Nasco’s Ready-or-Not Tot® Parenting Manikins

Nasco offers four different Ready-or-Not Tot® parenting simulation manikins to fit every need and budget, with many options for your middle school or high school program. Ready-or-Not Tot® simulates a baby’s varying needs, takes the glamour out of teen pregnancy, and demonstrates the realities of the real world to students. Each manikin requires the student/parent to give multiple types of care with easy recording for the student and quick evaluation and grading for the teacher.

Basic Ready-or-Not Tot® cries at preselected intervals around the clock and teaches students the demands of parenting, as well as proper baby handling and care.

Standard Ready-or-Not Tot® offers three different tending programs typical of most babies to simulate normal baby-tending needs along with fussy periods in each program. Each program is 48 hours in length, providing programmed tending events that are unpredictable to the student, but easy for the teacher to monitor.

Intermediate Ready-or-Not Tot® offers four different 48-hour tending programs, including three programs typical of most babies to simulate normal baby-tending needs along with fussy periods, plus a fourth, more demanding program to simulate the more irritating cry of an alcohol-affected or drug-affected baby that requires more frequent care. Provides a teacher-activated Day Care Pause when needed during the school day.

Enhanced/Drug-Affected Ready-or-Not Tot® is both a drug prevention baby and a general teen pregnancy prevention baby. A bendable neck feature teaches students to properly support a baby’s head and a teacher-activated Day Care Pause can be used if needed during the school day. Provides four different 48-hour tending programs: three programs to simulate normal baby-tending needs along with fussy periods, plus a more demanding fourth program to simulate the irritating cry of an alcohol-affected or drug-affected baby that requires more frequent care.

For more information, go to www.eNasco.com/fcs.

Nasco Releases 2010 Family & Consumer Sciences Catalog

The 2010 Family & Consumer Sciences catalog, featuring the latest resources and newest technology for teaching life skills to students of all ages, is now available from Nasco in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and Modesto, California.
With continued emphasis on family living and vocational training, Family and Consumer Science professionals working in schools or community programs are meeting the changing needs of family and society. To help in this effort, Nasco’s 324-page catalog provides a wide array of resources for hands-on learning that is applicable to everyday life and offers over 700 new products, including Nasco Life/form® food and fat replicas, plus the largest line of nutrition education products available. The housewares section offers a complete selection of name-brand products, including traditional favorites and the latest in technology. There is also an entire section devoted to sewing machines and supplies, crafts, and notions, along with teacher-favorite sewing kits from both To-Sew® and Haan Crafts®. From careers to food science to special needs, this catalog includes products to help address healthy living, job training, and contemporary issues facing a diverse range of students.
Nasco’s goal is to offer products to schools and community education programs that will make teaching more effective and meaningful for today’s students by emphasizing the life skills needed for independent living and survival — personal development, family relationships, consumer economics, housing, and decision making.
Visit Nasco Family & Consumer Sciences online at www.eNasco.com/fcs to review resources for Family and Consumer Science teachers and Extension Family Living professionals, new products, and special website sale items.

Nasco Releases 2010 Reading Resources Catalog

The 2010 Reading Resources catalog, featuring reading and literacy teaching aids, is now available from Nasco in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and Modesto, California.
From beginning letter recognition and phonics to guided reading and chapter books, you’ll find a comprehensive offering of reading and literacy teaching aids in the Reading Resources catalog. The catalog contains products for phonics, language skills, early reading, spelling and vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing skills, ESL/ELL, and Spanish.
The 108-page catalog contains over 350 new products that fit the needs of literacy curriculums. In this offering of grade-appropriate teaching materials, you will find items such as: read-along sets, center activity kits, Royal® Reading/Writing Centers, and phonics and language skills games. These products are guaranteed to make reading fun!
Nasco’s goal is to provide quality products at affordable prices for educators and teaching professionals everywhere.
Visit Nasco Reading Resources online at www.eNasco.com/reading to review teacher resources and new products.

Catalogs.com and eNasco Announce Tools for Teaching Contest Winners

This September, Catalogs.com and eNasco set out to find five of the most deserving teachers in America and award them with $5,500 toward school supplies. Almost 1,000 teachers from across America responded to our call with compelling stories illustrating the hardships so many of our nation’s schools are struggling to overcome. Faced with the difficult task of selecting winners, we were overwhelmed by the moving and heartfelt essays submitted by teachers from big cities and small towns alike. Our decision has been made, and we are proud to announce the five winners of the Tools for Teaching Contest:

Grand Prize: $2,500

Christine Rivan
3rd Grade
Thomas Jefferson Primary
Peoria, Illinois

Christine’s love for teaching has spanned a career of more than 17 years. She has taught various grade levels from kindergarten to middle school, including blended classes with special education students. Her dedication to the children in her class has extended to using her own salary to make sure her students had the supplies they needed.

Runner Up: $1,500

Kathryn Quigley
Special Education
Dillard High School
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

After spending time working in various facilities as a recreational therapist, Kathryn quickly learned that her true love was teaching. She went back to school to earn her master’s degree in exceptional students education and resolutely pursued her dream. During her time at Dillard High School, Kathryn has made an impact on the lives of her students and constantly strives for more.

Finalist: $500

Bhavna Rawal
Dual credit chemistry teacher
Northbrook High School
Houston, Texas

Bhavna has a true passion for chemistry and for teaching. She uses a variety of methods to help her students understand and learn the complex nature of her subject, such as PowerPoints, group activities, lab experiments, videos and other materials. After a successful career as a college professor, Bhavna wanted to bring her enthusiasm to high school students, teaching dual enrollment classes at Northbrook High School. Unfortunately, the tight economy has made it difficult.

Finalist: $500

Kekai Bryant-Williams
9th-12th Grade Math
George Washington Preparatory High School
Los Angeles, California

Winner and newest to teaching, Kekai brings a fresh perspective and a youthful enthusiasm to her classroom. Not only is she the high school math teacher at George Washington Preparatory High School, Kekai is also the founder and moderator of the Pacific Islander Student Association. She truly epitomizes what a loving, caring educator can do for students.

Finalist: $500

Geri Ellner Krim
Library Media Specialist
Brooklyn Collegiate
Brooklyn, New York

Since the library is the center of any school, Library Media Specialist Geri Ellner Krim interacts with all 580 students at Brooklyn Collegiate teaching information skills, and working with every teacher to provide students the best education possible. Over the years she has received a number of awards and grants, including the Giant Step Award for improving her school’s library program.

Visit www.enasco.com/page/tools4teach_winners to read the winning essays!