Defining environment as both the physical space and the people who are in it, this paper explored the effects of environment on a first-grade child. Urie Bronfenbrenner's theories on the effects of physical environment on children provided a conceptual foundation during the observation of Christy, a student at Lawrence School in Brookline,…

This article describes a teacher's experience with a child who had emotional and behavioral problems in the regular classroom. At the beginning of first grade, the student had a negative reputation with the staff based on his previous behavior. The teacher shares ways in which the child was given support in school. Generosity, belonging, mastery,…

Discusses authentic ways to incorporate literature into a first-grade math program. Discusses counting books, number books, storybooks, and concept (informational) books. Cautions teachers not to impose mathematics on a piece of literature--the mathematics should flow from the book. Notes that teachers need to establish a classroom that promotes…

Focusing on children's developmental use of written language in kindergarten and first grade, this report looks at connections between the social and academic dimensions of classroom life. The first section examines literacy as an aspect of growing up and becoming a member of society. By highlighting the social and academic divisiveness schooling…

Discusses theoretical constructs defining intertextuality as a social construction. Presents a microanalysis of a first-grade reading lesson based on recent work applying interactional sociolinguistics to classrooms. Shows how teachers and students may use intertextuality to (1) define themselves and others; (2) form social groups; and (3)…

Meditates on the purported paratactic or topic-associating narrative style of the marginalized other by looking closely at the first-grade sharing time story of a particular child. Looks at race, gender, class, and age and the dichotomous thinking that gives potency to these categories. (TB)

Describes how a teacher and students deal with the death of a classmate through sharing aloud her written compositions. (MM)

Describes the impact 1 creative first-grade teacher made on students over her 47 years of teaching and explains the importance of significant teachers on students' development and educational careers. The teacher made school a place of challenge and reward where students felt valued, comfortable, loved, and respected. (SM)

Reflects on memories of the author as a first grader, and compares her experiences with the way she teaches first grade. (MG)

A first-grade teacher reflects on a new student in her class one year. The student was from a disadvantaged home and had few appropriate social skills but was very eager to learn and responded to the teacher with great affection. The teacher explains how much the experience affected her. (SM)

While university researchers cannot agree on a model for teaching literature, or even what literary knowing is, the training for literature that prospective elementary teachers receive is totally that of teaching reading. Such education is unrelated to reading and responding to literature. Even when preservice elementary teachers do receive…

Notes the differences between kindergarten and first grade in terms of children's learning styles and curriculum. Points out that play can be useful in kindergarten and also first-grade classrooms. Suggests the use of child-initiated learning centers to provide age-appropriate and individually appropriate activities. Gives examples of…

Interviews with an urban Los Angeles first-grade teacher and observations of her class illustrate how social and cultural issues are brought into the classroom, creating an environment in which students learn to "read the world," acquiring social and cultural literacy as well as the more commonly perceived personal literacy. When…

An educator observing her biracial, bilingual daughter's first-grade classroom for a study of gender relations was horrified by school and classroom practices that enforced mindless conformity and were insensitive to negative racial images. Her daughter's attempts to make meaning from her experiences are described. (SV)

A first grade teacher recounts how she applied findings in the literature about effective organizations and leadership to build more responsible, self-sufficient, and empowered young citizens. The account is organized around seven "realities" such as: "if something enters the curriculum, something usually exits the curriculum,""determine what is…