The demand for workers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers is increasing in the United States. This increase has led to a growing urgency to implement STEM education in classrooms, including early childhood. STEM education is necessary to help students develop the skills to succeed in STEM careers. Integrating the…

Not your typical how-to manual for new teachers, this no-nonsense, jargon-free elementary school teacher resource offers a wide variety of tools and tactics for getting through every school day with grace and sanity. Covered in glue, glitter, orange juice--or worse? Make a quick change into the spare set of clothes you keep on hand for just this…

This opinion paper concentrates on changes in instruction and educational philosophy necessary if urban schools are to become more effective. Learning principles for these schools should be the following: (1) teachers should assist students in developing and maintaining interest; (2) learning experiences should be meaningful; (3) students must…

These standards are provided to promote the achievement of excellence in Maryland's public school prekindergarten programs. To that end, this document delineates standards of quality and provides a list of indicators that concretely describe what a program will look like if the standards are being met. The standards and indicators address seven…

This guide for the Integrated Kindergarten Program in the Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools presents the instructional kindergarten program in three strands. The first strand, integrated language arts, contains ten units that encompass social studies, environmental science, art, language arts, and health. This strand also contains computer…

Teachers, principals, and supervisors need to study, analyze, and appraise relevant issues in the social studies curriculum. This paper identifies different issues that can be considered in social studies, and points out the reasons for and against utilizing the different instructional materials, teaching methods, educational objectives, and…

Describes the teaching-upbringing complex (UVK), a new type of Soviet school that attempts to deal with raising and educating children in an integrated manner. Stresses combining required subjects with students' special interests to encourage student achievement and teacher involvement. Concentrates on the development of self-expression and…

This guide to designing activity-oriented classrooms for grades K-3 is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 provides an overview of research findings concerning the way children learn and the environments that best facilitate their learning. Chapter 2, which explains ways to set up an activity-oriented classroom, covers the administration's role…

Designed for teachers and others involved in the development of early childhood education programs, the resource guide presents a model for teaching children, ages four through seven. Part 1 presents a brief overview of the growth and background of early childhood education in Maryland. Part 2 traces the origins and development of kindergarten…

This training module for inexperienced elementary classroom assistant teachers provides information on what their job consists of, what is occurring in American elementary schools, and possibilities for paraeducators. The 12 chapters are: (1) "Who Are You?"; (2) "Are You Qualified?"; (3) "What Can You Expect?"; (4) "What about Instruction?"; (5)…

The case studies presented in this volume offer comparative examples of undergraduate international education innovations in a wide variety of categories: curriculum, study abroad, community outreach, faculty development, and international students. The studies were conducted in the mid-1990s, and programs had to meet several criteria: they had to…

Intended for administrators of schools within the Hawaii Department of Education, this document provides descriptions of 34 alternative strategies implemented by small, rural, and/or isolated secondary schools across the nation to improve the quality of their vocational programs. Introductory materials discuss the document's purpose, the need for…

This manual provides a tool for training community-based primary school teachers with a focus on a child-centered approach. There are 34 sections: (1) "Who an Affective Teacher Is"; (2) "How Children Learn"; (3) "Schemes of Work" and "Records of Work"; (4) "The Lesson"; (5) "Lesson Plan";…