Ellison, David. Chalk dust; a teacher's marks.Heinemann. 145p. c2003. 0-325-00558-3. $14.95. A Chalk Dust Noun 1. chalk dust - dust resulting from writing with a piece of chalk; "chalk dust covered the teacher's hands" dust - fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air; "the furniture was covered with dust" is a must-read for classroom teachers and school administrators--a collection of lucid, inspiring, often hilarious (sometimes heartrending) two-page articles about author David Ellison's experiences as a classroom teacher and assistant principal. Like the Jolly Ranchers Jolly Rancher is a brand of candy, including hard candy,<ref name="hersheys.com" /> gummies,[1] fruit chews,[2] jellybeans,[3] lollipops,[4] and sodas. Ellison keeps in his pocket as rewards, the anecdotes are small, varied treats--each brief enough to be sampled during a coffee break or while on hall duty. The topics and problems Ellison treats are wide-ranging (gum-chewing, practical jokes, fighting, insubordination in·sub·or·di·nate adj. Not submissive to authority: has a history of insubordinate behavior. in , homelessness, student service learning, high-stakes testing A high-stakes test is an assessment which has important consequences for the test taker. If the examinee passes the test, then the examinee may receive significant benefits, such as a high school diploma or a license to practice law. , to name a few). Many of the articles (which first appeared as newspaper columns in the San Francisco Bay area “Bay Area” redirects here. For other uses, see Bay Area (disambiguation). The San Francisco Bay Area, colloquially known as the Bay Area or The Bay where Ellison works) will strike a chord of recognition (especially for those who work with middle school and high school students, like Ellison), bring a smile, and even offer a new solution to an old problem. And these articles are definitely treats to share. Whether your colleagues are veteran teachers or venturing into their first year, they will probably come away from this book, as this reviewer did, with a renewed sense of hope and pride, reassured that they did, indeed, choose the right profession. Gloria Levine Bryant, Teacher, Hoover M.S., Potomac, MD |
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