This document consists of a selection of the best articles previously published in the "Harvard Education Letter." It contains the following articles (without citing the issue in which they originally appeared): (1) "School-Parent Relationships that Work: An Interview with James Comer"; (2) "Unpopular Children"; (3)…

This book is a collection of case studies by 27 educational and industrial leaders describing the implementation of specific Total Quality Management techniques which have demonstrated their value. Essays and their authors are as follows: "Process Improvements Using Team Environments" (Scot M. Faulkner); "Team Effectiveness" (Robert S. Winter);…

The materials presented here are visual aids used in a presentation on citizenship instruction for older and physically challenged adults. They consist of a series of "screens" containing information on: demographic information on samples of citizenship students in 1995 and 1997, illustrating changes in the population; motivations of and barriers…

This textbook is designed to help beginning middle level teachers develop teaching philosophies, behaviors, and skills relevant to effective instruction. The eight chapters include the following: (1) Origins and Essential Elements of Middle Level Schools (junior high schools and middle schools); (2) Essential Characteristics of Middle Level…

When young children play in a purposefully designed, literacy-rich environment, teachers can discover and capitalize on teachable moments. This book discusses how children develop literacy and how early childhood teachers use play and other child-centered experiences to facilitate literacy development. Chapter 1, "Play and Developmentally…

This guide is designed to help teachers respond to the changing needs of children, to changing knowledge about how children learn, and to the stress teachers experience in dealing with children's development. The first section of the guide addresses the topics of: (1) educational changes relating to children, teachers, classrooms, and basic…

The concept of "task" is explored, particularly as it relates to the work students perform in learning a language. It is proposed that what really happens as a student learns can be understood better by applying the concept of task to classroom processes. The ways in which task has been defined by educators are reviewed, and it is concluded that…

This volume offers 19 papers by college faculty on concrete information and suggestions for the improvement of college teaching, student learning, and the whole education process. The titles and authors are: (1) "Rethinking College Instruction for a Changing World" (Diane F. Halpern); (2) "Inquiry as a Tool in Critical…

Profiled in this report are three Oregon first-grade teachers--the state's 1984 Teacher of the Year and two other finalists for that title. Distinguishing characteristics of the teaching approach of Jonelle Maurer of the Lincoln Elementary School in Grants Pass include phonics and group reading instruction, the use of activity centers, and a…

In contrast to the recent back-to-basics movement, which emphasizes rote-learning and the acquisition of mechanistic skills, small-group cooperative learning emphasizes the development of thinking and problem-solving skills. It also seeks to minimize student anxiety and competition by creating an environment in which students feel safe to make and…

Intended as a marketplace for the ideas and creativity of California community college faculty, this issue of "The Forum" contains not only articles on educational issues, but also short stories, poetry, and musical compositions. Included in this issue are the following: (1) "A Poet's Journey," by Nancy Edwards (poem); (2) "Toward an Effective…

Creating a writing workshop atmosphere using computers in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom improves the opportunities for integrating all language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The computer also represents a new way of learning, emphasizing students' problem solving strategies and learning processes. Teachers…

Intended for use as an inservice tool for elementary school teachers and as an independent study tool, this guide provides a framework for designing language experiences in the classroom. Following an introduction, the first section of the guide deals with language as communication, as thought, and as a series of interrelated skills. Three…

This report contains a description of the conceptual background and methodology for a study concerning how academic tasks are managed in senior high school classrooms. This high school study is Phase 2 of the Managing Academic Tasks (MAT) study. The MAT study is focused on understanding how curriculum experiences are shaped by the classroom…

Direct interviews with 17 teachers and observation in 31 rural and urban Venezuelan classrooms (pre-school through grade 6 in nine schools) across 3 states revealed serious reading difficulties among Venezuelan students. Small rooms and multi-grade class situations were common and school supplies and equipment were scarce. Even more scarce were…