President's Letter    

Welcome to the 2000-2001 school year! What an exciting and challenging time to be involved in continuation education! More and more of our young people today are falling outside the parameters of the traditional educational offerings and thank goodness our schools exist for them. If you look around, you will see that nothing in life seems to fit into the traditional patterns we learned while growing up. The mobility rate is high. The career offerings that tantalize young people are infinite. The subjects taught extend far beyond the basics. Many young people MUST work in order to support themselves and/or help out in the family. Many teens are pregnant or parenting. Many are, or have experienced, a period of homelessness. Drug and alcohol abuse is a major factor with which they must deal on a daily basis. Many are victims of some kind of abuse. All are searching for acceptance, just as we did.

But the places they have to look nowadays have changed from the protected environment of the home, church and school. Therefore, they do not all fit into the traditional school setting. But, that does not mean they do not deserve any less of an education or that they are any less capable. In fact, they probably deserve an even better education, because most are bright, talented and very articulate. Our students, most of whom are mature beyond their years due to the hardships and events in their young lives, need to know that we will listen to them, that we will provide them with the TLC they crave, that we will treat them as human beings, that we will not judge them by their appearances or past records, and that we will give our very best to them as individuals.

If you have been involved in continuation education for any length of time, you know that "one size does NOT fit all!" However, much of the educational community, the legislature and our Governor seem not to have heard this message. You know that small class size, integrated and thematic teaching, meaningful and relevant curriculum, counseling and guidance services, work-study programs and respect go a long way with helping these young people to complete their secondary education and move on to whatever life has in store for them. You also know that we cannot do all of these good things without the support of our school districts, the legislature and the Governor. Yet, has always been traditional, continuation educators continue to "make it happen." 

This last legislative session we all watched and worked (very hard) to get AB 2634 passed. We had a measure of success, but when all was said and done, the Governor had his way. Our legislation was not a part of his agenda, so the Senate Appropriations Committee "killed" the bill. But some very good things came out of our efforts: We had bi-partisan support for the bill in both houses. We made believers out of many of our legislators. We all worked really hard when the call went out to contact any, and all, in Sacramento that we felt might help us. We came really close to getting this bill on the Governor's desk. This is not the end of the road for us. We have been working in this direction for several years now. Remember that Rome wasn't built in a day. So it is with raising the awareness level of our legislators and the public on continuation education. In September we spent two days in Sacramento meeting with individuals in the Governor's office in order to find out what we need to do in order to gain the needed support from that arena. We will continue and come back in the 2001 Legislative Session with a new bill. But, once again it will take everyone's commitment to make it happen. Please make that commitment now!

There are eight things you can do: First, send your Professional Membership of $35 to our Treasurer, Ross Bauer. Second, invite your local Assembly Member and Senator to your school. Third, if you have school newsletters or other good PR, put them on your mailing list. Fourth, once our new bill is introduced, start calling your Assembly Member and Senator and urge them to support our new bill. Fifth, if you have an E-mail address, please see to it that I get it, so I can E-mail you easily the minute I have any information. Sixth, bookmark the CCEA Website. Our Webmaster, Gerry Catanzarite has been very good at keeping the site up-to-date on the legislative and other happenings. The site address is: www.cceanet.org. Seventh, let your local Board of Education members know what a great job you are doing and how many students you have saved from becoming dropouts and turned into high school graduates. And, eighth, encourage your colleagues to do the same thing. If we all get behind our bill next year, we will be successful!

Have a great year and continue making a difference for young people. Be an active participant in your local CCEA District meetings and mini conferences. Plan now to attend the State Conference in San Francisco, the weekend of May 4, 5, 6, 2001. The theme this year is "2001: An Education Odyssey." If you would like to be a presenter at this conference, access our website and fill out the Call for Presenters form online, or fill in the enclosed sheet and mail it to me as soon as possible. We have already received a number of responses, so this conference is well on it's way to being another great professional development opportunity for continuation educators. If at any time during the school year I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to give me a call. I look forward to seeing you throughout the year at your meetings, mini conferences, our CDR meetings and the State Conference.

