A kindergarten teacher tested her theory that her students could progress beyond learning a letter a week by creating a project to introduce students to letter names and sounds. By using interactive writing and key words, she encouraged students to write. In the process, they learned alphabet letters and sounds. (Author/SM)

A high school teacher researched the use of journals with art students. The teacher describes the research, obstacles, and redirection, noting that though students were not enthusiastic about journals in art class, many admitted that writing helped with their art. The research project improved communication between her and her students. (SM)

A high school English teacher used Foxfire principles to teach two classes, one with students who lacked successful school experiences and one with students who had more success in school but needed structured environments. Students became more active participants in learning through positive learning experiences, forging bonds with the teacher.…

Sixth-grade teachers from diverse content areas and specialized fields came together as teacher-researchers to infuse principles of literacy/language learning across the curriculum, targeting low-achieving students. Through reflective inquiry, they gained insights into new strategies as they revised their roles from content area teachers to…

A fourth-grade teacher examined what would happen to black students' math performance when they worked with partners they selected. Using cognitively guided math principles, she observed students and adapted her teaching methods, then surveyed the students. The paper explains why and how this partnering was successful. (SM)

A fourth-grade teacher examined whether students could develop their own questions about reading selections. She observed students, discussed their reading preferences, and evaluated the effectiveness of their question writing. By utilizing the questioning process, the children learned to be more confident, independent learners capable of…

A high school biology teacher studied the use of both competitive and noncompetitive games in classroom learning. Students were surveyed to find out how they felt about the games and what they learned from them. Results indicated that games helped students improve self-esteem, peer relationships, and learning. Competition provided motivation but…

A sixth-grade social studies teacher examined how to give her students more autonomy. By teaching them how to function in cooperative learning environments, the teacher noticed significant improvements in student-teacher interaction, a lessening of disciplinary problems, and a strengthening of individual student leadership. (Author/SM)

A second-grade teacher helped her students improve self-confidence and self-esteem by making them active in their assessment. Using cooperative learning, portfolio assessment, surveys, and interviews, she examined whether students could assess their own abilities and improve classwork. Students gained pride in their work and participated more…