Book excerpt: Nctm Past President Cathy L. Seeley shares her messages on today's most relevant topics and issues in education. Based on Cathy L. Seeley's award-winning nctm President's Messages, and including dozens of new messages, this must-have k-12 resource offers straight talk and common sense about some of today's most important, thought-provoking issues in education. With topics ranging from the impact of rising expectations and the trap of timed tests to the role of technology and the phenomenon of jumping on bandwagons, this book provides a base for lively discussion among elementary, middle, and high school teachers; leaders; policy makers; and families. This book contains 41 messages included in three sections: (1) School Mathematics for the 21st Century: Elementary and Secondary Mathematics in America; (2) Great Ideas Whose Time Has Come (and Gone?): Mathematics Issues Facing Schools and Districts; and (3) Real Students and Real Teachers: Mathematics in Today's Classroom. This book also contains the following: (1) Foreword by Marilyn Burns; (2) Introduction; (3) How to Use This Book; (4) Afterword: The Sum of the Parts Is Greater than Some of the Parts; (5) Acknowledgments; (6) Readings and References; (7) Index; and (8) About the Author.