For almost 30 years, the National Writing Project (NWP) has been working to improve the teaching of writing in the nation's schools. Central to this effort is the belief that successful teachers are the best teachers of teachers: that many of the most useful ideas about teaching writing emerge from the classrooms of teachers who are doing the…

We outline a framework for investigating how a mathematics textbook positions the mathematics learner. We use tools and concepts from discourse analysis, a field of linguistic scholarship, to illustrate the ways in which a textbook can position people in relation to mathematics and how the text can position the mathematics learner in relation to…

Children's sociodramatic play is very much associated with their growing ability to use symbols for a variety of functional purposes external to the symbols themselves. Defining such play as "voluntary social role-playing involving two or more children," this paper draws on research on sociodramatic play to: (1) discuss the nature of…

One of the best predictors of aggression among schoolchildren is their social environment and relationships with peer and teachers. This study investigated the association between classroom climate and level of classroom aggression. The study population comprised over 9,000 fifth and sixth graders in 97 schools and 360 classrooms in Israel. It was…

A collaborative research project between the Educational Research Department of the University of Liege (Belgium) and a pedagogical high school (primary pre-service teachers) was aimed at the literacy development of the future teachers before they are able to teach reading and writing in first, second, and third grade classrooms. In Belgium future…

This paper describes the implementation and assessment of a unique model of professional development for teacher educators. Southwest Texas State University's (SWT's) College of Education graduates and certifies more teachers than any other institution in the state; SWT has had a professional development school since 1991. The View and Doing…

Noting that when adolescents select friends, they are creating a relationship context that will be an important source of influence, this study examined the criteria adolescents use when choosing friends. Adolescents in grades 7 and 10 were interviewed about the criteria they used when selecting friends, particularly the importance they placed…

This research brief describes an examination of the effect of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on children's access to needed health services and on their quality of life. The analysis focused on a sample of California families who had recently enrolled in that state's SCHIP. The study found that, after enrollment, children…

This study examined heterosexual college students attitudes toward gay men and lesbians, and in what types of situations were negative feelings expressed toward gay men and lesbians. A random sample of 224 residence hall students at the University of Maryland College Park completed the Situational Attitude Scale Sexual Orientation Survey, which…

This study focused on peer influences on dating, assessing the impact of peer attitudes about dating on the individual's affiliative system and examining the relationship between problem behavior and dating experiences. The study's final goal was to assess the relationship between the importance of affiliative activities and the extent of dating.…

During the 1994-1995 school year, this study examined beginning teacher-mentor relationships and broader socialization experiences in North Carolina. Ten beginning K-8 teachers completed interviews at five points throughout the school year. At least two teachers (in addition to the beginning teacher) and one administrator from each school…

Children who are teased on a school bus, in class, or during recess often do not want to return to school. Unfortunately, teasing can occur anywhere, and it is difficult to prevent--despite the best efforts of parents, teachers, and school administrators to create a more cooperative atmosphere. This Spanish-language Digest discusses different…

This study examines two ideas that have emerged from research involving African American adolescents with respect to academic achievement: (1) the notion that African American students do not support their peers' academic endeavors; and (2) the notion that African Americans do poorly in school as a result of alienation in the classroom, and may…

Supervision of psychologists-in-training continues to be a valued component of teaching skills and professional development. Mentoring within training venues and professional peer consultative venues is gaining recognition as an essential element of professional development. This paper illuminates some of the fundamental values and elements of…

Children who are teased on a school bus, in class, or during recess often do not want to return to school. Unfortunately, teasing can occur anywhere, and it is difficult to prevent--despite the best efforts of parents, teachers, and school administrators to create a more cooperative atmosphere. This Korean-language digest discusses different types…