Every teacher hits a patch where each day seems to bring the same struggles, sometimes with the same kids, sometimes with different ones. At these moments, teachers may feel like everything is about to derail. How they cope with these behavioral problems, especially at the start of the year, can set the tone for success or failure in the months…

Not long ago, "summer reading" meant settling under a shady tree with a hefty book. Shady trees are still around, but books with pages can seem as out-of-date as vinyl records to many kids, especially older ones. Today, they scroll through content online, swipe pages on tablets, and manage a near-constant stream of media. Teachers can take…

Despite the expansion of bully-proofing programs in recent years, many teachers feel they lack the training necessary to manage the complexities of friendship at work in the classroom and on the playground. Teachers want their students to be friends and to be kind to each other. The reality is, all children have moments in which they are unkind.…

Blaming teachers for all that is wrong with the American school system is very "en vogue." Teachers are blamed when test scores are down, when the latest silver-bullet solution fails, and when graduation rates fall to an all-time low. All of this blame, says the author, creates an environment where the work of teachers is not respected, making it…

This article considers the teaching role of the elementary school media specialist and ways that cooperation with other teachers in the school may be developed. (SJL)

Inquiry-based learning is about more than moving desks out of those neat rows and avoiding lecture and recitation, says the author in his newest book, "Engaging Readers & Writers With Inquiry". It is about turning the way teachers teach upside down and inside out by asking students the big questions and letting them find their own way to the…

A systematic approach which clearly defines teacher, student, and parent roles in homework is described, including discussion of homework policies, homework returns, study areas, survival kits, and time management. (CB)

Sometimes teachers do not understand their principals. Some teachers think that principals have forgotten what it's like to be in a classroom. To provide insight into what principals think, the author asked several principals in a variety of schools. This article presents the attitudes, concerns, and priorities of principals.

At Gainfield Elementary School, Southbury, Connecticut the principal emphasizes professional development for the entire teaching staff. Teachers have ownership of the curriculum and the teaching process. Imaginative programs welcome preschoolers prior to kindergarten and prepare fifth graders for their move to junior high school. (MT)

Two plans for classroom management are included under this topic: "Nine Ways Kids Need You and How You Can Manage to Meet those Needs" by Marva T. Dixon and "Routine Ways to Better Your Teaching" by Jane Bluestein. (JMK)

Briefly discusses the teacher's role in reporting suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. (JMB)

This article discusses the results of a survey of more than 1,300 new teachers regarding reasons for becoming teachers, beliefs about sex education, values education, and many other current issues. (MT)

Children have been taught since birth to believe they can do anything they choose, from starring in the school play to mastering long division. All that self-confidence, however, has not produced more capable students. The Brookings Institution 2006 Brown Center Report on Education finds that countries in which families and schools emphasize…

In an interview, Barbara Koppman, a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and curriculum writer, expresses her opinions on professional standards, teacher morale, teacher evaluation, the use of master teachers, professional organizations for teachers, teacher image in the media, and the school's role in solving social problems. (JN)

Five examples are used to show how a teacher can help pupils recognize their own self worth. (MT)