Storytelling is a craft that takes "talking" to the level of "telling." The cleverest of teachers know these tricks. In this article the author presents the art of storytelling and why it is so important, especially in the educational environment of national standards and standardized testing.

The National Standards for the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers describe and explain the national standards for social studies teacher education created by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). These standards were approved by the NCSS Board of Directors in March, 2016. This document consists of two sections: (1) an…

Many Marvel superheroes have a strong connection to science and STEM-related fields. As a result, these popular films are a growing resource for increasing student engagement and enhancing science instruction. The nature of science (NOS) is defined as "a way of knowing, or the values and beliefs inherent to the development of scientific…

Physical activity improves students' academic achievement, behavior management, sense of connectedness, physical health, and emotional well-being. Whenever students' normal outlets for physical activity are disrupted by school closures, state leaders can reengage students and promote their well-being by prioritizing quality physical education and…

Wiffle ball is a game that has been played for many years (Santora, 2003). Unfortunately, implementation in physical education has been inconsistent at best. The sport education model outlined in this article provides an appropriate method for teaching skills associated with wiffle ball for a variety of ages. Students can develop appropriate…

Following an overview of the organization of the new National Core Arts Standards, this column provides a listing of the new standards that include terminology related to "world music": "world music," "culture," "cultural," "context," and "authentic." The term "world music" is…

This article addresses how to design developmental games that connect knowledge about motor development with motor learning. As evidenced in the SHAPE America National Standards and Grade-level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education, understanding children's phases and stages of motor development is essential to designing developmentally appropriate…

The concept and characteristics of place within geography education are surveyed in the context of learning progressions. Beginning with place's history and relevance in geographic thought, this review moves on to discuss connections between space and place. From a geographic education perspective, place-based instruction and place characteristics…

Although it was invented nearly two centuries ago in Germany, the balance bike is only now beginning to make its presence known in the United States. A balance bike is a bicycle with no pedals- propelled by running or walking--and is designed to teach young children how to ride a bike in less time by allowing them to practice balance and steering…

The space between the two epigraphs presented at the beginning of this article marks the difference between an insider and an outsider. Ms Barbieri, from "Voices from the Middle," made the first comments as an expression of what reflective practice -- observing and critiquing video tapes of hers and others' teaching -- could mean to her…

Reading and writing translate to centuries of shared knowledge and can be expanded upon with the ability to acquire multiple tongues. In response to today's most widely spoken languages, Chinese/English and Spanish/English dual language immersion programs continue to grow across the United States. Unfortunately, the lack of uniformity in the…

Art educators have been promoting Community-Based Art Education (CBAE) in schools in order to enhance students' sense of socio-cultural identity and contextual learning about local art and culture. It cannot only bridge the gap between the students' daily lives and the communities and art, but can also enhance their inquiry, discovery and…

Tennis is a lifelong physical activity that is played from young childhood to adulthood. Tennis can be used to meet several of SHAPE America's National Standards and Grade-level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education in elementary school. Specifically, tennis is tied to outcomes relative to "striking with a short implement" in the…

This article presents an approach to music listening that creates spaces for critical literacy, inviting music educators to consider critical literacy practices when listening and responding to music. We begin with a discussion of critical literacy pedagogy in the context of music education followed by a sample flexible lesson plan that uses…

Over the past 30 years, the number of industry certificates awarded by colleges and universities has surged more than 800 percent, according to Lumina Foundation. At the same time, new forms of credentials--such as badges--also have emerged. And while there are more than 4,000 organizations granting certifications in the U.S., fewer than 10…