Discusses three classroom climates that are often encountered in teaching about inequality and social stratification: resistance, paralysis, and rage. Describes resistance as denying the existence or importance of inequality. Defines paralysis as classes that see little chance of overcoming inequality. Suggests that the enraged class is unable to…

Working with teachers and artists from Florida to Maine, a drama educator has discovered that creative power and insight can emerge when using drama in the language arts classroom. One seventh-grade class began with simple warm-ups to loosen inhibitions and then moved into a unit that dealt with improvising using movement. A student who had hardly…

The unintentional and unrecognized use of aversive stimuli that increase student escape and avoidance responses may contribute to educational problems of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Sources of aversive stimuli present in many classrooms include interactions between students and teachers, academic activities offered, and…

Describes four storytelling activities which help students learn a skill and develop their personalities: (1) guided imagery, (2) fragmented storytelling, (3) creative dynamics, and (4) drawing. All techniques appeal to the students' emotional and imaginative potential, evoking a highly emotional and affective response, thus overcoming students'…

A study of the cognitive differences and effective preferences of college students exposed to televised v direct classroom instruction indicates that, while student cognitive acquisition is the same with both types of instruction, students prefer and enjoy direct classroom instruction. (JMF)

Looks at Shakespeare's tragedy through the eyes and words of an English teacher's secondary school students. (NKA)

Based on the idea that conversational interaction between students and teachers in the classroom is the best way to learn, this book focuses on classroom talk about book-related topics. The teachers represented in the book initiate literature discussion groups, book clubs, and literature circles, and students share the thoughts and feelings that…

This article suggests ways for teachers to help students handle stress. Creating a comfortable, cheerful environment in which children are stimulated to accept challenges and take risks is one of the first steps in teaching children to cope with stress in the classroom. (FG)

This paper addresses the problem of faculty members being confronted, in or out of the classroom, with students' personal reactions to some of the subject matter, especially sex and gender material, found in today's college sociology courses. The paper suggests some ways in which sociologists view student sharing of personal reactions and…

Presents results of a study comparing student class size preferences among first-year college students and upper-division students. Reports that first-year students prefer small classes and upper division students prefer large classes. Concludes that experience in larger classes results in a stronger preference toward the large classes. Urges…

Describes a junior high class activity called the "International Language Census," in which international students learned each other's equivalents of "good morning" and "thank you." Notes that non-American students who were socially isolated grew less shy and became occasional centers of attention. (JG)

Stating that there is a difference in acceptable behavior for female and male trainers, the author offers guidelines for constructive classroom leadership styles for women. She describes the most frequent problem areas (establishing authority, the feminist issue, use of humor, and profanity) and how to deal with them. (MF)

Emphasizes that learning is influenced by the student's active response to instruction. Teachers are advised to remain aware of student responses by initiating work contracts with students and are encouraged to help students learn to respond appropriately to instruction by arranging the classroom environment so that attention and motivation are…

Using questionnaires and the Relationship Dimension Subscales of the Classroom Environment Scale, compares attitudes of 1,174 junior high and senior high school girls and boys about social studies and social studies teachers. Finds that girls enjoy social studies more than boys when they have female teachers. Posits reasons for this finding and…

Reports on a study of 138 college sociology professors on their attitudes about and techniques for learning students' names. Finds that the number of tactics used for learning names declines as class size increases. Includes 18 techniques for name-learning. (CFR)