Evaluated the effectiveness of peace education efforts in eight classrooms in four urban elementary schools, comparing the Montessori and Second Step approaches to peace education. Found that the Montessori approach produced the most peaceful classroom due to the democratic, student-centered, holistic nature of Montessori education. (MDM)

Discusses the problem of school safety and classroom disruption resulting from a few students' acts and threats of violence, and offers advice on how to deal with it. The article reviews how these disruptions harm other students' education and addresses administrative roadblocks and legal problems in curbing student violence and bad behavior. (GR)

Analyzes observations of a writing workshop in a first-grade classroom, finding the children's conferencing and their peer interactions were highly influenced by gender and equity issues. Shows that boys maintained that girls were not adequate conferencing partners; girls did not understand why they were excluded by boys; and certain boys were…

In February 1995, a group of six teachers from various countries met at East Carolina University to discuss school safety and discipline issues. Although school environments differ, all teachers agreed that gaining the student's heart was a more effective classroom-management technique than fear or intimidation. All prized laughter and disliked…

For 436 kindergartners, teachers completed a measure of teacher-student relationships and mothers completed a behavior checklist. Patterns of teacher-student relationships were similar to patterns of parent-child attachment, and teacher-student relationships were related to child behavior at home and school. (BC)

Describes a method of developing user-based objectives for bibliographic instruction that utilizes content analysis to code self-reports by library users according to a taxonomy of library speech acts in the affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor domains. Analysis of one student's library reports and translation of the analysis into enabling…

Examined linkages between the family and school social systems as children make the transition to school. Recorded parent-child interactions in a physical play session prior to children's entrance into school. Found that the length of time in physical play was related to social adjustment in school. (MM)

An eco-behavioral observation system was developed for use with students with behavior disorders or emotional disturbances. Discussed are the ecosystem definition, the student-instructional setting interface, and the assessment procedure, including evaluation of the quality of academic responding, program evaluation, staff development, and…

This review identifies effects of systematic abuse of adolescents (physical, sexual, or psychological); the relationship of maltreatment to classroom behavior problems; intervention; and classroom management issues (e.g., negative consequences, sexuality, dependency behaviors). Educators are encouraged to provide an integrative rehabilitative…

Presents study results showing that a range of modes of interactive organization coexist in expert-novice problem-solving activity and vary with the asymmetry of the relationships. Reports that by combining high achieving status with task-related expertise, the resulting interactive dynamic is guidance/tutoring. Argues for multidimensional…

This paper summarizes and critiques the empirical research of the 1970s and 1980s on identification processes and descriptions of mathematically gifted students, both precocious students who score well on tests and overlooked students with unique ways of doing mathematics. The paper describes students' family backgrounds, behaviors, cognitive…

Explains factors that influence novice teachers' discipline problems to help students, novice teachers, and teacher educators deal with the problems. The article describes assertiveness as a process for dealing with and preventing such problems and discusses reasons why it can be useful and effective. (SM)

To assist teachers in promoting successful transitions of preschool children with handicaps to integrated preschools or kindergartens, this article summarizes research findings on teachers' classroom organization, behavioral characteristics of most and least independent children in mainstream settings, and differences in the instructional…

Among 148 college students taking a self-adapted computerized test of basic algebra skills, higher self-confidence and lower test anxiety were related to choosing more difficult first items but were not related to later choices. Overall, examinees chose items of moderate difficulty relative to their ability level. (SV)

This commentary on a paper (EC 603 646) describing a natural reinforcement project of Communidad Los Horcones (Mexico) notes that the original paper lacks auxiliary procedures for students whose behaviors are not controlled by described procedures, offers no guidance on curriculum structure, and fails to recognize potential opposition to such…