Over the past 25 years, Gallup polls have consistently reported that disruptive behavior and discipline problems are some of the top concerns of school staff and community members. In fact, problems with classroom management are among the most common reasons that teachers leave their jobs. In response, many schools are turning to more formal…

Geography faces stiff curricular competition from the continuing emphasis of policy makers on the three R's and science. In many places, this competition seems to have squeezed out any systematic attention to geography or the other social studies, particularly in elementary school. What's more, it doesn't look like things are going to turn around…

Education is an amazingly rewarding career, and the author cannot imagine doing anything else. He stresses that being able to influence so many lives is a reward beyond compare. Teachers can make a profound difference in the future of this nation and the world, and they should respect what an exalted and exhilarating honor that is. They are…

In this article, the author stresses the importance of including the discussion of the war in Iraq in the curriculum. He further shares how, in the spring of 2005, he had asked middle school and high school students what they thought about the Iraq War, what they had learned about the war in school, and what they would like to learn. Their answers…

In traditional Chinese medicine, a key maxim is "Zhi Bing Yao Zhi Gen," which literally means, "To cure a disease one must cure the underlying cause." The author was reminded of this principle when she reflects on K-12 math education reform when the US. President Bush's 2006 State of the Union Address prompted yet another wave…

In this article, the author focuses on teaching the Millennials how to become effective learners and guiding them to hone their critical-thinking skills. Millennials are the children of the Baby Boomer generation, and some are the offspring of the early wave members of Generation X. These students learn differently and interact differently than…

The first days of any teacher's career leave indelible memories of trials and errors, successes and failures, and efforts to get to know one's students. No matter how many years one teaches, those first students in those first classes stand apart in a teacher's mind. In this article, the author shares his insights and realizations regarding his…

In this article, the author iterates how over the years he had sensed that student misbehavior was on the rise: rudeness, lateness, loudness, distractedness, and the myriad small sins that irritate teachers. It was not as if these young louts were protesting a war or engaging in civil disobedience; they were just plain rude. But, although the…

In this article, the author talks about creating a nurturing classroom environment of mutual respect with students enthralled by possessions and technology. He talks about his life in the city, how life is abundant in the city, and that he acknowledges all that the city offered, from the culture of art and music to racial and ethnic diversity.…

Good education begins with an objective assessment and accurate diagnosis of specific "deficiencies." Transforming assessment from a system of primarily external judgments made by others to a system driven primarily by self-correction is the new frontier for instructional leaders. In this article, the author describes how student-centered…

In this article, the author stresses that teachers need to teach their students to think critically and to reason their way. One prerequisite for teaching critical thinking is a classroom climate of high expectations, teacher warmth and encouragement, and pleasant physical surroundings. Schools should see to it that students become progressively…

Educators have not been teaching to the learning style of boys, nor have they kept up with recent findings in brain research on the developmental differences between boys and girls. With all the education reform efforts about, with new accountability standards so high, school districts nationwide struggle to balance budgets and increase student…

In this article, the author deals with a screenplay adaptation assignment that he gave to his students. The purpose is to make readers out of some students who don't like to read, and to teach them something about film as an art form. He starts with a film entitled, "Ernest Hemingway's Soldier's Home." He used it because of the technical…

The author of this article recounts his experience of teaching English literature at Plymouth High School. The course description was simple and straightforward--Semester 1: historical survey of English literature up to Wordsworth; Semester 2: historical survey from Wordsworth to the present. Evaluation will include tests, essays, and a research…

Inclusion of children with disabilities in today's classrooms poses a challenge to teachers, principals, and parents not only to prepare students with special needs for the classroom, but also to overcome the misconceptions of general education students. The author of this article offers suggestions and strategies designed to help principals and…