Elementary teachers often instigate competition among their students through such common statements as: "Students who make 100 on the spelling test may have 10 minutes of extra center time" and "The most creatively written story this week will be placed on the bulletin board." While such pronouncements motivate some students into action, they…

Some research studies indicate that a content knowledge gap exists between minority and non-minority children, especially young children from poor families. One factor contributing to this problem may be that teachers expect minority children to learn subject matter at a slower rate than their counterparts. It has been found that teachers'…

If educators are to bridge the black/white achievement gap, they must find a way to engage low-income and minority youth in academic learning. While ample evidence indicates that some teachers are highly effective in engaging students, the persistence of the achievement gap suggests that most are far less effective at engaging African American…

Defines an anti-bias curriculum as accepting the legitimacy of children's home languages, acknowledging all attempts at communication, and promoting active involvement of traditional, extended, and non-traditional families. Examines anti-bias education, language, and literacy. Identifies six tenets of anti-bias educators. Advocates laying the…

Aboriginal people have been described as the most educationally disadvantaged group of people within Australia. Their participation rates at all levels of education are lower than those of non-Indigenous Australians. In an effort to enhance the learning and teaching of Aboriginal students, education systems are seeking appropriate strategies and…

Explores the experiences of one preschool teacher as she introduced story writing activities into her classroom, including changes in teacher expectations. Describes children's story writing, which used pictures and letter-like forms, and notes the relationship between child temperament and eagerness to share stories with other children. Describes…

Considers addressing problems of urban schools by basing educational practices on effective schools literature and accepted middle school concepts. Recommends ways to improve inner-city schools which include teaching educators to understand urban learners, teaching higher-order and critical thinking skills, pairing adult mentors with learners, and…

This article deals with human desperation at its worst--the desperation of children who, through no fault of their own, live lives few of us can imagine. They are child prostitutes. The impetus for this article came through the senior author's work with the Office of Disaster Prevention and Preparedness and Labor and Social Affairs (DPP-LSA) in…

Discusses the effect of a teacher's expectations about a class and individuals in the class on his or her body language and style of interacting with students. Effects on students' self-expectations, self-concepts, and achievement are also considered. Presents a Five-Finger Rule designed to help teachers foster positive interactions with students.…

Examines gender bias in classes teaching English as a second language. Considers the role of teacher expectations in student achievement, especially for the Latina population. Maintains that school administrators and teachers must work together to increase their awareness of gender bias in ESL classes and work to dispel stereotypes. (KB)

Maintains that corporal punishment should be banned from every school as a means of classroom discipline, and presents teachers and administrators with workable alternatives to disciplining children. (BB)

Changing school demographics, coupled with a teaching force that is predominantly white and female, has created a growing discrepancy between teachers and the students they teach. Many children and children in poverty do not display the behaviors or experience the type or degree of success in school as white or middle-class students do.…