My column in this week's edition of The Pinnacle discusses a novel approach a San Benito High School English teacher came up with to raise awareness about the need for students to well on the standardized STAR test; by having teachers sport moustaches. The "Staches for STAR" campaign, the brainchild of Mario Ferrito, calls on all male faculty -- at least those who are able to -- to grow a moustache ahead of the STAR test in April. The thinking is that students will start wondering why teachers suddenly have moustaches and that will lead to discussions about the value of the STAR exam, which not only measures students learning but is one of the criteria the state uses to determine if a school is successful or not. Click here for a link to Ferrito's 'Staches for STAR homepage, which also has links to Facebook and Photo Bucket sites where the teacher moustaches can be viewed in all their glory. And, yes, female teachers are encouraged to participate. They don't have to stop waxing, though. Ferrito has a sign with a built-in moustache with which female teachers can pose for a photo. (drawing courtesy of A_of_Doom's Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_of_doom/2923734341/)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
'Staches for STAR
My column in this week's edition of The Pinnacle discusses a novel approach a San Benito High School English teacher came up with to raise awareness about the need for students to well on the standardized STAR test; by having teachers sport moustaches. The "Staches for STAR" campaign, the brainchild of Mario Ferrito, calls on all male faculty -- at least those who are able to -- to grow a moustache ahead of the STAR test in April. The thinking is that students will start wondering why teachers suddenly have moustaches and that will lead to discussions about the value of the STAR exam, which not only measures students learning but is one of the criteria the state uses to determine if a school is successful or not. Click here for a link to Ferrito's 'Staches for STAR homepage, which also has links to Facebook and Photo Bucket sites where the teacher moustaches can be viewed in all their glory. And, yes, female teachers are encouraged to participate. They don't have to stop waxing, though. Ferrito has a sign with a built-in moustache with which female teachers can pose for a photo. (drawing courtesy of A_of_Doom's Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_of_doom/2923734341/)
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