Declining academic performance, along with a growing apathy of students toward the value of education, demonstrates that students in the United States public education system do not recognize the value of a positive experience in middle schools. A plethora of research and writing has been done on elementary schools and secondary schools, but…

"Psychoeducational Assessment of Preschool Children," Fifth Edition, provides academics and school-based practitioners such as psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and social workers with an up-to-date guide to the assessment of young children. Long recognized as the standard text and reference in its field, this comprehensive,…

Environment is an essential area of attention for practitioners who support young children with disabilities and their families. Decisions about the environment impact the quality of care and education for young children with disabilities showing measurable influence on expected outcomes. Environment impacts true access, quality participation, and…

A testament to the belief that K-12 teachers should be writers, this book invites readers into the classrooms and minds of teachers who write. The fiction, poetry, personal essays, and two teacher interviews celebrate the power of writing and invite teachers to become more seriously involved in writing for themselves. The classrooms described in…

An indispensable book for administrators, policymakers, scholars, and practitioners, "Urban School Reform" presents a revealing portrait of reform efforts while identifying the full range of issues that education reformers will need to address in districts across the country in the years ahead. Today's urban school reformers face a…

This article offers teachers tips about how to get off to a good start when the new school year begins. Suggestions are given for setting up initial activities, making door signs that help students practice reading, starting group stories, scheduling time, and getting to know students. (PP)

This collection of 13 articles describes informal learning environments that occur outside traditional school settings; covers research-supported strategies for helping both students and teachers engage with and master concepts in school subject matter; and reviews school reform, and the current knowledge about what practices and principles are…

This collection of essays is a response to educators who limit multicultural education to "culture of the quarter" or "country of the week." The essays examine the issues of multicultural education deeply, exploring the just and unjust issues of schooling, the need to move beyond teaching about culture to facilitating self…

Ways in which elementary school teachers turned spaces into environments conducive to learning are described. Included are: (1) student offices; (2) seldom-used stairwells; (3) reading lofts; (4) a "fort" learning center; and (5) a garden spot for quiet study. Ideas for classroom storage are also presented. (CJ)

With its roots in clinical and educational psychology, school psychology is an ever-changing field that encompasses a diversity of topics. "The Oxford Handbook of School Psychology" synthesizes the most vital and relevant literature in all of these areas, producing a state-of-the-art, authoritative resource for practitioners,…

In considering exactly what takes place in creative writing classrooms, this collection of 22 essays reexamines the profession of writing teacher and ponders why certain practices and contexts prevail. The essays and their authors are as follows: "Introduction: Of Radishes and Shadows, Theory and Pedagogy" (Hans Ostrom); (1) "The…

In an effort to better understand children's reading behavior, this volume offers naturalistic assessments of reading performance in multiple settings and at all levels. The chapters and their authors are as follows: (1) "Reexamining Reading Diagnosis" (Susan Mandel Glazer and Lyndon W. Searfoss); (2) "Reexamining the Role of…

Teachers who follow this monthly schedule for starting and cultivating plants in their classrooms can look forward to blooms and greenery throughout the year. Advice on choosing plants, making cuttings, forcing bulbs, rooting sweet potatoes and pineapples, and holding a Mother's Day plant sale is included. (PP)

This article points out how teachers can create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning through the use of sensitivity, humor, and discipline methods. Techniques for teaching students self-discipline also are discussed, along with 13 recommendations of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County (Maryland) for using school policy,…

Designed to show teachers how to create environments that will encourage literate talk, not discourage it, this book discusses ways to organize classrooms that will support the sharing of books in the same way that book-loving families share books. The book builds on the interwoven nature of language, suggesting that by talking about books,…