Blaming teachers for all that is wrong with the American school system is very "en vogue." Teachers are blamed when test scores are down, when the latest silver-bullet solution fails, and when graduation rates fall to an all-time low. All of this blame, says the author, creates an environment where the work of teachers is not respected, making it…

Inquiry-based learning is about more than moving desks out of those neat rows and avoiding lecture and recitation, says the author in his newest book, "Engaging Readers & Writers With Inquiry". It is about turning the way teachers teach upside down and inside out by asking students the big questions and letting them find their own way to the…

This article discusses the results of a survey of more than 1,300 new teachers regarding reasons for becoming teachers, beliefs about sex education, values education, and many other current issues. (MT)

Five examples are used to show how a teacher can help pupils recognize their own self worth. (MT)

When teachers set a standard and model courteous behavior, students learn that good manners are aspects of caring and respect. The paper presents class activities that put courtesy in context, including role playing, creating comic strips, reading appropriate books, and creating a paper chain marking courteous behavior by the students. (SM)

Presents six suggestions on how teachers can help students cope with the Persian Gulf crisis, as well as information on additional resources and a list of organizations and activities that provide an outlet for students' anxiety. (SM)

First of a two-part report on violence prevention in middle schools describes ways teachers and administrators can be proactive in preventing violence, offering classroom control tips, violence-prevention curriculum strategies, and resources for designing safer schools. The article discusses changing the way adolescents think and building…

Substitute teachers who perceive a school staff as supportive have greater confidence and are more effective. Tips to help both the substitute and the students have a pleasant and productive day are offered. (MT)

Discusses what teachers must know to help children cope with loss (death, divorce, and moving), explaining that for most children, loss and fear go together, and noting that it is often the teacher who first identifies how difficult a loss is for a child. A sidebar presents tips on dealing with loss in the classroom (being attentive, sensitive,…

This article presents several punctuation activities that help students practice dialogue-writing skills. Teachers can help their students become intrepid reporters by providing them with story ideas or by inviting them to develop their own "scoops." In addition, comic strips can also be used for dialogue-writing practice.

Ways that teachers can prepare themselves for a class with a mainstreamed disabled student are described, including obtaining information about the specific disability, visiting the child and parents at home, reflecting upon personal attitudes about disabilities, setting up for a wheelchair user, working with visually- or hearing-impaired…

Handling upset parents, unexpected kid behavior, and touchy school politics are some of the toughest parts of a teacher's job. As such, it never hurts to have an emergency plan or two tucked away and a few tried-and-true strategies one can count on. In this article, the author presents several sticky situations and corresponding solutions for…

A middle school reform initiative, sponsored by the Program for Disadvantaged Youth of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation 4 years ago, has taken hold in 12 urban middle schools nationwide. The article discusses that reform, noting the lessons about change to accommodate student diversity that urban middle schools can teach. (SM)

Health authorities believe that formal instruction about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is crucial by grades 6 to 8. Teachers of primary children, however, need to be prepared to answer questions in a knowledgeable, reassuring way. Resources are listed. (MT)

Several ways teachers can nurture elementary learners include helping students become responsible, validating feelings and opinions, helping students strive for their own excellence, guiding behavior through questions and suggestions, reducing rivalries, and tuning in to children's needs, interests, and abilities. (SM)