Presents various modifications to the traditional school day and year such as extending the school day, increasing the number of instructional days, or rescheduling school breaks throughout the year. Provides economic, instructional, and lifestyle implications. Also addresses such issues as teachers' professional development, air-conditioning,…

Unsuccessful at easing teachers into heterogeneous grouping practices, an Indiana principal used a small grant allowing teachers to view thematic instruction, cooperative learning, and flexible-scheduling innovations at sister schools. For a modest cost (substitutes, lunch, and mileage), teachers made greater attitude changes in one year than…

The classrooms of two teachers, two aides, and six children (ages four to eight) with autism were reorganized in their play materials and equipment, room arrangements, and scheduling of instruction and play periods. Adult smiling and affectionate words increased in the free play area, and children's use of play materials and compliance with adult…

Describes the revised social studies curriculum at Wausau West High School (Wisconsin). Discusses interdisciplinary cooperation among teachers, team teaching, and emphasis on higher order thinking skills. Contends that flexible scheduling and varying class size contribute to the program's effectiveness. (CFR)

Describes various forms of block scheduling at the high school level and offers guidelines for scheduling special-education courses. Stresses the importance of special and regular teacher communication and collaboration, the use of different instructional strategies during the longer blocks, and positive effects of block scheduling on student…

To garner student perceptions, a questionnaire listing questions for math, science, and foreign language was sent to the 1997, 1996, and 1995 graduates of two Pennsylvania high schools that had implemented the 4X4 semester-block-scheduling model. Overall, students felt their block-scheduled high school prepared them adequately for college. (MLH)

Observes that the development of new instructional technologies has produced a proliferation of distance learning courses and programs. Examines one mode of distance learning, known as asynchronous learning networks, and discusses some pedagogical principles and practices that can guide this delivery mode. Points to some positive aspects of online…

In this interview, a high school art teacher explains why her initial enthusiasm for block scheduling evaporated. Problems arose with foreign-language instruction, science labs, lesson planning, field trips, space utilization, supplies, and overenrollment in elective subjects like music and art. Teachers had little control or administrative…

Describes what is meant by "positive behavioral support" (PBS) for students with challenging behavior, the value of exploring why a student exhibits challenging behavior, and certain key PBS strategies teachers can implement in their classrooms. Relevant resources for those interested in implementing PBS are provided. (Author/CR)

Studied relationship between adolescents' sleep/wake habits and daytime functioning. Found that self-reported total sleep times decreased from age 13 to 19 years. Struggling or failing students obtained less sleep, went to bed later, and had greater weekend delays of sleep than those with better grades. Students with inadequate sleep reported…

To help beginning teachers succeed, principals should identify individual teachers' strengths and weaknesses during the interviewing/hiring stage, balance neophytes' workloads, limit their extracurricular activities, establish expectations, select veteran mentors, offer informal formative assessment, be specific about classroom observations, and…

This case study reflects block scheduling's effects on advanced-placement mathematics courses of one veteran teacher tracking personal progress since 1989. Block scheduling began in 1994, creating problems for the teacher, whose resistance to the reform was based on declining advanced-placement scores. Teacher attitude and insufficient…

Interviews with 64 college students with disabilities investigated attitudes toward study abroad and perceived barriers to participation. Subjects cited lack of knowledge about programs, lack of assistive devices and services, and financial issues as barriers. Students favored inclusionary programs over those just for students with disabilities,…

Discusses ways to implement interdisciplinary teams to create high performance learning communities for students. Considers team tasks and needs, applying team tasks to responsive school structures, and enhancing instruction through flexible time use. (JPB)

Believes that music-teacher education is the most important link for ensuring the quality of music programs in grades K through 12. Addresses a variety of issues concerning music education that should be taught to future music teachers, such as dealing with block scheduling, teaching diverse students, and integrating technology into the music…