Discusses the basic principles that shaped the development of Boston University's liberal arts core curriculum. Four areas are addressed: history, tradition, greatness, and relevance. Final comments examine the core experience for teacher educators and describe one professor's success at lessening time-killing human behavior in order to accomplish…

A nationwide survey of braille instructors in adult rehabilitation centers found that: most teachers taught braille to fewer than 20 percent of clients; few taught complex reading skills; instructors' attitudes were influenced by their training site, type of college degree, and degree of vision; and teaching behaviors were affected by teaching…

Learning-oriented physical education students tend to focus on improving skills or mastering the task at hand. Certain teaching behaviors and classroom structures create motivational environments where the importance of goals is conveyed and their adoption facilitated. The article presents guidelines for creating a learning goal orientation in…

Uses the author's experiences as a less-able member of a university choir as metaphor for how less-able readers experience the demands of learning a complex symbol system. Translates the positive experiences as a choir member into classroom contexts. Advocates choral reading, heterogeneous grouping, regular opportunities for practice, limitation…

Compares the decisions facing teachers in current reform proposals to decisions made by teachers participating in the Madison Project in the 1960s. Discusses teaching methods utilized, lesson planning, and teacher/student interactions. Reports Madison Project teacher's responses to interview transcripts of the tutoring project at Berkeley,…

Discusses the teachers' roles and responsibilities in classroom mathematics assessment in the context of the "Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students." Considers the issues of choosing and developing appropriate assessment methods, obtaining and using assessment results, and communicating assessment…

Affection activities (such as hugging, smiling, and saying positive things) can be added to typical preschool games and songs to encourage interaction between handicapped children and nonhandicapped peers. The intervention can be adapted for use with children with diverse handicapping conditions. Typical activities, modified directions for…

A social behavior training package was implemented with 9 children (ages 12-13) with deafness and language disabilities. The package included child training as well as supervision, feedback, and goal-setting by teachers and residential staff members. Target behaviors increased and were generalized across settings, activities, and subjects during…

Activities are included that acquaint students with the parts of birds and the structure of feathers; that identify the prey of owls by opening owl pellets; working with information about threatened and endangered species of birds; and follow-up activities for bird study. A list of state and provincial birds of the United States and Canada and…

Suggests the use of key historical antisocial acts to teach social studies concepts as a means of arousing the interest of adolescents. Recommends overcoming initial sensationalism by shifting emphasis to more appropriate interests. Includes discussion of the Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy assassinations and the Rosenberg spy case. Suggests…

Presented are two classroom techniques to help beginning teachers. The first is a student-sensitive approach to the first day of class using a questionnaire to assess students attitudes toward mathematics and student interests. The second is a suggestion on how to effectively review student homework. (MDH)

The effects of educational practices emphasizing faculty control of the learning process on student effort to learn are explored. Research on student learning is summarized. Educational systems that do not acknowledge student management of their own effort will not succeed. (SLD)

Discusses a system of training inservice mathematics teachers based on the psychoanalytic theories of the Balint group. Illustrates this approach through the analysis of material taken from a recorded session concerning one particular teacher. (MDH)

Investigates K-7 teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and instructional decisions about process writing. Finds that most teachers (1) understand that writing is primarily a communication act; (2) received instruction in process writing and use strategies associated with process writing for instruction; and (3) are progressing toward a level of…

Examines the cultural assumptions about what makes an effective team member. Argues that educators typically design collaborative projects and evaluate student participants by using a Western mode of how people should behave in groups. Suggests pedagogical strategies to prepare students for collaborating with students from many cultures. (RS)