CCEA Legislative Update    
Peter Birdsall & Theresa Inslee

CCEA Sponsored Legislation

CCEA sponsored legislation this year to address funding inequities for continuation high schools. Specifically, AB 2634 (Calderon) would have authorized the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to allocate funding annually to school districts, resulting in a revenue limit adjustment for each continuation high school of $97,500, or $1,500 per prior unit of ADA generated by the continuation high school, whichever is greater. In order to receive funding school districts would be required to:

• certify that it would reduce class sizes in continuation high schools to not more than 20 pupils per full time teacher,
• offer a student counseling program that meets quality standards established by the State Board of Education,
• and make available at least 6 hours of classroom instruction to its students.

Although AB 2634 passed the full Assembly, and the Senate Education Committee, it was held on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file and is therefore dead for the year. Although the bill had strong legislative support on the policy issues, the problem was funding. CCEA and Assembly Member Calderon were seeking $15 million in the 2000-01 State Budget to fund AB 2634. When the Governor approved a massive, $1.84 billion agreement to eliminate revenue limit deficits (see below), it eliminated virtually any chance that additional funding would be available this year to fund bills such as AB 2634. In the end, the lack of state funding resulted in the bill being held in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The CCEA Executive Committee visited Sacramento on September 11 to meet with staff of the Governor's Administration to discuss the feasibility of attempting to sponsor a bill similar to AB 2634 next year. In addition, key legislative staff has expressed a desire to work on a proposal to address the issues and needs of educational options. These discussions are expected to continue through the fall, with the decision on introducing a new bill being made by January 2001.

Discretionary Funding

For several years now, school districts have suffered from a deficit in their revenue limit funding. "Revenue limit funding" is the basic, general purpose funding for schools. The deficit meant that schools were only receiving ninety-three cents for every dollar promised them under state law. Correcting this situation was the top priority for many educators.

Thanks to the booming state economy, Governor Davis announced in May that he had reached agreement to eliminate the deficit in the 2000-01 state budget. This agreement, which cost $1.84 billion, had the effect of giving school districts a 7% increase in general purpose funding. Combined with the 3% cost-of-living adjustment that was funded for 2000-01, this means that most school districts received increases in general purpose funding of more than 10%. Since the primary funding for continuation high schools is the local general fund, this major increase will benefit continuation high schools and staff, as well as the traditional schools within school district.

One-time Funding

The Governor approved $180 million in one-time funding for school site block grants in the 2000-01 State Budget. These grants will be distributed on a per-ADA basis, with each school receiving at least a $10,000 minimum grant. We estimate this amount to be approximately $29 per ADA.

Funds are to be used in accordance with a plan proposed by the school site council, subject to the approval of the district governing board. The school site council

and local governing board must agree on the use of the funds by May 1, 2001 or the funds are returned to the state. Acceptable uses of funds include: instructional materials, staff development, computers, education technology, such as software and wiring, library materials, deferred maintenance, enrichment activities, tutoring services; and any other one-time purpose.

Teacher Tax Credits

Another element of the 2000-01 state budget creates a new tax credit for California's public school teachers. Beginning with the 2000 tax year, credentialed public school teachers may claim a credit against their California personal income tax of:

• $250 for teachers with at least four, but less than six years of service;
• $500 for teachers with a least six,
  but less than eleven years of service;
• $1,000 for teachers with at least eleven, but less than 20 years of service, and
• $1,500 for teachers who have completed 20 or more years of service.

However, in no event may the credit exceed 50% of the amount of tax that would be imposed on the teacher as a result of income "attributable to service as a teacher". Precise guidance will be provided in the guidelines released with the state income tax forms for 2000, but it is clear that virtually all teachers will receive some state tax relief as a result of this year's budget agreement

Consider This    
Joe Stits, CCEA Secretary

Many of us move from traditional to continuation high schools because we seek alternative environments within which to work and relate. We are looking for relief from a system that is founded in grade-based evaluation, pre-specified outcomes, and the over-use of reward and punishment as external motivation.

Our traditional high schools are most often operated in an industrial mode that reflects a very mechanistic belief system about people and how they are motivated. In this model, schools, like machines have parts (departments and divisions), every part has a specific purpose and function (no integration or overlap of disciplines), and the managers are always sure about cause and effect. Within these schools grades are the primary evaluation tool, curriculum is fragmented, learning style differences are ignored, time schedules govern learning (not to mention bus schedules), instruction is teacher-centered, and students are measured by the amount of information stored.

