This article describes a classroom where children accept responsibility for their own education. The classroom is a microsociety in which the children learn skills of decision making, communication, self-management, self-motivation, and problem solving. A scenario for this prescription is included. (JA)

Presents one teacher's classroom techniques for teaching responsibility through real-world learning experiences. Wall charts rotate everyday jobs. Students apply for challenging jobs. A lottery system determines who gets favorite jobs. Students vote on who organizes special events. (SM)

A teacher shares her method of handling a student who was upsetting the class and the teacher. The method for one student became a new system that made all the students responsible for their own behavior. (MT)

A teacher's choice of words can have a powerful effect on students' depth of thinking. Words can be either "think stoppers" or "think starters." A strategy to help students become responsible thinkers is suggested, and several classroom situations are evaluated to show how thinking can be encouraged. (MT)

An almanac of activities helps elementary students learn about rights in their lives. The activity book focuses on the Bill of Rights and on student rights in the home, school, and community. It includes posters, student activities, resource lists, and teaching aids. (SM)

Students can and should learn to discipline themselves. This article describes results of one teacher's reflective deliberations on how to handle certain problem students by shifting responsibility for appropriate behavior from the teacher to the student. A brief guide for teachers, "Handling Typical Discipline Scenes," is included. (IAH)

Describes how to boost elementary students' confidence and nurture responsibility by making students resident experts at review stations. Students rotate from station to station where the experts are learning at their own pace, spending more time on material they do not understand, and receiving personal attention and immediate feedback. (SM)

Presents strategies to help students resist peer pressure. The peer pressure reversal technique involves checking out the scene, making good decisions about their actions, and acting to avoid trouble. A reproducible student page provides several suggestions of wording for students to use in saying no to their friends. (SM)

Presents strategies that involve students in managing their own classrooms. The ideas include a teacher's mailbox for student suggestions, a classroom bill of rights and responsibilities, class jobs, an evaluation calendar, a bulletin board company, and an advice-to-the-teacher card. A student page offers an evaluation calendar. (SM)

Discusses six proactive strategies to help teachers improve classroom discipline: (1) move around the room; (2) teach social skills; (3) have a sense of humor; (4) don't personalize unruly behavior; (5) look for causes of discipline problems; and (6) promote student responsibility. (SM)

Describes how to motivate students to learn by having them teach back to the class what they have just learned from the teacher. Students break into small groups and brainstorm how to teach what has just been presented, then the teacher picks one group to teach back to the class. (SM)

Describes how to handle noncompliant students in the classroom. Suggestions include eliminating excessive expectations, encouraging assertiveness, offering options and choices, giving the students specific responsibilities, taking control of homework, taking steps to avert potentially oppositional behavior, strategically rewarding compliance,…

Describes one elementary teacher's experience when a minor event (a student forgetting to bring a permission slip and lunch for a field trip) resulted in a major class lesson in responsibility. Another teacher and a social worker present their perspectives on the situation and provide suggestions for teaching responsibility. (SM)