Cartoons are a great way to develop literacy skills among readers of all ages! Consider these features:

• The process of “reading” a cartoon requires selecting a main idea and supporting details.
• Some explore cause and effect.
• Setting is often important.
• Many have symbols.
• Because they are topical, students can make connections to other texts or events.
• Cartoons make character traits easy to spot.
• Students can draw inferences about the author’s intent.
• Some students find pictures less intimidating than text.

Wouldn’t it be great to have available a collection of cartoons that are recognized for quality and are appropriate for school?

The Library of Congress presents Cartoon America, offerings from Thomas Nast, Al Hirschfeld, Pat Oliphant, Charles Schulz, and many others. In addition to developing skills of analysis, these cartoons could also serve as pre-reading or post-reading materials. This collection by Herblock, for example, addresses McCarthyism and would make a good companion to study of The Crucible.

Students can read them, talk about them, write about them, and create their own in response to their reading. Not bad for the descendants of The Yellow Kid!

Teachers often look for professional development opportunities during the summer, when we have a little more time to learn, reflect, and plan. The U. S. Department of Education is offering free summer workshops, and registration is now open.

Regional workshops are available in reading, world languages, history, fine arts, early childhood, math, and science. The workshops themselves are free, but teachers are responsible for the cost of travel and lodging. Each workshop is 2 days long, with the first one starting May 31 in Houston and the last one beginning August 9 in Anchorage.

Teachers know the value of freebies. Be sure to check these out!

Schools are doing more than ever before to meet the needs of underachieving students, especially minorities. Success, however, has been slow in coming. In this article from Edutopia, researchers posit that some students may struggle with “stereotype threat,” a mindset that affects their ability to do well. A simple writing assignment suggests that they may be correct and that a solution is possible.

The author cautions that this study presents only initial findings: they are not presenting a magic bullet. Writing teachers, however, might want to take note of this research. It suggests that reflective writing strengthens both the psyche and the standardized test scores.