What does "rigor," a word that frequently pops up in conversations about education, really mean? More specifically, what does it mean for "literacy" instruction, and how does it relate to challenging standards-based assessments? In this informative and practical guide, literacy expert Nancy Boyles uses the framework from Webb's…

Amargosa Valley School in Nevada could be considered representative of almost any preK-8 school that serves a large proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged students and is focused on turning around persistently low achievement. Like other schools supported by federal School Improvement Grants, Amargosa is beginning to implement a reform plan…

The most telling experience in Percy Clark's 41 years as a professional educator may well have been the first--a raw rookie thrown into a classroom of 30-plus 7th graders who, in the teacher's most charitable depiction, "just didn't fit in anywhere." In the years since, Clark has served in various settings with differing needs--as a…

A Los Angeles, California, project that infuses reading and language into the health curriculum allows teachers to give additional reading instruction without sacrificing time or curriculum content; it shows that communication skills can be infused successfully into the broader curriculum. (Author/DCS)

This article addresses some important issues in mathematics instruction at the middle and secondary levels, including the structuring of a district's mathematics program; the choice of textbooks and use of calculators in the classroom; the need for more rigorous lesson planning practices; and the dangers of teaching to standardized tests rather…

This report presents an overview and the philosophy of a particular Summerbridge National Project program conducted at the San Francisco University High School. The program offers talented and diverse middle school students an intense 6-week academic enrichment program taught by bright, motivated high school and college students. The program…

This book is about learning and teaching with personal computers. It is aimed at teachers, student teachers, those responsible for pre-service and in-service teacher training, school administrators, and parents. The book is arranged in four sections. Part I includes two chapters providing a theoretical framework for learning and teaching with…