The alternative setting places an emphasis on intrinsic motivation, time lines are adjusted according to the task and the learner, student outcomes are clear, and students feel better about themselves. Certainly the smaller school setting is a factor in this change but not the only factor. Teachers are free to interact as individuals with students in a way that produces collegiality and support gained through mutual respect. Students have greater ownership of his or her learning because they are permitted more of a role in determining what they will learn and how it will be done. Even with all of these changes we still seek more and higher productivity, motivation and achievement from our students.

We create a wide variety of rewards systems in an effort to provide students motivation and to control impulsivity. With each reward, however, there is punishment the threat of the loss of the reward. Threat, as we know, is a powerful disincentive to intrinsic motivation and learning. We need some practical alternatives to using rewards. When we are inner-driven we exhibit positive beliefs, productive emotions and guided by compelling goals. How can we achieve this end for our students?

1. Eliminate threat by creating a classroom environment that involves students in planning, relates instruction to student goals and concerns, and fosters mutual respect.
2. Focus on goals that helps students process deep meanings, allows for student choices, provides for open ended assignments, and presents tasks that have clear purposes and valid reasons for learning.
3. Create a strongly positive climate in which there is genuine acknowledgement, rituals and ceremonies, positive relationships, and builds a sense of belonging.
4. Plan projects that encourage student engagement and commitment, flexible time lines and the use of student creativity.
5. Increase feedback in all aspects of class activities that will foster accurate self-evaluation on the part of the student and an understanding that mistakes are a natural part of learning.

The idea of providing alternatives to rewards is an initial step toward de-emphasizing punishment as a motivator. The alternatives will tend to foster the development of intrinsic motivation for learning and achievement. I encourage you to devote some of your staff meeting time to discuss this topic and brainstorm how your school might move toward fostering more intrinsic motivation for your students. We can all improve in this arena.

Views Slowly Changing    
on Alternative Schools
Shawn Hamilton

Shawn Hamilton teaches Language Arts at Calvine High School. He also teaches writing part time at Sacramento City College for the Los Rios Community College District. This article appeared in the the Sacramento Bee.

Ask people what comes to mind when they hear the term "continuation high school," and you are likely to hear a consistent pattern of negative images. That's where the bad kids go troublemakers, gang-bangers, drug abusers and the intellectually inept who can't make it in the "good schools."

This attitude so pervades public consciousness that even some educators and school administrators often unwittingly buy into those unfortunate stereotypes. They tend to consider the importance of alternative education programs secondary to mainstream schools.

A growing number of students, parents, school administrators and politicians, however, are changing their attitudes about alternative education. Some even believe certain model alternative education programs may be the wave of the future.

It's common knowledge that California's educational system needs effective reform. The issues, naturally, involve the means to bring about changes, and a major question remains who will those changes best serve?

Jim Caswell, who serves as vice president of the California Continuation Education Association and principal at Nueva High School in Lamont, first became involved in continuation education 14 years ago as an administrator after teaching at West High, a college preparatory school. All he knew about continuation schools then was that the "bad kids" went there.

His view has changed considerably in the intervening years.

Caswell pointed out that a significant part of the continuation high school population consists of students who are only moderately literate in their native languages and barely literate in English. They've been socially promoted from grade to grade in elementary school, so when they come to their freshman year in high school, they simply can't do the work.

"They're even further segregated by being put in the lower-end classes at the comprehensive school where there's a lower expectation. Continuation schools can, in many cases, help those students because we don't have low expectations. We expect them to achieve, but give them more time to come to that achievement. We take them from where they are and move them forward," Caswell said. "Continuation schools are not places for bad kids; they're places where kids who were not successful can find success."

Caswell said that teachers in continuation programs are as devoted as other teachers, but they don't receive recognition because continuation schools have no band, choir or football team. The kids find success, however, because of dedicated teachers and administrators who believe that students should have alternate ways to learn.

"We also have a lot of students who are turned off by traditional high school. The style that is used there has been used for the last 100 years, and for a mainstream group of students, it works fine students who read fairly well and have a fairly stable home environment," Caswell said, adding that many kids who have difficulty reading may come from dysfunctional families. If these children don't receive support from their teachers, there's a greater chance they will fail.

He said these children may act out their anger and frustrations, and get the reputation of being bad kids.

"There's no doubt that a few of them are bad," Caswell said. "But most of them just need a different approach to learning, and continuation schools offer a different approach. Not an alternative to learning, but an alternative way to learn the same information and materials that other students are getting."

