People often think that power only flows downhill in school. The author draws on his own research observations, as well as the philosophy of Michel Foucault, to offer more nuanced insights. He explains that power is not a "thing" people can possess and that it flows in multiple directions, forming a web of influence. These insights…

Anderson's central concern in his "ELT Journal" article (Vol. 69, No. 3, 2015) is to introduce several helpful changes teachers can make to a regular lesson plan pro forma due to a particular language learning environment and unpredictable events. In introducing these changes, Anderson discusses affordance, learning objectives, and…

This article focuses on early childhood classrooms in which young children with disabilities are enrolled, ideally inclusive classrooms. A foundational assumption about which most early intervention professionals would agree is that young children with disabilities learn from: (1) their experiences (interactions) with their physical environments…

Direct (systematic) observation has been a mainstay of my research for over three decades. I believe it is an important tool for assessing physical activity, because it can simultaneously provide contextually rich data on the setting in which the activity occurs. It is particularly useful for those interested in using ecological and…

John Holt was a revolutionary educational, published theorist of the 1970s and dared to report candidly his observations of public school classrooms. He found classrooms far too rigid, impersonal, and teacher-controlled. Children's thinking did not reach higher levels of critical thinking. Curiosity and creativity was stifled and stamped out. He…

The application of the four basic principles of social ecology as a framework for assessing inner city black communities is the focus of this paper. Social ecology is described as a concept that includes variables from both the social and physical environments. Its four basic principles are said to be recognition of the interdependence of roles…

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,…

Presents the author's personal viewpoints on the University of Leicester's School of Education Observational Research and Classroom Learning Evaluation (ORACLE) project. (DS)

In this article, the author opines on teaching students in an easy, peaceful and happy manner. Realistically, however, this is not always possible. Oftentimes teachers labor over figuring out the reasons for children's strengths and attending to their needs. Here, she discusses the types of behaviors that may be exhibited by students during…

Work sampling is a managerial accounting technique which provides information about the efficiency of an operation. This analysis determines what tasks are being performed durinq a period of time to ascertain if time and effort are being allocated efficiently. (SK)

Concerns about situational assessment--proper setting and inappropriate use with severely disabled persons--prompted the following changes in its use in vocational rehabilitation: (1) recognition of differences between sheltered and actual work settings; (2) questioning of vocational assessment measures; and (3) focus on a person-centered…

The role of self-observation in the self-awareness of gifted and talented children is explored. Special adjustment problems of gifted children are covered. (CL)

Makes an evocative plea for accepting children where they are developmentally and maintaining a vision of future possibility. Claims that adults are being guided and informed by children, and adjust their behaviors accordingly. Advocates encountering the child with a willingness to learn from the relationship, with the result that the educator…

This speech articulates one practitioner's assumptions and recommendations concerning desirable preschool education practices and learning environments. It is suggested that reliance on experts such as child development specialists and curriculum planners may limit teachers' access to students as ideosyncratic individuals. Teachers might do better…

Using a perspective that emphasizes schools' internal structure and external context, the author examines theory and research on loose coupling in schools, society's institutionalization and legitimation of schools, and structured observations of educational administrators' work. (Author/RW)