Discusses how preservice and inservice teachers can promote a more equitable learning environment. The article describes how teachers can examine their own values and beliefs, discusses stereotyping, offers strategies for reflecting on self-awareness, and presents strategies for providing more equitable instruction for all students. (SM)

Frequency and quality of cooperative learning activities in fourth through sixth grade were correlated with measures of students' attitudes toward school, perceptions of classroom climate, intrinsic motivation, and performance on a reading comprehension and standardized achievement test. Found that effects of cooperative learning depended on the…

Asserts that in order for simulations to work well they need to operate within the constraints of a pre-designed set of rules. The simulation needs to incorporate an articulation of these rules, the simulation activity, and a thorough debriefing. Includes a set of questions and activities designed to facilitate debriefing. (MJP)

Surveyed students and parents from 122 public elementary schools to examine relations among school characteristics, parent involvement, and parent perceptions. Found that specific characteristics were associated with higher and lower parent participation at the individual level and at the school level. (LPP)

Examines selected factors associated with classroom climate (satisfaction, friction, competition, difficulty, cohesiveness) as perceived by fourth-grade students and explores the relationship between those factors and student academic achievement in the areas of reading, math, and language. Findings indicate that climate plays a relatively minor…

Examines the origins of school knowledge, and proposes a new tool for analyzing in-class teaching phenomena for different disciplines. Teachers who have mastered the structures of their own discipline's teaching content analyze and compare the contents of other disciplines, thus addressing multidisciplinary teaching problems with a didactic…

Presents a case study of third graders' development of place value conceptions to illustrate an approach for documenting students' mathematical development in the social context of the elementary school classroom. Documents the evolution of communal mathematical practices in which students participate and the development of individual…

Examines issues in the assessment of the special educational needs of children for whom English is a second language, and identifies notions that actually prevent good practices. Urges more attainable practices that focus assessment on the learning environment, including the "where,""with whom,""from whom,""when,""what," and "how" of the child's…

Theorizes the spatial dynamics of both traditional and Internet-networked classrooms to reveal that both exhibit indeterminate spatial characteristics, but that network connectivity renders this indeterminacy visible. Argues that networked classrooms need not be disorienting, if students recreate a center by designing a class Web site, creating…

Discusses the linguistic and cultural challenges faced by Japanese students who are receiving their education in U.S. schools. Provides a historical perspective on education in Japan and discusses parent involvement, the culture of Japanese schools, differences in the teacher/student relationship, group identity, gender distinctions, personal…

Investigated two approaches to all-day kindergarten to determine their differential effects on the students. One approach provided teacher training and support; the other did not. Found that children in the program with teacher training and support were rated by teachers as more developmentally competent, exhibiting more prosocial classroom…

Discusses features of a middle school program for students with emotional or behavioral disorders, noting how these features promote a secure, inviting environment that meets the students' emotional and psychological needs. Topics include the special education teacher's involvement with regular classroom teachers; focus on student behaviors; and…

Used hierarchical linear modeling to explore the effects of the social context of Chapter 1 prekindergarten classrooms on 4-year-olds' learning. Found that children made smaller gains on the Preschool Inventory over the preschool year in classrooms with higher concentrations of minorities, children with special needs, recent immigrants, and…

Steps taken by instructional designers in constructing a case study for use in faculty development are outlined, from the original case study idea to selection of an appropriate classroom incident, writing the case, and planning the teaching process (identifying relevant issues, preparing discussion questions, and organizing discussion). The text…

Recommends music teachers setting up management systems that delegate some tasks to others in order to accomplish their myriad duties and avoid burnout. Contains numerous examples of delegated tasks, including student self-governing systems and home practice systems. Describes how some tasks can be handled by student organizations. (MJP)