Field trips provide active learning as children have firsthand experience with information they had previously encountered only in textbooks. In this article, the author describes how she used an interesting textbook to plan a field trip for her elementary social studies methods class to Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery (Alabama). The textbook,…

A valuable lesson about teacher ownership and its power to move a school forward was learned by the author as she worked with a professional development initiative on assessment: No matter how closely a district-level leader thinks she is connected to and trusted by a staff, the collective commitment, focus, and action of the teachers themselves…

No greater challenge currently faces the schools than articulating what a literacy curriculum for sociocultural diversity might look like. And yet the literature on young school children's composing has dealt only peripherally with this issue. In this theoretical essay, it is argued that, even for young children, the composing of both oral and…

This paper explores the role of the school in addressing the problem of alcoholic students in elementary schools. The first chapter provides a historical overview of alcohol abuse and society's response to it. Emphasis is placed on the program of Alcoholics Anonymous; the first National Committee on Education about Alcoholism; the Comprehensive…

This brief paper describes the "Brookline After School Special:" a program created to meet the after-school needs of older elementary school-age children throughout the city of Brookline, Massachusetts. The rationale for the program, a discussion of aspects considered in implementing the program, and reflections on the first year of…

Two aspects of verbal ability are required for performance of verbal tasks: verbal comprehension (given the most attention); and verbal fluency (slighted by researchers). An information processing approach to how words are generated was used in two studies of 104 third and 61 sixth graders to clarify the relationships between verbal fluency and…

Maintains that there is a discrepancy between the ways children acquire language and the ways they have been taught reading skills in school, referred to as "The 180 degrees Syndrome." Attempts to promote more language-conscious reading instruction by describing five examples of the syndrome and suggests remedies to alleviate its symptoms.

Maintains that teachers can help students achieve personal power (autonomy) through emphasis on real tasks that involve thinking. Illustrates how this may be incorporated into classroom practice through two teaching strategies: incorporating higher-order thinking tasks--comparing--into the school day; and inviting children to offer their ideas.…

Written in the form of a letter to a fifth grader, this essay explains why school is important and how to get the most out of schooling. Topics include getting along with teachers; home projects to enliven math, reading, science, and spelling; and the importance of appearance, breakfast, supplies, and sleep in preparing for school. (CB)

This statement outlines reasons why a student identifier linked to students STAR test scores and demographic data would offer the opportunity to improve the quality of information California uses to evaluate both schools and programs and would facilitate better service provision to students. The primary benefit of a statewide student identified…

Student disengagement and overuse of direct instruction can result in lack of student motivation. This paper reflects on the practice of 4th and 5th grade teachers at a suburban elementary school that includes diverse, mainly low- and middle-income students. Because of the diversity, motivation has been very important to the school. The paper…

Emphasizes the importance of promoting children's good health and proper posture through encouragement and the efforts of parents, physical education teachers, and classroom instructors. Outlines precise roles and responsibilities of each in improving children's posture. (DMM)

Considers the impact of learning to program upon the intellectual and personal development of children. The excitement of computer mastery, the usefulness of programing as an introduction to "real world" problem solving, and computer programing as an aid to increased understanding of subject matter are discussed. (JL)

Briefly discusses the appeal of poetry for children and describes some of the ways in which school librarians can develop a poetry collection and enhance students' interest in poetry. Also included is an annotated list of the best poetry collections for students from the 1981 publishing year. (JL)

Presents case promoting foreign languages in elementary schools using study conducted to explore relationships between bilingual and cognitive abilities of Mexican American children. Favors additive over subtractive bilingualism. (BK)