Learning and personal development are integral to being a person, and learning and teaching are integral to life as a social being. "Understanding Children's Informal Learning" presents children's informal learning out-of-school and explores how this knowledge can enhance teaching and learning practice in the classroom. The authors focus…

Nearly a decade after "Social Justice Art," innovative arts educator Marit Dewhurst returns with a new edition offering further guidance for developing meaningful, justice-centered art programming. Reflecting on a growing interest in the field and its place within larger movements that uses creative strategies to drive social change,…

The goal of the University of Southern California (USC) WonderKids Program is to expose students to numerous Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers in an after-school setting. Elementary school students explore STEM fields with hands-on curricula and guest speakers from those fields. In partnership with the USC/Norris…

This anthology shares educational practices to engage young people in critical digital media consumption and production. Comprehensive frameworks and teaching guidance enable educators to empower students to use digital technologies to respond to the social, political, economic, and other critical issues in their real-life and online communities.…

A math walk is a planned walk during which students talk about mathematical concepts embedded in their everyday environments. The walk is based on relatively permanent objects or locations, such as trees, artworks, playground equipment, and building elements, and can be shared with the broader school community in a variety of different ways. In…

For many students, the summer is a time for family vacations, new friendships, new adventures in camps and summer learning programs, or taking summer classes to catch up or get ahead in school. For some families, affordable summer programs and camps can be a lifeline, while other families who may not be able to afford summer programs or activities…

Young children are full citizens. They have full rights to use their "hundred languages," hands, and thoughts to contribute to the field of science. The founder of the Reggio Emilia approach, Loris Malaguzzi, emphasizes in his famous poem that every child has a hundred ways of discovering the world and a hundred worlds to invent. Today's…

Student-scientist-teacher interactions provide students with several advantages. They provide opportunities to interact with experts and professionals in the field, give students a chance at meeting a role model that may impact students' career choices, and increase awareness of available career options combined with an understanding of how their…

Less than one-third of children and adolescents in the United States are meeting the recommendation from the "2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" to get 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Schools can help students meet this national recommendation because close to 60 million children and adolescents attend…

Family and Community Partnerships: Promising Practices for Teachers and Teacher Educators, offers a fresh new look at the competencies, strategies, and practices that effective educators develop to build strong partnerships with families and communities. Written by leaders in the field, the book is an outgrowth of a cutting-edge initiative led by…

Severe flooding was prevalent within the authors' region at the beginning of the school year. Many homes and fields were affected by the amount of rain that fell within a short period of time over multiple days. Their students were concerned about the impact this natural phenomena was having on their local community. Natural phenomena can provide…

For many students, the summer is a time for family vacations, new friendships, new adventures in camps and summer learning programs, or taking summer classes to catch up or get ahead in school. For some families, affordable summer programs and camps can be a lifeline, while other families who may not be able to afford summer programs or activities…

Locally or individually, STEM programs provide additional opportunities to engage K-12 students, including those from marginalized groups, with the support of STEM outreach organizations through the co-construction and implementation of STEM activities during school, out of school, at home, and in the community. Research suggests that…

Health Professionals are needed to address and improve health status. This paper presents a teaching technique that will help students acquire and develop applied health education and promotion skills. This paper introduces a 7C Framework to encourage teachers to use Challenge, Courage, Commitment, Competence, Connection, Contribution, and…

This document provides guidance to district administrators, principals, teachers, and other staff who work with children and youth on how to select and organize school-based out-of-school time programs aimed at improving academic achievement.