According to the author, working collaboratively with every parent in her class has not always been all sunshine and kittens. Creating a successful relationship has always been her goal. There are times that she wants to snatch their cell phones away from their ears and smash them against a wall when they are in the middle of a conference. But for…

Bigger classes are the reality for more and more teachers across the country. In the 2010-11 school year, 57 percent of districts increased their class sizes, and 65 percent anticipate doing so in 2011-12, according to a December 2010 survey by the American Association of School Administrators. So how do teachers cope? Experts and veteran teachers…

After a decade of budget cutbacks for physical education, teachers have noticed a negative impact on their students' academic performance. And they're doing something about it. The author discusses how teachers and parents are launching programs to get kids on their feet and back into shape.

Kids learn by doing, which, experts agree, is the only real way to teach citizenship. This article presents election-year activities that stress action. These activities will show students what it means to be a good citizen. (Contains 6 online resources.)

Every teacher hits a patch where each day seems to bring the same struggles, sometimes with the same kids, sometimes with different ones. At these moments, teachers may feel like everything is about to derail. How they cope with these behavioral problems, especially at the start of the year, can set the tone for success or failure in the months…

The end of the school year is in sight, but it's not too late to help lower-level readers catch up. Experts across the country were asked about the most common obstacles to reading success--and effective ways to over-come them. Their insights and tips can help a teacher make a real difference before summer begins.

The key to challenging talented, advanced students and keeping them engaged and motivated within the regular classroom, says the author, is to spend time each day focusing on students' strengths and interests, and to remember that the classroom is a place for developing all sorts of talents in all students. Seven strategies are proposed to help…

Global warming affects every living thing on Earth--people, plants, and animals. While scientists are working to better understand how the Earth's climate will change over time, some effects are already evident: rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers and polar ice caps, changes in the distribution of plants and animals, increases in intense…

Fourth and fifth graders designed a Space Platform for their playground in an art and math correlation project. (DR)

At some point in their career, most teachers wonder whether administration might be right for them. Some quickly reject the idea; they like what they do and don't want to be too far removed from the children. Some teachers decide not to enter administration because they don't want what they perceive as the additional stress or responsibility that…

Teacher used square dancing as an activity which she hoped would act as a cohesive force in a first grade classroom. (DR)

Suggestions for teachers conducting open houses, in which parents see the progress and work of their children, are presented. Various ways to display student work, make a positive impression, and elicit parent participation are described. (CJ)

Presents conference strategies designed to include primary students and show them that their opinions matter. Teachers must create a good atmosphere, let the children describe their classroom performance, let the parents discuss their children's performance, then devise a group plan of action. Teacher tips for creative conferencing are included.…

The purpose of this article is to try to clarify the idea of social participation by giving some illustration of how it can be developed tn elementary classrooms. (Author)