Describes the reaction of first-year composition students to a classroom performance of John Cage's 4'33" [his most (in)famous piece] and discusses the role of silence in the composing process. (NH)

A survey of students in Channel One and control schools showed that regular viewing of Channel One reinforces materialistic attitudes. Youngsters are bombarded daily with advertising from adolescent-oriented radio stations, magazines, and TV programs outside school. Channel One does provide educators with a excellent opportunity to educate youth…

Argues for the use of nonfiction in classrooms. Presents three passages from sources usually far removed from the typical secondary language arts classroom to help make the point. Concludes that just as the study of fiction, drama, and poetry help students explore their thoughts and feelings, nonfiction can offer a reality check with which to…

Shares American Indians' reactions to "Little House on the Prairie," provides a short description of critical pedagogy and critical literacy, and then shares fifth-graders' responses to the book and their move toward critical reading. Concludes with five suggestions for working with historical fiction. (SG)

Describes how patriotism in the wake of September's terrorist attacks is prompting more students to consider ROTC, but not necessarily to enlist. (EV)

Imagine if teachers could view their students' thinking, like peeking inside a pot of cooking stew to see if it is done. Wouldn't it be nice if they could know what their students were learning, while they were teaching them? Most teachers use a variety of classroom techniques to understand what their students know and can do. Tests, quizzes,…

Mathematical reasoning is the cornerstone of mathematics learning and should be the focus of mathematics teaching. Two mathematical problems are presented, which describe students' responses, and highlight how students demonstrated mathematical reasoning in the midst of working on these problems.

The authors explored 294 college students' reactions to a professor's request for a meeting as a function of the clarity of the request and students' attachment style. Students were randomly assigned to read 1 of 2 notes written by a professor--" Please see me" or "I would like to help you understand this material. Please see me." Data collected…

We report some findings of the Longitudinal Proof Project, which investigated patterns in high-attaining students' mathematical reasoning in algebra and in geometry and development in their reasoning, by analyses of students' responses to three annual proof tests. The paper focuses on students' responses to one non-standard geometry item. It…

The use of a photocopier to archive exams consumes photocopier resources and generates a large amount of waste. As an alternative, I have been using a consumer-grade digital camera to document exams in an upper-division biology course. The approach is inexpensive and offers a number of advantages over photocopies. (Contains 2 figures.)

As a result of their own sometimes frustrating educational experiences, and a growing discontent with their current teaching methods, the authors, in conjunction with another instructor, decided to try an experiment. With the goal of enhancing visualization and understanding, the instructors created several multi-path educational paths for the…

The aim of the work presented here was to devise an activity associated with factors affecting boiling points. The intervention used a four-step constructivist-based teaching strategy, which was subsequently evaluated by a cohort of students. Data collection consisted of application of a purpose designed questionnaire consisting of four open-ended…

Student Response Technology (SRT) involves the use of hand-held remotes by students during classroom lectures to electronically respond to questions. This study surveyed 350 students enrolled in one of 13 lower-division university science classes taught by five different instructors who used SRT. The survey probed students' perceptions of SRT in…

Rehabilitation counselors work with clients who have a variety of counseling issues related to grief and loss--including potentially life-threatening illnesses and disabling conditions, the death of loved ones, and loss of employment--and there is a documented need for additional training to serve these clients better. This paper provides an…

This study investigated young children's reports of when learning occurred. A total of 96 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds were recruited from suburban preschools and elementary schools. The children learned an animal fact and a body movement. A week later, children learned another animal fact and another body movement and then answered questions about…