New York, NY (August 20, 2003) -- As more than three million teachers head back-to-school this fall, now more than ever educators need easy-to-implement tools and strategies to manage their classrooms and raise student achievement. To provide solutions for “reality teaching,” Scholastic.com, the leading web site for PreK-8 educators, launches a Teacher Mentors feature, offering fellow-educators a “real-world” selection of tried-and-true curriculum and professional development advice from experts in the classroom trenches - teachers themselves. From organizing the most effective learning space to creating standards-aligned lesson plans, teachers will find proven-to-work tools of the trade to help prepare their students in the year ahead.
 
Through this unique and comprehensive Teacher Mentors area at Scholastic.com, educators will receive classroom-tested lesson plans, assessments, book recommendations, professional development tips, and effective ideas for using online activities from these expert teachers. Each mentor will provide information and resources for every grade level in areas such as math, science, language arts, social studies, early childhood education and technology. Each Teacher Mentor section is further personalized with uploaded photographs of effective classroom layouts, bulletin boards, and successful student projects.
 
Scholastic.com's National Teacher Mentors include:

• PreK-K: Marci Ruiz, from San Bernadino, CA, has 18 years of experience as a Kindergarten Teacher and Early Childhood Specialist.
• Grades 1-2: Gayle Berthiaume, from Big Lake, MN, has been teaching Kindergarten and first grade for 30 years. She has also helped Minnesota teachers as a technology consultant and trainer.
• Grades 3-5: Valeta Pafford and Bryna Watkins, from Chatham, NJ, are co-teachers of language arts, reading, math and science. Combined, they have 40 years of teaching experience between them.
• Grades 6-8: Emy Lopez, from Fresno, CA, has been a 7th grade language arts and social studies teacher for the past four years, and is working towards earning a Masters in Education. Still fresh enough to the professional, Emy offers advice for first-time teachers entering the field.

“The first weeks and months can be overwhelming even for the most seasoned educators,” states Ms. Valeta Pafford, National Teacher Mentor for Scholastic. “As class sizes are getting bigger, now more than ever teachers are in need of timesaving tips and effective tools to help manage their classrooms.”
 
“Teachers are always telling us that they are more inclined to try something new in the classroom if it has been recommended by a fellow teacher,” said Victor Aluise, Vice President & General Manager, Teacher Site on Scholastic.com. “For Scholastic.com, it was a natural next step to feature educators as the experts on the site. Educators trust fellow educators, and want to share and learn from their peers about the most effective teaching tools and curriculum that works in the classroom.”
 
For more information on the Teacher Mentors, visit www.scholastic.com/teachers  and click on the desired grade level in the “Teaching Ideas for Your Grade” section.
 
Scholastic.com offers a one-stop-destination for busy educators to find free, teacher-tested and easy-to-use resources, including classroom management tools, professional development information from experts in the field, and essential hands-on skill building products to support student learning throughout the year. Most recently, the site for teachers offers a more teacher-friendly interface that makes searching for teacher resources easier than ever before.
 
– Interviews with Teacher Mentors are Available Upon Request –
 
About Scholastic.com
Scholastic.com is the leading website for PreK-8 teachers, students and families. For educators on Scholastic.com, the Teacher area of the site offers free, standards-based content that spans reading, language arts, math, social studies, and science. It includes thousands of teacher-tested lesson plans; engaging student online activities; tools for the creation of free, personalized classroom homepages; and online ordering for Book Clubs and Software Clubs. The Teacher Store at Scholastic.com is a unique online shopping experience that features an extensive, relevant selection of over 6,000 classroom and professional development materials at preferred teacher pricing. A robust Family area on the site facilitates home-to-school connections through sections entitled Your School-Age Child, Your Early Learner and All About Reading. For parents and families, The Scholastic Store Online offers a broad mix of merchandise carefully selected for its developmental appropriateness and kid appeal, with learning benefits endorsed by a panel of early childhood experts. Kids will be delighted to find games and activities featuring their favorite Scholastic characters on Scholastic.com, including Clifford the Big Red Dog^TM, Harry Potter^TM and Captain Underpants^TM.

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