Preparing students to be competitive in the 21st century global economy is undoubtedly one of the major goals of all educators. Studies have shown that students who have an increased exposure to engaging STEM courses at the high school level are more likely to enter STEM majors at the collegiate level and, thus, STEM industries post-graduation…

Some features of project work are of value for toddlers, while others are best left until children are older. This article shares the process through which teachers and administrators at a private school in Mexico City gained awareness of the importance of listening, observing, and documenting children's activities to determine how to adapt…

One of the biggest present challenges for teachers, especially in primary classrooms, is the need to address the content standards in all subject areas with the same amount of instructional time. While curriculum integration continues to be a powerful strategy to meet this challenge, teachers often find it difficult to bridge the gap between…

One way to help preservice teachers to articulate and advocate their teaching stance is by developing their knowledge, skills, and confidence in their ability to carefully, didactically, and strategically plan for instruction. The Integrative Research Project (IRP) is a planning process that enables the preservice teacher to incorporate not only…

Early childhood teachers face a daunting task when trying to incorporate so many important ideas into curriculum planning. Fortunately, standards are not prescriptive in how they are to be implemented. Teachers who are well versed in standards and developmentally appropriate practices "can" provide meaningful experiences for children. How can…

As Universal Pre-K efforts sweep the nation, so does the development of state standards that define the skills and the knowledge that young children should be developing. The goal of these standards is to ensure the school readiness of all students. While the goals mentioned in this article are taken from the New Jersey Department of Education's…

Three brief articles by teachers in Foxfire's East Tennessee Teachers' Network discuss developmentally appropriate practices for high school students and young adults, and describe the use of group work in a high school English class and class projects concerned with local history and wetlands ecology. (SV)

Describes how an inquiry-based science project on the life cycle of butterflies provided a developmentally appropriate learning experience in a first and second grade multiage classroom. Maintains that the critical exchange of ideas among students made students' thinking available for inspection, and allowed students to use their talk as a tool…

Six brief articles by elementary school teachers in Foxfire's East Tennessee Teachers' Network focus on applying Foxfire core practices in a developmentally appropriate manner in grades K-3, and describe kindergarten journals, student decision making, and projects involving local history and garbage recycling. (SV)

Uses the example of a fourth-grade class working to have the firefly declared as Pennsylvania's state insect to highlight the effectiveness of dynamic social studies in elementary school. Discusses how dynamic social studies maintains a balance between seriousness and fun by offering a blend of variety, active involvement, and excitement while…

This article focuses on the relevance of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education for science knowledge and content standards for the preK-12 student population. The article includes: (1) a summary of key concepts; (2) a description of the science curriculum standards for K-3 in the United States; and (3) an example of an in-depth…

When teachers lay the weight of the world's ecological problems on elementary students before they have fostered the kind of connectedness that underlies appropriate environmental education, they create a condition of fear and disempowerment called "ecophobia." The paper suggests that teachers must lead with emotional connectedness…

Describes four child-focused and child-sensitive curricular and instructional strategies to increase teachers' understanding of children and quality of teaching: (1) multiple intelligences and different ways of knowing; (2) the Project Approach; (3) the writer's workshop; and (4) balancing reading strategies and cueing systems. Discusses…

Seven brief articles by teachers in Foxfire's East Tennessee Teachers' Network discuss the developmentally appropriate application of Foxfire core practices in grades 4-8, and describe class problem-solving related to student behavior problems, community-based projects, changing student attitudes, and use of Foxfire-style projects with special…

The project approach to teaching allows children to explore a topic in depth and document his or her learning. This guide for teachers shows how good project work can address challenges faced by early childhood teachers, such as overcoming ill effects of poverty, or responding to children with special needs. The book provides guidelines for…