This article discusses the importance of teachers validating a student's feelings and helping them find a voice to express those feelings. When teachers play that role, they are offering that student the chance to cultivate deeper social-emotional skills and close the gap between the intent of their words and actions and the resulting impact on…

Jackson--a former teacher, now a speaker and author--shares techniques he used as a new high school teacher to handle disruptive behaviors and threatening conduct from students, while remaining respectful and compassionate about the realities kids faced. His suggestions: establish rules early on and stick to them unwaveringly; understand your…

If classrooms teachers play the lead role in establishing relationships that help students do their personal best, principals are leaders in creating good school environments for adults. Westerberg, former principal of award-winning Littleton High School in Colorado, shares six principles that help create positive schoolwide relationships. Drawing…

The importance of teachers' influence is confirmed by a recent survey the author and his colleagues conducted of more than 300 teachers and administrators representing a mix of urban, rural, and suburban schools. In analyzing responses to an open-ended question about the greatest influences on respondents' professional practice, they found that…

Many learning strategies endorsed by curriculum and instruction publications have never demonstrated their worth in objective experimental evaluations. Most researchers agree that cognitive strategies should be taught in conjunction with content and in response to learner needs and capabilities. Teacher modeling and self-regulation lie at the…

Most educators are lifelong learners, but too few seize opportunities to share their passions, interests, and knowledge with their students. To honor lifelong learners, schools can carve out a staff retreat with well-stocked bookshelves, create a database of experts on all topics, celebrate unusual holidays and little-known world events, and hold…

To help strengthen their students' self-esteem and increase their chances for success, teachers must assume an attitude of 100 percent responsibility, focus on the positive, monitor their own self-talk, use classroom support groups, identify personal strengths and resources, set goals and objectives, use guided visualization, take action, and…

An analysis of more than 200 studies that investigated the effectiveness of various kinds of teacher training methods. (Author/MLF)

Faculty members of the University of Illinois' College of Education and teachers in the Urbana School District are collaborating to improve elementary teacher education. Key elements of the program's Language and Literacy block are its integrated, holistic approach to language instruction and reliance on classroom videotapings to improve student…

According to SCORE, actively engaged students are energized by four goals (success, curiosity, originality, and relationship) that satisfy certain human needs. Educators can motivate students to produce high-quality work by clearly articulating success criteria, providing constructive feedback, modeling skills, and portraying success as an…

When faced with real-world problems, students devise accurate, logical, and creative solutions using skills connecting to different subject areas. Students are intrigued by assignments involving preservation of species and design of environmentally friendly products and transit systems. Problem-based learning depends on coaching, modeling, and…

Young people who daily endure hateful words, slurs, and epithets at school often become fearful and/or enraged. No magic solution or program exists. Teachers must firmly, consistently interrupt usage of degrading language and model acceptable behaviors. Such interventions reduce escalating situations and reassure vulnerable students. (MLH)

As a facilitator of teacher learning, the author builds professional reading into her schedule and listens to her students more purposefully. To reinvent herself as a teacher educator, she began substitute teaching, is collaborating with area teachers, has modified assignments to create a more student-centered classroom, is completing assignments…