This Digest summarizes trends in grading practices and introduces issues related to standards-based reporting. A large majority of schools use a traditional grading system, and many teachers have a great deal of autonomy in making decisions about grades. Given the latitude that teachers have in developing grading policies and differences in…

How could handchipped stones, ancient ruins, old broken dishes, and antiquated garbage help students learn about the world and themselves? Within archaeology, these seemingly irrelevant items can enlighten students about the world around them through science, culture, and history. When teaching archaeology in the classroom, educators can lead…

In this age of digital technology, calculators, computers, and educational software, calculator-based laboratories have become important elements in the learning and teaching of mathematics. This digest provides an annotated listing of World Wide Web resources and contact information for organizations pertaining to technology use in mathematics…

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) promotes excellence and equity in education by conducting research and demonstration projects, collecting statistics, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to those working to improve education. OERI supports two major research and…

Children may be exposed to trauma in their personal lives or at school. Teachers can prepare children to cope with trauma by understanding the nature of trauma, teaching skills for responding to emergencies, and learning how to mitigate the after-effects of trauma. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has specific characteristics and…

This digest 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 teacher…

This Digest describes different types of scoring rubrics and explains why they are useful. Scoring rubrics are descriptive scoring schemes that are developed by teachers or other evaluators to guide the analysis of the products or processes of students' efforts. Scoring rubrics are generally used when a judgment of quality is required, and they…

This Digest provides a process for developing scoring rubrics. The first step is to identify clearly the qualities that need to be displayed in a student's work to demonstrate proficient performance. These qualities will be the top level or levels of scoring criteria for the scoring rubric. Then the decision must be made whether the information…

Arguing that the ability to write effectively hinges upon having an adequate vocabulary, this digest explores some of the ways vocabulary influences writing ability, and how teachers can use vocabulary development specifically to improve writing skills. The digest suggests that the breadth and depth of a student's vocabulary will have a direct…

This ERIC digest presents a summary of discussions from urban educators who addressed the issue of school violence at a National Education Association meeting held May 19, 1994. These educators note that American society is steeped in violence, particularly in urban areas, where children experience frustration, helplessness, and anger, and where…

This digest considers the school counselor's role in helping students to acquire the basic skills they will need throughout their lives. A contemporary definition of basic skills includes not only the modern versions of the "three Rs" (reading, writing, and computing), but also encompasses a variety of attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors…

This ERIC Digest discusses "Geography for Life: National Geography Standards 1994." The standards specify what students in U.S. schools should learn and be able to do with regard to geography. There are six essential elements of geography into which 18 standards are grouped: (1) the world in spatial terms; (2) places and regions; (3)…

This digest deals with bibliotherapy, the practice of healing through books. The digest discusses whether bibliotherapy works, when it should be used, who should conduct it, and how it should be used. The digest concludes with five guidelines for conducting bibliotherapy. (RS)

Among the behavioral theories embraced by American business are those of Frederick Herzberg and Abraham Maslow. Herzberg proposed a theory about job factors that motivate employees, and Maslow developed a theory about the rank and satisfaction of human needs and how people pursue those needs. This digest briefly outlines both theories and then…

This digest discusses a method of teaching values by using the lives of heroes as examples. The trend for teaching values is to offer methods of analysis and judgment that lead to answers about right and wrong, better and worse concerning personal behavior and common good. Stories about heroes have been identified as the means of teaching and…