Describes four comprehension materials that exemplify good use of instructional language and directions while maintaining high degrees of validity, transfer potential, and amount of reinforcement. (MG)

Suggestions are offered to elementary school teachers for more effective bulletin boards, which encourage hands-on manipulation, reinforce a wide spectrum of concepts and learning skills, provide visual confirmation for learning, and encourage student creativity and hard work. Examples are provided from social studies and language arts. (DB)

A behavior management program which uses play money to motivate students and reinforce appropriate behavior helps elementary school students (including disabled students) develop responsibility for their behavior. All students in the class participate and are allowed to buy items from the class store with money earned. (CB)

Praise is better than punishment as a motivator for children, but both are manipulative and often backfire. Real encouragement comes in the form of honest, caring concern without strings attached. The paper presents examples of how to encourage children successfully. (SM)

Experiences in using positive reinforcement while teaching on an Indian reservation are presented for teachers and administrators. Several "positive reinforcers," intended to prevent potential discipline problems from occurring, are described, including student involvement in deciding on classroom rules, election of classroom officers, class…

An elementary school principal explains how she promotes a positive working and learning environment in her school through written and verbal praise, open communications, and the sharing of ideas. (SJL)

This article describes the Good Student Game, a classroom management tool that uses a game format to help students monitor appropriate classroom behavior such as staying seated and working quietly. It provides recommendations for playing the game and results from three classrooms demonstrating the effectiveness of the game. (Contains references.)…

The article presents guidelines for teaching self-management strategies to improve mildly handicapped elementary students' independent work habits. Applying the skills of self-recording, self-evaluation, and self-reinforcement to math seatwork involves providing a rationale, modeling the strategy, and providing practice with feedback. Field test…

Because teachers and students spend at least 180 days in school each year, it is important that school be an enjoyable place to learn and to spend time. Three components of teaching and classroom management help to make school a fun place to be. The first is security. In order to help students achieve this feeling, teachers (with student…

This book about classroom management provides teachers with information on how to help students become the kind of people they want them to be. It offers a guide to the Responsive Classroom approach, a social and emotional learning program that creates an ideal environment for learning. Section 1, "Building a Learning Community,"…

Presents two strategies for cultivating social skills and self-esteem in elementary physical education; recommends the gymnasium's informal atmosphere as ideal for addressing social skills. The first strategy involves selecting a most valuable person each day. The second strategy promotes recognition of positive student qualities and parent…

The article examines five issues that student teachers should discuss with their master teachers and five issues that master teachers should discuss with their student teachers at the beginning of the experience. The issues focus on expectations, attitudes, classroom management, mistakes, help, positive reinforcement, collegiality, and…

Teachers and parents should seek effective ways of developing relationships with children to exert positive influence on their psychological, mental, and emotional health. The manner in which a child is treated or talked to by parents and teachers contributes to future abilities to cope, solve problems, engage in decision-making strategies,…

Presents positive strategies to help teachers turn behavior problems in the classroom around. Suggestions include looking for the good rather than the bad, avoiding negative labels, seeking coaches and avoiding critics, and working with parents. A list of 10 steps to success are provided. (SM)

Presents suggestions to assist elementary teachers in engaging their students in investigating real environments to develop true self-esteem and learn to cope with occasional frustration or negative feedback. One sidebar discusses how much self-esteem is enough. Another sidebar suggests questions to ask before praising a child. (SM)