Noting that individuals learn best through experiences freely chosen, this book is intended to help teachers create a community of independent learners in a classroom--showing how to let the curriculum and resources support rather than lead children's learning--and to demonstrate how to individualize each child's education. Chapter 1 introduces…

Noting that in recent years there has been an increase in the number of West Indian immigrants to the United States, this paper discusses factors affecting the acculturation of Jamaican immigrant children in the American educational system, highlighting factors relating to poor performance of these immigrant children. The paper first provides an…

This study examined the academic and social experiences of first-year female and visible minority group science students at "Big U," a large multi-racial and multi-cultural commuter university, located in a central Canadian city. In 1992, a total of 498 incoming science students were surveyed in September, November, and February-March of…

This book poses fundamental questions about the role of teachers in society. Chapter 1, "Contentious Behaviors," presents four hypothetical cases of teacher behavior (an affair, bare facts, world views in collision, and crossing boundaries). It also discusses the case of trouble, the normative base, teacher role, social drama, a national…

This study examined the practice of two science teachers who increased the participation of minority students who historically had not participated or succeeded in science. The two teachers were identified through a process of recommendation, personal interview, and observation. Researchers captured the practice of both teachers throughout one…

This paper discusses the role of resource center teachers in helping students with attention deficit disorder (ADD) successfully make the transition to secondary school. It addresses: (1) characteristics of ADD, including academic underachievement, cognitive fatigue, fine motor dysfunction, lack of self-monitoring skills, poorly developed…

Increasingly, teachers are expressing their growing concern about problem behaviors many children display in their classrooms. This technical guide offers Head Start staff a process for reflecting on their own practice, assessing difficult situations, and designing interventions for problem behaviors through joint problem solving. The guide is…

Based on the latest knowledge about early violence prevention and effective teaching strategies, this book describes practical ways for early childhood educators to handle children's aggression and shows how to help children become assertive, nonviolent problem solvers. The book's repertoire of proven approaches includes teaching children how to…

Synchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC), more commonly known in the Internet world as "chatting," has become an increasingly popular way to communicate for a variety of purposes. While CMC is still primarily recreational in character, educators are waking up to the possibilities of harnessing this activity for pedagogical…

Recognizing the importance of providing high-quality preschool education for helping to ensure children's future educational success, this document presents guidelines for what constitutes high-quality programming across a broad spectrum of curriculum and practice for California preschools, taking into account the state's move toward higher…

The focus of this paper is to present non-traditional or alternate instructional methods in remedial mathematics education at the community college level. However, these methods will apply to credit math courses as well as courses from other disciplines. With the large number of students needing remediation and the United States traditionally…

The purpose of this study was to find what factors were associated with students' perceptions of learning in online courses. Survey data were collected from students enrolled in 78 courses offered through the SUNY (State University of New York) Learning Network in the fall of 1997. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were employed. The…

This book chronicles the educational struggle that took place in the city of Newark, New Jersey amidst years of political upheaval and economic neglect, focusing on Project New Beginnings, a 7-year collaboration between the Newark Public Schools and Bank Street College to restructure early childhood education. Organized in three parts, the book…

Researchers studied classroom instruction and student learning among fourth and fifth graders from three schools with large proportions of impoverished students and English Language Learners (ELLs). Teachers selected three resilient students (with high achievement, good attendance, and high motivation) and three non-resilient students. Classroom…

This paper focuses on investigating the purposive design of learning environments to counter the erosion of social capital in communities and schools in contemporary society. Can schools intentionally replenish stocks of social capital by creating normative systems conducive to the optimal academic and social development of students, and by…