The first step in helping students to think more creatively is to create a safe and inviting atmosphere. A discussion of the basic skills of creativity: fluency, originality, flexibility and elaboration, lays the foundation for suggestions for developing creative thinking within the framework of the existing curriculum. (JD)

This article describes the origins of and the planning involved in a successful school-based staff development program called "Teacher Sharing." The program is simple, informal, and based entirely on teacher input. (IAH)

The increasing recognition of teaching as a profession is discussed. Factors which enhance and detract from this status are considered. The teacher employment market is evaluated; top salaries in large cities are listed. Suggestions for career growth and development are given. (JL)

Describes a variety of teacher-recommended books and videos to help educators sharpen their professional edge at home. Topics include classroom management, understanding students, professional development, changing the system, and curriculum (language arts, social studies, science, and math). (SM)

Activities using a grocery store receipt are suggested to develop thinking skills. Science, mathematics, language arts, health, and social studies activities are also offered. A reproducible page with a receipt on it is provided. (MT)

Tailoring programs to fit children is different from designing programs that exclude them. The many skills exhibited in gifted behavior can be taught, learned, and acquired to some degree by all children. (CJ)

Three programs to help students learn proper keyboarding techniques are reviewed. (MT)

Games to develop mathematics skills for elementary school children are described. (JD)

A city-wide elementary school reading program that emphasizes mastery learning and continuous progress in Chicago, Continuous Progress--Mastery Learning, is blamed for the declining reading test scores of high school students there. The program's origins and evolution are described along with a new program, Chicago Mastery Learning Reading, which…

Discusses what teachers should do when older elementary students lie. Guidelines for handling the situation are presented along with suggestions for making children feel good about telling the truth. Three activities for encouraging truthfulness in the classroom are suggested. (SM)

To encourage students to do routine homework assignments, teachers might occasionally assign silly homework assignments (such as "Brush your teeth with the hand you usually don't use"). Class discussions and parent reactions provide feedback. A list of suggestions and a reproducible page are offered. (JL)

Explores the circumstances surrounding the creation of education schemes in the armies of the British Empire. Discusses attitudes toward war and toward the soldier's role in the early 1900s, attitudes of the soldiers toward war, the University of Vimy Ridge, the Canadian Khaki University, the Oatlands program, and education for the New Zealand…

Students learn more when they are up, moving, and actively participating. The article discusses what teachers can do to incorporate movement into the classroom every day and describes several exercises from "Brain Gym." A sidebar illustrates the connections between muscular activity, the neural network, and the brain. (SM)

A teacher seminar focusing on children's thinking is reviewed. The seminar operates in teachers' homes and emphasizes group discussion and exchange of experiences. (DS)

Methods for encouraging thoughtful use of encyclopedias in elementary school report writing are suggested. (LH)