This article suggests that many of the 16-year-olds who don't achieve a C or better in GCSE English may have had parents who didn't recognise the value of talking to them from the moment they were born. It argues that a bringing together of health visitors, Sure Start centres and primary schools could help lift many children out of the cultural…

The "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review" evaluates the quality of programs that provide preservice preparation of public school teachers. This appendix describes the scope, methodology, timeline, staff, and standards involved in the production of "Teacher Prep Review 2014." Data collection, validation, and analysis for the report are…

Assessing individuals' social and emotional (SE) knowledge, attitudes, and skills is a complex task. It requires careful consideration of the assessment purpose, rigor, practicality, burden, and ethics. Once you have considered these factors and have determined that you are, in fact, "Ready to Assess," you are ready to act and choose an…

River Trails School District 26--a K-8 public school district in Mount Prospect, Illinois, with 1,580 students--developed, implemented, and celebrated a student-centered public relations event that focused on reading and technology. The literacy and technology fair drew hundreds of parents, students, staff, and community members to the district…

This article is focused on identifying the current issues in elementary education in the United States. In each of these issues, elementary educators are at the crossroads looking for solutions and directions. Based on the review of literature, the authors pinpoint the upcoming challenges elementary school educators will be facing in the future.…

Project Linking Learning ("Link") was created to target the needs of gifted students in urban school districts with historically underserved populations. Project Linking Learning implemented a linking curriculum between in-class instruction and an afterschool enrichment program for selected students in second through fifth grade.…

In 1983, after over 10 years of working on mathematics education reform in the Philippines, I wrote a paper for a Tokyo conference arguing that education reform in developing countries such as the Philippines should begin by working on macro-problems, namely the social, political, and economic environment of the schools, as a context for the…

The UK National Audit Office (NAO) commissioned RAND Europe to look at the evidence showing the effectiveness of reform of mathematics teaching in primary schools in England. This study looked at government-sponsored evaluations of mathematics reform in England, independent evaluations of the educational outcomes of mathematics reforms in England,…

"Heart Smart," a research-based health promotion program for elementary schools, was tested in four elementary schools. The program's objectives, strategies, curriculum, and other components are described. (Author/MT)

Describes character education, selected research related thereto, and a character-education program at Columbine Elementary School in Woodland Park, Colorado. Describes assessment results of this and other character-education programs and curricula. Includes 11 principles of effective character education such as promotes core ethical values and…

Responding to Bruce Joyce's rebuttal in this same "Kappan" issue, authors reiterate conflict-of-interest concerns and evidence regarding Success for All's failure to improve academic achievement in Miami and elsewhere. Expensive programs unsupported by research distract attention from well-established principles for improving student…

Presents an overview of research on factors that influence the latchkey experience, and a survey that can be used in assessing conditions that exist with latchkey children on the local level. Practical suggestions for the counselor's role are given. (BL)

More than 1,000 students received additional reading help in elementary schools of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, during the 1998-1999 school year as part of the Elementary Reading Improvement Initiative (ERII). Additional resources were allocated to support reading and school development and to implement reading programs based on their…

Describes the preparation and successful introduction into an elementary school of a computer literacy program for pupils and parents. Preparation involved setting up a steering committee, purchase of 18 microcomputers and one disk drive unit, providing inservice training for class teachers, and production of a fifth-grade teaching manual. (EAO)

Summarizes findings from an in-depth study of improvement efforts in Chicago elementary schools, drawing on case studies of over 25 school communities, analyses of administrative records, and survey data gathered from 400 principals and 12,000 teachers. Of the schools most in need of change, one-third have developed strong democratic participation…