Considers the usefulness of elementary school support groups for children of alcoholics. Discusses identification of young children of alcoholics and offers suggestions for establishing support groups. Examines techniques for exploring feelings, building self-esteem, developing coping skills, managing stress, rehearsing decision making, and…

Explores the conflict between views of drama held by foreign language teachers and proponents of creative dramatics. Explains how formal rehearsal and public performance of plays in elementary school foreign language classes offer significant educational benefits toward fluency in a target language. (SR)

Toys play a role in children's lives worldwide and can be used effectively to teach global education. There are more commonalities than differences among toys from different nations. The origins of toys are varied, sometimes reflecting religious beliefs or political events. Toys also indicate cultural values and attitudes and social changes. (BC)

Focuses on assessment of emotions and irrational beliefs in Rational-Emotive Therapy with school-aged children. Argues that, for children to understand and agree to process of disputing irrational beliefs, practitioner first assesses individual child's emotional vocabulary, his/her understanding of relationship between disturbed emotion and…

The common themes expressed in articles in this volume are that children become literate in the context of relationships; literacy is dependent on oral discourse; literacy is a set of social functions, practices, and forms, not a hierarchy of skills based on units of written language; and beginning literacy users benefit from access to social,…

Child-centered play therapy can be used effectively by elementary school counselors to aid change and growth in variety of developmental problem areas experienced by children. Suggests using child-centered play therapy with children experiencing learning disabilities, divorce, lack of self-control, depression, abuse, socially inappropriate…

Highlights principal findings and recommendations submitted to the National Education Goals Panel by the Goal 1 Early Childhood Assessments Resource Group. Explains that assessment of young children is important both to support the learning of each child and to provide data--at district, state, and national levels--for improving services and…

Emphasizes the importance of teaching elementary students performance and audience etiquette through example and repetition. Contends that elementary music teachers can educate their students about certain "ground rules" for social conduct through basic standards for students when in the role of performer and audience member. (CMK)

Presents two opinions on motivating students through reading incentive programs. The first suggests that such programs benefit students by building self-esteem, with students earning while they learn. The second states that rewards may lower comprehension and dull long-term interest in reading, with children focusing on rewards rather than…

Examines samples of primary-school-aged children's writing to identify and describe the various ways in which boys and girls use language to construct meaning, and to discuss the gendered ways of knowing and being that are revealed and constructed. Findings indicate that girls generally write longer, more complex texts, using a wider range of both…

Maintains that computer software and Internet exploration introduce playful elements into learning. Discusses the implications of "edutainment," a technologically mediated learning/enjoyment combination of experiences. Suggests that school may no longer be the primary site for learning but that teachers may need to reevaluate their…

In this paper, the author describes reading strategies she used to inspire her students. Teacher modeling followed by student practice became the focus of the guided reading lessons, which included a menagerie of new "reading buddies."

Deception is defined and explained as a value, not just as a behavior. This essay advocates truthfulness as a unit of instruction in the elementary and middle school grades, in secondary schools, as well as in college. Deception is shown to be ubiquitous in our culture and is defined as a corrosive cultural element in need of correcting. Deception…

While few disagree that science fair projects have great potential for student learning, the preparation and execution of projects can be stressful for teachers, students, and parents alike. While working as a fourth-grade teacher, the author's goal was to provide students with a science fair experience minus the pressure of trying to figure out…

Using movies to guide gifted students toward self-understanding provides them with numerous benefits. Movies have the potential to enrich and influence the lives of gifted students in constructive ways. A good movie, for example, can become a meaningful metaphor that explains the essence of a young person's dilemma. When an appropriate movie is…