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Send us your comments So you’re a new teacher. Are you sure you’ve got the support you need? Letters to the editor regarding stories appearing in California Educator may be sent via mail, fax or e-mail. address: California Educator Magazine CTA Communications 1705 Murchison Drive Burlingame, CA 94010-4583 fax: (650) 552-5002 e-mail: editor@cta.org Create a cartoon concept I’d say so. We invite members to send in cartoon concepts for future issues of the Educator. All we ask is that your ideas deal with current events in education and captions are no longer than one sentence long. Please use the information above to send your cartoon ideas through mail, fax or e-mail. LETTERS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: I teach an Applied Child and Adolescent Development course at San Francisco State University. A majority of the students in my classes will become teachers in the K-12 public school system in California. In the June 2009 issue of California Educator I found an article on supporting critical thinking in the school environment. The article, “In the age of testing, can schools teach critical thinking?” was a great find as I was covering the NCLB initiative and the stress on teachers to teach to the test. Using the article in my class, I was able to show a holistic method in supporting a child in the way we know they learn best, by having personal ownership over their knowledge and ability. Not only did this article provide useful content and practical application for future teachers, it also introduced them to a professional magazine they will be receiving as they become teachers in California schools. I commend California Educator for including such well-written articles on developmen- tal issues with evidence-based practices for application. Julie Law San Francisco State University Dear Editor: Thank you for your article “In the age of testing, can schools teach critical think- ing?” in the June Educator. I greatly ap- preciate the focus on critical thinking, but noticed ProCon.org was left out of your recommended resources. ProCon.org is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit charity whose mission is promoting critical thinking and informed citizenship. ProCon. California Teachers Association June 2009 Volume 13 Issue 9 QEIA MAKING ADVANCES > PROVIDE CALM WHEN PARENTS MEMBERS GO OFF TO WAR > Page 18 IN THE AGE OF TESTING CAN SCHOOLS TEACH CRITICAL THINKING? > Page 8 org has more than 20 websites on controversial issues ranging from the death penalty and immigration to alternative energy and the war in Iraq. Each website is free, has no advertising and fosters critical thinking by providing quality research on a hot-button issue in an unbiased pro and con format. With schools facing budget shortfalls and teachers still wanting to provide students with life skills as well as test skills, we ap- preciate you publishing this letter inform- ing readers that ProCon.org is available. Kamy Akhavan Managing Editor, ProCon.org 6 California Educator | OCTOBER 2009 Dave Crosland, hiredmeat@gmail.com