Caswell added that in the past 15 years continuation schools have tried to move away from their image as a dumping ground for bad kids, bad teachers and bad administrators by bringing in the best people to work as teachers.

He said continuation schools are developing programs that are not the old "paper and pencil" approach.

"We don't use the packet concept and haven't for many years," he said.

"Standard high school is like obedience school for dogs learning how to sit and heel," said Derek Nielsen, a 12th-grader at Calvine High School in Elk Grove. "In my experience as a student in an alternative school, I have gained the skills to know how to think and not what to think."

Jenifer Terrazas, an 11th-grader, also prefers the atmosphere of an alternative school.

"The regular schools jam you," Terrazas said. "You have five or six projects going on at once, and they're all due the same day. I'm learning as much at Calvine, if not more, than I did at the regular high school. I can work at my own pace. My mom thinks I'm doing so much better here than I was at the other school."

One student whose attitude about continuation schools changed dramatically when she came to Calvine is Katherine Kilbane, a 12th-grader who has served an internship in the governor's office and recently was chosen to serve on Sacramento District Attorney Jan Scully's Youth Safety Cabinet.

"Before I transferred here, I heard horror stories that I had to watch the way I looked and talked or I'd get beaten up. But the stereotype that Calvine students are a bunch of deadbeats is simply not true. There are people here who are really smart," Kilbane said. She discovered that a majority of students come to continuation schools because of credit deficiencies, rather than behavioral problems.

Kilbane's mother, Erin, expressed pleasant surprise at her daughter's experience at Calvine. She said that when Katherine started having problems at her former high school during her sophomore year, Calvine was used as a threat: "Shape up or you are going to Calvine."

She hadn't heard anything about the school, but the perception of "bad" kids was in the back of her mind. When she finally decided to pull Katherine out of her former school midway through her junior year, the counselor tried to talk her out of it, even though Katherine would not be able to graduate with her class in June 2001.

"Within two months of her starting at Calvine, I knew I had made a huge mistake - by not taking her out of (the former school) during her sophomore year when the problems started. The change in her was unreal. She was happy, her grades made a major turn around, and she was confident in herself - all the things she should be in high school," Erin Kilbane said.

Their original agreement was for Katherine to return to her former high school in January 2001, so she would be able to graduate with her friends. As the months progressed, Erin Kilbane saw such positive changes in Katherine that she suggested her daughter remain at Calvine. To her surprise, Katherine decided to stay and graduate there with her new friends.

"I am very happy with the quality of teaching and the support of the staff for not only my daughter, but for each student," said Erin Kilbane. "Kids at Calvine aren't any different than the kids at (her former school). She has made some very nice friends at Calvine who are maybe just more 'real.' No one seems to judge the other. Everyone there is equal.

"I would never think twice about giving a positive recommendation about Calvine to anyone who is considering alternative schooling. Hindsight is 20/20, and if I had only known then what I know now, my daughter would have had a much happier and successful first 2 1/2 years of high school."

Dr. Gerry Catanzarite, principal of George M. DeWolf High School in Fresno, a continuation school that enrolls about 400 students, said the public misperception of alternative education originates from the late 1960s through early 1980s when many new continuation high schools opened throughout the state because of changes in the law.

He said in many cases the students who were kicked out of regular high schools and sent to continuation high schools were boys who were fighters or pregnant girls. Continuation high schools started to get the reputation as schools for "bad kids," instead of schools designed to meet the needs of students.

"These days continuation high schools focus on drop-out prevention, and work hard to meet the individual needs of students," Catanzarite said. "Most are schools of choice. Unfortunately, in many cases, the continuation schools are still considered schools for 'bad' kids, even though the majority of students choose the school and are not involuntarily placed there."

Catanzarite, along with Caswell and others, provided information that led Assemblyman Thomas Calderon, D-Montebello, to author legislation (AB 2634), which is working its way through the state legislature. AB 2634 seeks to improve program quality and achieve greater equity in continuation school funding.

Catanzarite believes strongly in the importance and value of alternative education and understands the students it serves.

"Interestingly, I had many of the same problems in high school that my students have. Most of my close friends attended the continuation high school where I am principal," he said.

One major issue that faces education in California today is the state's imposition of more stringent graduation requirements for high schools, including continuation schools. Catanzarite says these stiffer requirements will increase the need for alternative education programs.

"I believe that the exit exams are going to be tough on all schools at first. The regular high schools will have so many students not passing the exams that the continuation high schools will be the schools of choice to help those kids pass.

