Examines joint construction of narratives in the classroom, presenting narratives from two ethnographic studies. The preschool narratives illustrate how peer culture, friendship patterns, and identity are socially constituted through discourse. Fifth grade narratives illustrate ways in which students view their bilingual class community as jointly…

Argues for the development of school-wide reform plans derived from research on individual differences in learning and effective school practices. Data are presented from three urban schools where a systematic school restructuring effort enabled the establishment of strong family-school-community connections and effective and efficient delivery of…

Examines reading instruction in the context of Montessori curriculum. Four major areas are explored: (1) goals; (2) identification of landmarks (significant or critical events) in the child's development; (3) enhancement of teachers' responsiveness; and (4) development of relevant skills by creating a supportive physical and psychological…

Examines why some children of disadvantaged homes succeed in the face of adversity while others, growing up in the same circumstances and sometimes the same family, fail. Numerous studies show that nurturing, competent adults can buffer children from the stresses in their lives. Positive role models are crucial. (SM)

Maintains that corporal punishment should be banned from every school as a means of classroom discipline, and presents teachers and administrators with workable alternatives to disciplining children. (BB)

Reports results of interviews with children ages 4 to 12 regarding their reading interests that were conducted by graduate students in a children's literature course. Common themes are discussed, including enthusiasm about reading, positive reading experiences, adult influences, positive attitudes, and reading preferences. Possible reasons causing…

Proposes and describes four teachers' beliefs necessary in creating constructivist classroom environments. Presents the background, description, and analysis of seven teaching episodes that examine the mathematical understanding actions of pupils in classrooms in which teachers exhibit these beliefs in an effort to verify the necessity of the…

After a historical perspective of foreign language teaching in the United States, the article discusses current needs for second-language instruction, explores attempts to teach critical languages in public schools, and suggests approaches for the future. (SM)

Focusing on assessments of the performance of one fourth-grade student, the article makes a case for teaching and moral perception (the capacity to comprehend the unique needs and aspirations of individual students), arguing that assessing students in the absence of moral perception is a serious mistake. (SM)

Writers across time have valued the use of fiction as a means of truth-telling. Fiction that portrays sexual minorities can lay claim to a place in the school curriculum for many of the same reasons that people include Shakespeare or Twain: they speak to the human experience in all its variety. But for those same reasons, fiction that speaks to…

As people who "stand-in" for parents, nannies shape children. The child-caregiver relationship involves respect for the child's potential and individuality. Working with children, a nanny plays many roles: parent surrogate, primary caregiver, and one who shapes the development of the whole child and the child's moral and aesthetic…

Data collected from a sample of over 200 elementary school children from Tennessee were used for studying their perceptions of the future. An interview guide-questionnaire provided information regarding children's perceptions along the following three different dimensions: how children perceived their own personal future; how they perceived…

This paper explores what is meant by "thinking" in a target language. Factors that determine both unplanned and planned use of more than one language for thinking are discussed, and empirical data from a mini-survey and from personal language learning and language using experiences are presented. The role of target-language thinking in improving…

This text reviews academic, emotional, motivational, and social learning theories that help children to be their own teachers and teachers to be aware of the advantages of taking charge of one's own learning, rather than depending on teacher education methodology. Learning is described as more than learning facts and figures or directive…

By offering children the opportunity to speak up in the classroom, educators help build a vital foundation in open-mindedness that is essential for critical thinking. Teaching children to be critical thinkers requires that teachers listen to what children say, encourage them to talk, and not insist that they share the teacher's beliefs. Young…