This review will synthesize the results from publications focused on homework time and academic performance, and estimate the relationship between the two. Our objectives are: (1) to identify the extent of the relationship between homework time and students' academic performance; (2) to analyze the differences in the effectiveness of homework time…

This article explores issues that had to be confronted over a three-year period in terms of two New York State funded grants for which I was the evaluator. Major, critical challenges are presented, described, and discussed. Specifically, the paper addresses issues related to lack of planning at the grant design stage that resulted in challenges…

Children's literature can provide useful contexts for teaching mathematics. In this article, the authors discuss the use of the children's book "Measuring Penny" (Leedy 1997) to support Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 2010) related to length measurement. The authors first describe three types of misconceptions…

Art therapists use pictorial image making to help patients communicate feelings through creative expression and cope with traumatic experiences through the artistic processes (Ulman, 2001). With children, art therapy is used as a way to discern their emotional states and determine their relationships to the external world (Edwards, 2008). However,…

While elementary teachers do not typically cover the structure and function of DNA, their students can easily understand that organisms have observable traits, that each individual has a unique combination of traits, and that the "recipe" for traits is passed from parent to offspring. The Genetic Science Learning Center has developed and…

In December 2015, the media was full of Tim Peake and his adventures as he set off for the International Space Station as the first British ESA astronaut. The author set up a class blog as well as a Twitter account and created cross-curricular units of work around the "real" experience. Children really raised their game when they were…

At one elementary school in Massachusetts, students are actually excited about homework. In this article, Cathy Vatterott and educators from Vinal Elementary School explain how--and why--they have made the shift to individualized homework, "a methodical, standards-based approach that starts with big ideas and enduring understandings from the…

The AISD student climate survey provides the opportunity to monitor students' opinions regarding topics such as behavioral environment, adult fairness and respect, student academic self-confidence, teacher expectations, student engagement, and social emotional learning (SEL) skills. [For "Student Climate Survey Results: Spring 2017,…

In classrooms across the country, when students hear the bell ring at 3 p.m., it signals the end of the school day and, for many, the start of an afternoon without supervision, without productive activities and without direction. Afterschool and summer learning programs are filling the invaluable role of providing essential services--such as a…

Homework has been part of students' lives since the beginning or formal schooling in the United States. It is important because it can improve children's thinking and memory. It can help them develop positive study habits and skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Homework also can encourage children to use time well, learn…

In this questions and answer interview with Rachel Dickinson, author of "Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself", the writer discusses her interest in the American pioneer movement, her research, and her goals in introducing readers to the day-to-day life of an American pioneer. Dickinson's book offers a hands-on look at what life…

Struggling readers often fail to complete homework or complete it in a slipshod, haphazard fashion. Often, this adversely affects grades, erodes motivation for academics, and causes conflict between readers, parents, and school personnel. To help teachers and educational consultants (e.g., reading specialists, school psychologists) help struggling…

This article provides a response to Kohn's article entitled "Abusing Research: The Study of Homework and Other Examples" that appeared in the September 2006 issue of the "Kappan." There Kohn asserted that many of those who conduct research on homework and report on that research misrepresent research findings. He specifically mentioned a set of…

Students are under pressure from teachers, parents, and college admissions counselors to maintain high grade point averages, score well on high-stakes tests, participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, and gain admission to top colleges. In fact, surveys have found that most students identify academic pressure as the main reason for…

Different research on literacy demonstrates that the family has an important impact on literacy in general and it seems that there may be an inter-generational transfer of literacy level and reading habits within families. In order to compensate for lack of encouragement of reading at home, different initiatives have been developed involving work…