Improvisation is a vital part of an elementary general music education. While some music teachers successfully include improvisation in music instruction, others have fears and face challenges when attempting improvisational activities in the classroom. This article acknowledges obstacles facing music educators when attempting to incorporate…

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) often experience difficulties with motor skill learning and performance. The pool is a unique learning environment that can help children with ASDs learn or improve aquatic skills, fitness, and social skills. A pool-based approach is also aligned with the elements of dynamic systems theory, which…

The stated goal of this study was to investigate teacher self-efficacy in regards to using educational technology with low-achieving students. The qualitative research method employed was case study. By using this method the researcher was able to investigate the experiences of the research participants in regard to the phenomena under study. Data…

"Teaching Reading" uncovers the interactive processes that happen when people learn to read and translates them into a comprehensive easy-to-follow guide on how to teach reading. Richard Day's revelations on the nature of reading, reading strategies, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and reading objectives make fascinating reading…

This dissertation looks at the effects of an educator-scientist partnership on the creation of an inquiry based science lesson for the middle school classroom. The lesson was initially created by a scientist following their science research, but changed as the scientist began working with teachers. The changes in the lesson show that scientists…

The confluence of "Common Core State Standards" ("CCSS"), "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS"), and 21st century skills provides an unparalleled opportunity to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all students, particularly English learners. "CCSS,"…

The question "what if?" has been asked by historians for generations. This article explains how history teachers can use students' own what-if questions to enhance their historical knowledge and understanding by offering educators a step-by-step plan for utilizing counterfactual history into their classrooms. Additionally, the author offers a…

A state law, which helped Tennessee win Race to the Top money, pushed schools to implement a system that had limited pilot-testing. Education officials in Tennessee are taking flak from teachers and unions for rushing the implementation of the new teacher-evaluation system that will eventually undergird tenure decisions--a move, some worry, that…

Young people need to know that abstinence is a far more complex, difficult concept than it is often portrayed. Abstinence is a decision about sexual behaviors that a person may make throughout his or her life. It is a choice made at a specific time in a specific situation, for a specific period of time, whether one is in a partnered relationship…

Teaching world history is challenging. In addition to covering the history of the world geographically and chronologically, it is difficult to find high quality, translated materials ready for classroom use. The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University offers free, online materials, including primary sources,…

Photographs used to be, for the most part, very trustworthy evidence of the visual truth. With the current ready availability of affordable digital photography and image-altering software, that is no longer the case. To be fully technologically literate, today's students should know something about the history of photo manipulation and the current…

In the previous issue of "Social Education," this column looked at the upcoming elections from a more general point of view and recommended websites that examined presidential election history, voting laws, and the origins of the Electoral College and how it works. In this column, the author focuses specifically on this year's presidential battle…

For the increasing number of teachers working in co-taught classrooms, this book provides practical ideas for defining teacher roles, planning lessons, providing effective instruction, and maximizing the value of each team member. Former co-teacher and national presenter Anne Beninghof shares stories, and real-life co-taught lesson examples that…

School librarians have always been teachers, even before the term "teacher-librarian" was coined. They teach every time they help students select books, locate and evaluate resources for research projects, or troubleshoot a computer problem. When they assist students, they explain and model the steps they are taking. Teaching for school librarians…

This paper presents a case study of a private preschool in Thessaloniki, Greece. The school, located at the unique setting of an educational farm, has a curriculum focus on environmental education. An analysis of teacher interviews and lesson plans in the span of three years presents insights into the barriers teachers faced in implementing their…