Parents want to work with their children's teachers to help them succeed in school. "What Brain Research Says about Student Learning" provides parents and teachers the most recent findings in brain research and learning theory in a very approachable way. The reader will see how the child's brain develops, learns, remembers, and creates…

What does it mean to teach with empathy? Whether it's planning and delivering instruction or just interacting with others throughout the day, every action you take is an opportunity to demonstrate empathy toward your students, your colleagues, and yourself. "I'm already empathetic to my students and their stories," you may be thinking.…

The purpose of this paper was to review the literature on teacher efficacy and classroom management. The conceptual framework of this paper was based on the theories of Rotter (1966) and Bandura (1977). The review of literature indicated that teacher efficacy helps teachers plan effective instructional strategies, increases performance, and…

This article discusses my approach to teaching a course on Islam and human rights. I begin by examining the attention Islam has received in the media and classroom. Then, I discuss how I structure lectures on Islam and human rights, the various readings associated with the lectures, as well as common themes discussed in class that include but are…

Bilingual education has taken center stage in Illinois with a new education mandate; many public preschools will be required to offer bilingual education to all three- and four-year-olds who do not speak English. Dual-language (DL) classrooms represent one very promising model in bilingual education that is being used to develop these new…

"Curriculum'n'instruction" is a dynamic and constructed process through which students gain access to both the social and the academic content of lessons. This article examines this process as it develops during the everyday events of the classroom and discusses the relationship between curriculum and instruction. (CB)

A fresh approach to classroom management, which responds both to the present body of knowledge in this area and extends to beginning teachers a practical, flexible, and simple method of maintaining classroom control, is presented. Shortcomings of previous management theories (in particular, the Direct Instruction Model) are discussed, and the need…

Noting that most home-schooling materials adhere to conventional schooling at the cost of creativity, this handbook provides guidelines for building a successful home school curriculum, one that avoids student resentment and parent burnout, targets children's interest and motivation, and understands how a child's developmental stages contribute to…

This paper argues that progressive pedagogy is a viable alternative to more limited basic skill approaches to school reform. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data collected during the fourth year of a 7-year multi-site school reform initiative in a besieged urban district, the paper documents ways in which teachers have dramatically altered…

In an effort to provide prospective teachers with chances to reflect on their professional competence, and to demonstrate their teaching effectiveness and growth, the teacher education program at California State University, Los Angeles, decided to require students to develop portfolios. All students were introduced to the portfolio format during…

The science of physics teaches the world to look beyond what is known and to be creative about visions of the future. Educators, like scientists, are responsible for pointing forward, for looking around and beyond the realm of what is known, to the realm of what could be. Yet, most institutions are restrained by traditional frameworks. Education…

Provides middle-level teachers with suggestions for evaluating their classroom environment to guarantee a positive classroom climate that will enable students to develop a positive self-concept and achieve academically. Presents six evaluative factors that address challenge, freedom, respect, warmth, control, and success issues. (SD)

This paper discusses a study that examined whether 20 typical sixth-grade students and 4 students with special needs in a Strategies Intervention Model (SIM) classroom developed more positive academic and social perceptions over the course of the school year when compared to 22 students in a regular classroom. The SIM is described as a curriculum…

The chapter was prepared for inclusion in a resource book for beginning teachers in Alabama. The author takes a "multiple roles" approach in analyzing the demands on and expectations for the beginning teacher. It is research-based and closes with a "Ten Prescriptions for Success in the Classroom." The author found it to be a…