The digest explores aspects of serving the learning disabled (LD) student in vocational education classrooms. It is noted that LD students may have difficulty following directions and understanding lectures and may forget more often than other students. A list of seven accommodations that can be made for LD students in vocational classrooms…

The digest focuses on being comfortable around handicapped children and offers suggestions for classroom teachers working with mainstreamed handicapped students. The importance of treating the child as normally as possible is emphasized. Questions of pity are dealt with. Teachers are urged to handle children's frustrations and accomplishments in…

The digest addresses topics related to professional training for teachers of gifted and talented students. General responsibilities of such teachers include organizing enrichment activities for students and teachers, disseminating information about innovative teaching practices and materials, and promoting integration between regular and special…

Briefly described are suggestions to help special educators keep their level of stress manageable. Suggestions are extracted from "Stress and Burnout--A Primer for Special Education and Special Services Personnel" by Stan Shaw et al. To better organize their time and activities, educators are advised to set realistic and flexible…

This ERIC Digest overviews recent research on teaching and learning fractions and provides suggestions for practice, help in locating resources having direct application in the classroom, and sources for further reading in the literature. Students' conceptions of fractions or rational numbers, common mistakes teachers make, and new teaching…

Modern technology in life and health sciences brings a new understanding to the study of cells and as a result, the National Science Education Standards emphasize understanding of science and technology. This ERIC Digest describes the central role of cell biology (cytology) in understanding these areas and explains conceptual difficulties and…

Many educators may or may not be familiar with the term constructivism, but probably recognize it as something to do with learning. The main tenet of constructivist learning is that people construct their own understanding of the world and in turn, their own knowledge. This ERIC Digest examines the constructivist view of learning and how it…

To help new principals succeed, school districts are capitalizing on senior administrators' expertise by adding mentor programs to the practical training programs for beginning principals. This digest examines the nature of mentorships and discusses how they can prepare principals for the next stage of their careers. Although mentoring has existed…

Educators use informal theories and assumptions to guide their actions, yet often fail to evaluate these beliefs. This digest examines the nature and purpose of educational-indicator systems and discusses the design of report cards by which schools can inform the public of their performance. An indicator is any statistic that casts light on the…

Policymakers and educators are taking a new look at incentives as they work to improve accountability systems. This ERIC Digest examines the role of rewards and sanctions in school reform and identifies key issues in implementing incentive systems. The new accountability is based on five components: carefully designed standards, assessments…

This digest in Spanish examines peer review, focusing on how these types of reviews can improve teacher competence. Peer review is often linked to peer assistance, which helps new and veteran teachers improve their knowledge and skills. In peer-review programs, consulting teachers conduct formal evaluations and recommend whether the participating…

To help new principals succeed, school districts are capitalizing on senior administrators' expertise by adding mentor programs to the practical training programs for beginning principals. This ERIC Digest in Spanish examines the nature of mentorships and discusses how they can prepare principals for the next stage of their careers. Although…

Educators use informal theories and assumptions to guide their actions, yet often fail to evaluate these beliefs. This ERIC Digest in Spanish examines the nature and purpose of educational-indicator systems and discusses the design of report cards by which schools can inform the public of their performance. An indicator is any statistic that casts…

Cognitive studies researcher, Samuel Wineburg, has conducted empirical studies over the past decade to compare the way historians think about primary and secondary sources with the thinking processes of high school students and teachers. Wineburg's research demonstrates the importance of domain-based or subject-specific thinking in the teaching…

This digest explains that burnout results from the chronic perception that one is unable to cope with daily life demands. Teachers must face classrooms full of students every day; negotiate potentially stressful interactions with parents, administrators, counselors, and other teachers; contend with relatively low pay and shrinking school budgets;…