In a world that seems to value speed and efficiency, teacher Kevin S. Krahenbuhl says, "Slow it down!" Krahenbuhl explores the value of taking one's time in classroom discussions, leaving students ample time to reflect, prepare, and even meander a bit in order to fully understand and engage with a text.

Math education consultant Marilyn Burns finds that teachers ask her the same three questions so often she's named them "The Big Three": What can I do with students who finish their math work more quickly?, How can I free up time to work with kids who need extra help?, and How can I differentiate math learning experiences? Burns, who…

Schools in the United States are making curricular changes from kindergarten through college to meet the Common Core State Standards' demands for higher expectations in reading and writing. As they make these important changes, however, they need not overturn all that they learned about effective reading pedagogy during No Child Left Behind…

This article first presents findings from a report from the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education and the National Staff Development Council titled "Professional Development in the United States: Trends and Challenges." The report raised the issue of the "intensity" of professional development--that is, the number…

Four vanguard districts are committed to raising academic scores of students by increasing academic learning time; to turning average schools for disadvantaged students into exemplary schools; and, by carefully charting the process, to providing a scenario that can be useful to other schools. (Author/JM)

American students perform poorly in mathematics compared to their peers in other countries, especially Japan and China. This article examines underlying causes for these deficiencies, including American complacency (in contrast to Asian diligence) and differing educational practices and expectation levels. Includes four references. (MLH)

Describes benefits of small classes based on 28 years of experience as elementary teacher. Includes establishing a successful classroom community, more time for students, fewer discipline problems, personalized assessment, and more opportunity to use best teaching practices. (PKP)

This superintendent-mandated school improvement program has improved test scores and brought about teacher, student, and parent support for participating junior high schools. (Author)

A panel of researchers examined why individualized instruction is successful in industrial, military, and medical training but less so in elementary and secondary schools. The reasons revolve around the rewards students receive, student maturity and motivation, and the amount of time spent on task. (Author/JM)

Faced with low literacy levels, four schools in Santa Clara, California, decreed that every entering kindergartner would be a competent reader by the end of second grade. The schools then implemented the 1,000 Days Network--an uninterrupted morning literacy block tailored to children's needs. Preliminary results are encouraging. (MLH)

The Houston Teaching Academy, sponsored by the University of Houston College of Education and the Houston Independent School District, prepares student teachers for inner-city classrooms while simultaneously giving practicing teachers access to new research and instructional strategies. One survey showed that academy student teachers learned to…

The Learning for Mastery approach is clearly more effective than traditional instruction, but individualized programs are better than group-based ones. Students master more objectives with mastery learning because their level of participation is higher. (Author)

Each month, "Special Report" summarizes a recent research study (or several studies related to the same topic) containing findings of importance to "Educational Leadership" readers. The purpose of this column is not to endorse or refute the conclusions of the study or studies summarised, but rather to keep readers informed about timely research…

Reviews current psychological research on the effects of time, discusses policy and practical implications, and proposes "productive time" rather than "allocated time" or "time-on-task" as a new focus of educational reform. Productive time allows students to engage in lessons adjusted to their differences in learning rate and background knowledge.…

A turnaround school in Mission, Texas proves poverty and underachievement are not synonymous. The 1998 passing rate on state assessments was 90.7 percent, compared to 41.2 percent in 1993. Factors include committed faculty, a strong principal, extended reading practice and instructional time, incentives and recognition, and pre-assessment…