Practical Life holds profound significance within the Montessori philosophy, captivating educators and students alike. Here, Montessori beautifully connects these concepts of dignity and independence to the skills children learn in their Montessori classroom. The author has a particular interest in fiber arts and crafts, and in this article, the…

This quantitative study examined the effects of an online synchronous orientation on the final grade of students enrolled in a first-term online class. The multifactor orientation focused on several factors which are thought to contribute to online student success, including organizational skills, goal setting, orientation to the online classroom,…

With most students around the world having experienced remote learning over the past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of teachers and schools has become all the more evident. Temporary school closures underline how richly students benefit from being in school with their teachers and classmates. "Positive, High-achieving…

This article juxtaposes the notion of "wuwei" in Daoism and philosophical principles of self-organization in systems theory to re-imagine classroom dynamics in which pedagogical relationships, students' interactions with texts, and peer interplay come together to enable an open system of education, learning, and growth. "Wuwei"…

This article looks at how time might be viewed differently in the classroom, drawing on the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze in order to frame the exploration. It asks how teachers might become more attuned to difference, uncertainty and possibility in their classrooms and questions the wisdom of viewing the learning process in linear ways. The…

Allocated classroom time is not the same as time available for learning--a host of economic and social stressors undermine learning time in schools serving low-income students. When time is limited, it is hard to meet rigorous learning standards. The challenge is compounded in high-poverty schools where community stressors place additional demands…

Students' relationships with authority and information are changing rapidly, and this presents a new set of interpersonal boundary challenges for faculty. The topic of setting boundaries often conjures up thoughts of how to protect oneself. The intent of this chapter is to explore how good rapport between teacher and student can be developed and…

This article examines two constructs--ritual and intellectual integrity--as they might unfold in early childhood settings. The authors use the popular practices of closed-ended crafts, calendar exercises, and worksheets to highlight the difference between learning experiences that have become formulaic habits and those that reflect rich and potent…

The need for properly administered classroom discipline is manifested by misbehaving students desiring structure that reveals the importance of managing time, distinguishes between right and wrong, and supports the notion of perseverance. Top performers in administration and teaching understand and practice effective discipline by reinforcing and…

Uses data from ethnographic study in two Quechua-speaking communities of Puno, Peru, to explore schooltime spent in other-than-academic endeavors. Documents uses to which schooltime is put in these communities, and then seeks to account for observed uses of time in terms of ethnographically derived insights as to social, cultural, economic, and…

This report brings together empirically-based studies on classroom organization and management and outlines practices that facilitate creation of a classroom system that is both preventive and interventional. The nine sections focus on: using research to create a classroom management system (arranging the classroom, planning rules and procedures,…

This study examined differences at the classroom level between Kentucky schools with minimum versus large gaps in academic achievement between particular groups of students. Data were gathered via observations of 213 classrooms at 18 elementary, middle, and high schools. Although all the schools were identified as high-performing in terms of…