Faced with the facts of economic inequality, the wealthy are confronted with a particular set of moral, social, and political questions, not least of which is the question of how to preserve a sense of being a "good" human being. In the case of justifying privilege, the problem becomes how to position oneself as being uniquely able to enact a…

Explores the effects of positive and negative reinforcement in the classroom and the role of language in the "celebration of learning." (HTH)

Using language that focuses on what children have achieved and what we want them to achieve (rather than on what they have failed to achieve and what we want them to avoid doing) can help them gain the confidence and positive self-attitudes that encourage positive, responsive behavior. (PGD)

A method is proposed to tie good writing skills to science and engineering curriculum without actually teaching writing. It encourages students to explain in writing the reasoning behind solutions to technical and mathematical problems. This places emphasis on reasoning rather than intimidating symbols and rewards clarity and cohesion. (MSE)

The single most important thing that a teacher can do for a student is to identify and label specifically what the child does right rather than what he or she does wrong. In an elementary school where students wrote every day and teachers marked every error, students began to write less, using simpler words and eliminating all meaningful writing.…

According to Columbia University social psychologist Carol Dweck, teachers may find some answers to students' ways of thinking if they consider students' views of "intelligence." In "Messages That Motivate: How Praise Molds Students' Beliefs, Motivation, and Performance (in Surprising Ways)," Dweck maintains that academic motivation and…

There are many "truths" concerning reading psychology and pedagogy that teachers accept without questioning and that play an important role in current reading instruction. However, both science and education are deeply affected by the tenor of their times, and present day answers should be regarded only as tentative propositions that may be…