"The demand for continuation education will increase, and the new continuation high schools will use the tools that we already have - small class size, individualized instruction, intensive guidance to help these students pass the state tests. Many students will be saved by continuation education," Catanzarite said.

"The worst thing that could happen is to have lesser requirements for students in continuation education and possibly an alternative diploma. We must continue to have the same curriculum and testing as the regular schoos, but use a different delivery system that better meets the needs of the students," he said.

"None of the teachers really paid much attention to me closely," said Lindsey Carlson, Calvine 11th-grader of her former high school. "They taught as a class, not individually. Calvine's better because it lets you work at your own pace. At the regular school, if you don't fit into the mold that the school has made for you, it's like you're this evil child. At Calvine, you're not looked down upon."

Senior Jesus Espinoza voiced a similar sentiment. "Academically, Calvine is working better for me than a regular high school. They don't give you much of a chance at a regular high school, but at Calvine you get plenty of chances. You work at your own pace. Just be a good kid and you're fine. The teachers don't mess with you. It's better that way," he said.

Most continuation students understand that teachers at comprehensive high schools simply have too many students to provide the kind of attention most students prefer.

"There are like 30 or 40 people in one classroom, so it's kind of impossible for teachers to focus their attention on you," said Marcus Blackwell, Calvine senior. "At Calvine, teachers have more of a relationship with their students. They talk to you like basically what you are - a man."

Another aspect of alternative education many students prefer is the way credit is earned.

"You know what you're getting credits for," said Tiffiny Lackey, a senior. "You're in the same class for five months, and maybe you did about three credits worth of work, but if your grade in the end is an F, you don't get credit for anything."

Senior Tobe Taylor said the system at Calvine works very well for him.

"I was more prone to get into trouble at my regular high school than I am at Calvine. Calvine is tight. I come to school, focus on my work and get good grades. It's cooler. At the regular school, everyone moves like a herd. Here, you can work at your own pace," he said. "This is a good school."

Senior Keith Massey echoed Taylor's sentiments.

"Regular high school was too extreme for me in terms of the control and the pressure, and Calvine has helped me out a lot. My relationship with the teachers is great. Calvine is a good school, and I've decided to stay," he said. "I'm not going back to a regular high school."

Roads to the Future    

In September 1991 a document that reflected the primary agenda for change by the alternative education community in the state was published. This document laid out a strategic plan for educational options in the 21^st century and reflected a wide range of contributions from alternative educators all over the state. We will be summarizing each of the 21 recommendations over this year of the Newsletter. The first seven recommendations are summarized below, for a copy of the full document go to our web page, www.cceanet.org/Documents/rttfrecs.htm, to download or print out.

This plan proposes a sustained effort to transform California's secondary schools into a system of educational options that provides each student with a learning environment that encourages maximum achievement and holds all students and programs responsible for core education standards.

Recommendation I: Support And Enhance The "Core Curriculum" For All Educational Options
Attention should be placed on defining the learning goals of 'core curriculum' in measurable terms so that instructional programs across the state and educational options using a variety of learning contexts and methods can be evaluated comparatively in terms of the skills and knowledge achieved by participating students.

Recommendation 2: Set Standards And Expectations For "All" Students
The skill and knowledge requirements identified should be clearly conveyed to students in terms of the courses and educational options they should pursue in order to reach their personal goals. These learning objectives must be constantly reinforced by schools, parents, businesses and community organizations.

Recommendation 3: Measure Program Performance By What Students Learn
Assessment procedures must produce comparable data on skill and knowledge gains for individual students, programs, and the state. These measures of progress should recognize and adjust for the fact that schools deal with a wide range of student populations that start learning at different levels, and learn at different speeds.

Recommendation 4: Funding Incentives For Program Performance
Funding incentives should not be implemented in ways that handicap schools confronting high student turnover and other learning barriers. These initiatives also should not penalize schools with existing records of high student achievement, or create permanent funding inequities among schools.

Recommendation 5: Policies That Support Educational Options To Enhance Student Achievement
State and local educational agencies must articulate official policies supporting the existence and integration of educational options.

Recommendation 6: Modes Of Instruction To Match The "Information Era"
The processes of secondary education should be modeled after the requirements of the "Information Era."

Recommendation 7: Make Secondary Education A Stage Of "Lifelong Learning"
The scheduling of secondary education should be made more flexible and organized as an early stage of ongoing 'lifelong learning.

