Teaching in an impoverished Mexican village requires an inexhaustible will to help children learn. This article describes Felicitas Sanchez Ochoa's struggle to make education possible for children living in an isolated rural area of Mexico. (PP)

This paper discusses the overuse of medications to deal with attention deficit disorder (ADD) in the classroom, offering suggestions related to teaching strategies, classroom environment, school environment, and home environment to help keep students' attention without resorting to medication. A chart shows the difference between ADD and other…

Teachers are responsible for making sure that classroom space is used in the most effective manner. Ways in which a group of teachers cooperated to change a dreary, cramped old school into an exciting learning environment are described. (JN)

An elementary school teacher discusses what it was like to have a child with attention deficit disorder in her class. She describes the process of getting him diagnosed and notes strategies that helped her cope with the disorder at school. (SM)

For an end-of-the-school-year treat, students brought in gifts for their favorite characters from novels they had read during the year. Suggested lists of characters and books, and ways to organize and run the party, are provided. (JL)

Suggestions and tools for arranging an effective classroom are presented to help teachers reflect on how their classroom's "geography" and "climate" help or impede learning and teaching. (CB)

The case against corporal punishment in the schools is made, and alternatives to it are suggested. Readers are asked to respond to a tear-out opinion poll. (JL)

This article describes seven ways in which a teacher can make the classroom more pleasant and productive. (JD)

By giving each student a number to keep throughout the school year, teachers can maintain efficient classrooms. The paper describes this classroom management system, in which students apply for classroom jobs. The numbers can be used for homework and classroom assignments, organizing attendance, choosing teams, drawing names, and teacher files.…

A tour of four elementary schools illustrates how antiques, plants, child-sized furniture, and other design elements can transform school lobbies and hallways into warm, welcoming places for students. School environments like these encourage children's interest and sense of responsibility, besides adding to their comfort. (PP)

The article describes ways to encourage effective classroom computer use. Setup of the computer corner is crucial. A friendly corner should include things like explanatory posters, disk boxes, a digital clock, earphones, a timer, chairs, and a wheeled cart. A sign-up sheet encourages efficient scheduling, which is also critical. (SM)

A teacher describes how she managed to turn one student's disruptive behavior into an opportunity for all students to learn about conflict resolution. (JL)

Sex education must be sensitive to children's needs as well as parental concerns. When the program is planned properly and is appropriate for student needs, school is the ideal place for sex education to be taught. (CJ)

Traditional mathematics instruction techniques often cause fear, anxiety, and avoidance of math by students. Several sources of math anxiety in the classroom are described, along with possible remedies. (CJ)

A tear-out folder for teachers creates a working reference file on student motivation. The file includes a glossary and explanations of what holds students' attention, how to motivate students, and how to evaluate the classroom environment to determine how the teacher's words and the classroom atmosphere affect student motivation. (SM)