The paper discusses the issue of homework in primary education in Slovakia. It attempts to contribute to uncovering the homework narrative that is created and used by its teaching staff and to relate it to the discourse on homework and its place in education in the Anglo-American environment. The research used content analysis of the written…

This multiple case study explored the characteristics of clinical experiences that support preservice teachers' understandings of culturally responsive literacy in elementary classrooms. In particular, this study focused on capturing the voices and perspectives of three preservice teachers through semi-structured interviews, observations, and the…

This research is located within the call for schools to raise the achievement of students from culturally, linguistically and economically diverse (CLED) backgrounds. It combines quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to compare and contrast preservice teachers' (PSTs) responses to "scenarios" that explore beliefs regarding…

Research Findings: The emergence of standards-based accountability reforms in early childhood education has created new challenges for the field. This article presents findings from a case study that explored how stakeholders in a large urban pre-kindergarten program struggled to implement an assessment tool that aligned the normative academic…

As shown by MetLife's 2010 "Survey of the American Teacher," America's educators strongly believe that all students should graduate from high school ready for college and a career (85 percent). Additionally, according to MetLife's 2009 survey, 86 percent of teachers believe that setting high expectations for students will improve student…

Many young children demonstrate behavior that teachers find challenging. Accordingly, early childhood and elementary educators must be prepared to support children's social development and use effective practices so that children will be less likely to develop or sustain behavior problems. General education reform and legislation direct schools to…

A teacher shares the memories of and the lessons learned from a group of students he taught for 3 years more than 25 years ago. From transcripts of the students' comments at the reunion, five factors emerged as critical to teaching and learning: enthusiasm, engagement, equality, expectations, and encouragement. (Author/MLF)

Reports on a three-year inquiry into intertextuality in early grade classrooms. Identifies intertextual conflicts during teacher-class interactions where teachers are reading texts and guiding children to read. Concludes the greater power of mandated syllabi over teachers and the greater power of teachers over children make intertextuality a…

What constitutes effective reading instruction for urban and ethnically diverse learners has been the topic of a great deal of debate. Particularly, during this time of sweeping mandates and increased calls for accountability. The response from urban schools to The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) serves as the backdrop for this paper which will…

The most effective teachers have the fewest discipline problems. Instead of enlisting professional discipline gurus, principals should heed proponents of effective teaching and mastery learning. When the learning is meaningful, the motivation is provided, and the teaching is appropriate, behavior problems seldom occur. Includes seven references.…

One hundred thirteen elementary students were tested using four standardized instruments; their teachers rated each student on eight bipolar constructs and predicted scores. Results indicate that students who are perceived positively receive higher score predictions, even when academic competence is controlled. Boys seemed to be especially subject…

The relationship between teachers' judgments of students' academic achievement and students' performances on an achievement test was investigated (N=12 teachers; N=47 students). Accuracy of teachers' judgments, the relationship between judgments and performances, and the effect of high vs. low achievement status on judgments were studied.…

Structure plays an important role in current efforts to transform traditional classrooms into collaborative, self-directed learning communities. Teachers work with students to create a sense of order based on shared understandings. The resulting structure has three characteristics: a well-organized classroom environment, predictable daily…

A recent study examined the complex interplay between the evolution of a dialogic community and four elementary teachers' changing beliefs and classroom practices. Teachers' dialog changed from information-sharing and description early in the year to questioning and critique as their involvement in the dialogic community progressed. Reflective…

Hank Levin's educational vision is to accelerate learning of disadvantaged children and bring at-risk students into academic mainstream by end of their elementary school years. Levin believes that, if educators exposed all children to richest experiences and also connected with children's own experiences, their culture, and their community,…