go to []

//Keeping Great Teachers// //As a fifth-year high-school teacher, I found Amanda Ripley’s “What Makes a Great Teacher” (January/February Atlantic) inspiring, and frustrating. I agree that a “history of perseverance” is essential for a good teacher. To juggle 100 students, parents, administrative paperwork, and the never-ending barrage of standardized tests takes twice as many hours as I am paid for, and perseverance is only one of many skills needed to do the job well. I was dismayed, however, that Ripley only touched upon the fact that the dedication needed to be an excellent teacher is extraordinarily difficult to maintain. Half of all new teachers quit within five years. The Obama administration should focus on recruiting the best teachers, but it should also dedicate itself to keeping good teachers teaching. Even Mr. Taylor, whom Ripley praises as an exceptional educator, wants to leave after only three years in the classroom. He insists it is to pass on his skills to others, but I know that it must also be because the commitment it takes to teach all students—not just those in lower-income schools—is exhausting.//

//Courtnay Malcolm// //Cambridge, Mass.// = =