Exemplary Programs 2001    

The fourth annual CCEA Exemplary Programs applications are now available on line at www.cceanet.org/eprogram/2000/cover.htm. Each year your state organization seeks to recognize schools that are providing unique and innovative education programs to at risk students in California. The purpose of the program is to provide an opportunity for all continuation or alternative schools to reap the benefits of the many special programs that have been developed by our members. A listing and descriptions of some 40 projects are listed on the CCEA web site and are intended to be easily replicated by all interested schools. If you have a program that you think deserves recognition, please submit it for this yearís consideration. A pamphlet was sent to all school sites in late August. A copy of the pamphlet can be seen on line, along with information and applications, at www.cceanet.org/ExempProgs.html.

Model School Recognition    

The California Department of Education is looking for a few good schools to recognize as the "best of the best" in continuation education in 2001. The Model Continuation High School Recognition Program is sponsored by the CDE Education Support Systems, in cooperation with the California Continuation Education Association. The program recognizes continuation schools that meet the highest standards of excellence in meeting the educational need of at risk students in California.

Applications and program information will be mailed out from Sacramento to all continuation schools in early November with completed applications due back to the CDE on or before 4:00pm January 12, 2001.

There are a few changes on this year's application, which include a description of how the school complies with each of the 60 quality indicators. All indicators must be in place to be considered. Applications will be reviewed first by the CDE incomplete applications will be disqualified. On February 23, CCEA committee will screen all applications meeting eligibility requirements. The schools that make a good case for Model School status will receive a validation visit in March. Recommendations from the visiting committee will then be forwarded back to the CDE who will make the final selection for Model Schools 2001.

The selected schools will be recognized in May 6 during the Sunday brunch at the 2001 CCEA State Conference in San Francisco.

For a current listing of State Model Continuation High Schools, check out www.cceanet.org/ModelSchools/modschlst2000.htm.

An Open Letter of Thanks    

I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank the members of the State Conference 2000 Committee for their work which led to a tremendous conference in Glendale the past April. Evaluations were very positive and many thank you's were received from conference attendees.

Jeanne Yttreness from District I, Dick Chadwick from District III, Mike Madalinski from District IV, Jim Caswell from District V, Dennis King from District VII, Myrtle Foster from District VIII, Bob Meier from District XI and Jeff Marcus from District XII worked really hard with their own sub-committees to complete some arduous tasks that served CCEA members with a great conference. I extend my thanks also to those members and students who helped the conference committee members with their tasks!

I hope to see many of you at this year's conference in San Francisco.
Sincerely,
Bob Werner
Conference Chairperson

Best Practices: Taking Time    
to Introduce the Lesson.
Michael Vetrie, Teacher of the Year 

When I started teaching in continuation over 15 years ago, we went strictly by the book and that book was the individualized contract. The student worked alone, never in a group and certainly not in a whole class with a teacher directed lesson. Some believed the individual work was necessary to control the kind of students who were transferred into our schools. And we were successful to a certain degree. But I believe most of that success had more to do with the student/teacher interaction that the small classes permitted.

In the meantime, we have learned a great deal about how students learn. In order for information to move from the short term memory to long term storage where the student has made the material his or her own, we have to engage our students by tapping into a concept called the schemata, the total background and experience of the student. We can do this by answering two very important questions: Does it make sense? (Does it "fit" into what the learner knows about how the world works.) Does it have meaning? (Is it relevant to the learner.) Time spent on these questions will pay off with alert and interested students.

If you teach literature as I do, most of my time is spent in preparing the students to read the literature as in actually reading it. Sometimes I can bypass this process by choosing literature that already answers these two questions and taps forcefully into the student's schema, literature we sometimes refer to as high interest. For example, if I were to choose a short story about a Los Angeles gang member, I would have very little to do to engage my students since I teach in a gang area of Los Angeles. But if I wanted to read a story from another time or culture, much of my energy would go to preparing the "into."

This concept applies even if you teach social science or math. Does it make sense? Does it have meaning? Devote time to engaging your students in your lesson by answering these very important questions, and you will have students who will learn how to take those first important steps to becoming life-long learners.

Ask Michael Vetrie, Teacher of the Year, to appear at your CCEA district conference and CCEA will cover the costs. Contract Ross Bauer (559) 248-7353 for information