There is a growing concern about discrimination and hate crimes taking place across the country. While incidents of bias can occur anywhere, it is especially troubling when it happens in our schools. Discussing race and discrimination can be difficult for the most seasoned of professionals, however, that discomfort should not prevent important…

Most biology teachers implement animal dissection (real or virtual) and often lead discussions on research involving animal subjects. Such activities provide excellent opportunities to explore ideas about ethical conduct in the care and use of animals. The challenge for teachers is to present information about animal care and use that enables…

This manual describes four discussion techniques that may be used in an adult education setting following a presentation by one or more resource persons. These four techniques--the huddle group, the buzz group, the chain reaction forum, and the reaction symposium--are designed to help the learner acquire information, develop skills in problem…

The Nominal Group Technique (NGT), developed by Andre Delbecq and Andrew Van de Ven at the University of Wisconsin in the 1960s, is used to enhance the generation, exploration, and communication of ideas relevant to problem-solving situations. The NGT is unlike other typical interacting group techniques in that individuals work in the presence of…

Stories can help teachers give children models and mores for reflection and growth. This article suggests specific books that deal with lying and provides guidelines for class discussion. (IAH)

Threaded discussion forums are asynchronous, World Wide Web-based discussions occurring under a number of different topics called threads. By allowing students to post, read, and respond to messages independently of time or place, threaded discussion forums give students an opportunity for deeper reflection and more thoughtful replies than chat…

The issue of improving educational outcomes for children and youth in foster care is receiving some long-overdue attention, but the voices of classroom teachers have not been prominent in the discussions so far. To help fill this gap, a team from the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning and funded by the Stuart Foundation convened six…

This curriculum guide consists of materials for use in implementing two 10-meeting series of group discussions designed to enhance the process of the socialialization of students enrolled in an associate degree nursing program. Addressed in the discussion sessions are the following topics: developing an awareness of self-concept and gaining…

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data included in America's Challenge: Accelerating Academic Achievement, indicate the scope of the task of reaching the National Goal for Education on Student Achievement and Citizenship. This discussion guide focuses on the five corollary objectives of the National Goal, which are to: (1)…

A collection of group disussion topics, developed and field-tested by a group of Iowa teachers, is presented in this guide. Twenty-eight topics for K-6 students, 24 topics for K-12 students, and 7 topics for students in grades 7-12 are included. Warm-up activities are given for introducing some of the topics, and lists of questions to provoke…

The issue of improving educational outcomes for children and youth in foster care is receiving some long-overdue attention, but the voices of classroom teachers have not been prominent in the discussions so far. To help fill this gap, a team from the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning and funded by the Stuart Foundation convened six…

In the fall of 2009, a team from the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning and funded by the Stuart Foundation convened six discussion groups to explore how teachers and foster children and youth interact in the classroom to improve educational outcomes. The discussion group sessions were held in three California counties--Fresno, Orange,…

This document presents 22 tools that were developed for use in a five-module training package to assist employment and training service providers comply with the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and develop a one-stop training and employment services system. Each tool addresses a different aspect of the process of developing a one-stop delivery…

Guidelines present ways to create written material for small group, democratic, and highly participatory discussions of social and political issues. Twelve suggestions for creating effective study circle materials precedes consideration of study circle goals. The overarching goal of any study circle is to provide opportunities for people to learn…

These workshop exercises are designed to review the more effective techniques parents can use to comfortably discipline their children. Seven basic principles of discipline are discussed briefly. The principles are: (1) tell children what they can do instead of what they can not do, (2) protect and preserve children's feelings that they are…