Adult educator role descriptions found in the literature include the following: teacher, instructor, helper, facilitator, consultant, broker, change agent, and mentor. The literature that speaks directly to the adult educator's role is scanty. A larger body of literature exists, however, that either alludes to adult educators' roles or contains…

This digest briefly summarizes the literature on preparing educators to promote the success of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. Success in Native terms means not only academic achievement but also the development of the whole person. Spirituality and reciprocity (giving back to others) are vital to Indian learning. Teachers must…

Despite the costs of implementing technology at community colleges, the benefits gained include increased instructor creativity, increased student interest and learning, and greater flexibility of instructional delivery. Instructional technology may be implemented in two ways: first, the use of technology as a simple add-on to enhance current…

Suggesting that all students are capable of learning and can achieve high levels of competency when teachers delineate their expectations, this digest focuses on Outcome-Based Education (OBE) in the language arts classroom. The digest delineates some of the tenets of OBE, including the necessity of clearly defined objectives, students having…

This digest identifies some of the cultural factors that can influence learner and teacher behavior during classroom English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. Four topic areas are discussed: roles of learners and teachers, gender-related issues; appropriate topics for instruction, and behavior at the site of instruction. Given the diversity…

Unlike units and themes in the early childhood and primary curriculum, projects are defined as children's in-depth investigations of various topics--ideally, topics worthy of the children's time and energy. As increasing numbers of teachers and school districts incorporate project work into their curriculum, questions have been raised about what…

This document consists of two modules extracted from a six-module larger work. Module 1 presents six articles on the topic of "helping students to cope with fears and crises." Module 2 contains 17 articles on "programs and practices for helping students cope with fears and crises." Article titles and authors are as follows: (1)…

This booklet discusses the preparation needed by schools and school personnel to meet the needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students with disabilities. An introductory chapter notes that LEP students are often at risk and explains the importance of programming based on the strengths of their native languages and cultures. The second…

Physical activity engaged in as a child can encourage fitness throughout the lifespan. School counselors and physical education teachers can invest in multi-intervention programs that encompass the psycho-physiological spectrum of children within the schools. Together, school counselors and physical educators can play an active role in the…

After describing the economic, social, and technological forces that aggravate the discrepancy between the emerging social structure of society and the organization of schools and necessitate educational restructuring, this document discusses renewal, reform, and restructuring as three levels of efforts toward change in schools. Brief…

This digest explains basic elements of standardized tests in order to help teachers in making students feel comfortable about taking such tests. Usually created by commercial publishers, standardized tests are designed to provide a common measure of students' performance. They help compare an individual student's performance with the performance…

This literature review examines patterns of parent-child involvement that foster high academic achievement and describes effective parent involvement programs. Parents affect their children's academic achievement through cognitive socialization, the development of basic intelligence; and academic socialization, the development of attitudes and…

The roles and conduct of teachers and principals have emerged as good indicators of effective schools. Research is presently being conducted on parent involvement and its effect on student learning. Good teacher-student interaction is crucial to effective learning. Teachers must have high expectations for students. Their techniques for…

This digest briefly describes how educators and schools can foster resiliency in all youth. The starting point for building on students' capacities is the belief by all the adults in their lives, particularly those in their schools, that every youth has innate resilience. All individuals have the power to change, and teachers and schools have the…

Loneliness is a significant problem than can predispose young children to immediate and long-term negative consequences. This Digest presents an overview of loneliness, with suggestions for practitioners on how they can apply the research in early childhood settings. Children who feel lonely often experience poor peer relationships and feelings of…