By the time March comes around, students are anticipating spring break and warmer weather--not to mention the rapidly approaching end of the school year. To keep teachers sane during this March Madness, the author provides tips on how they can cope with the bad behaviors of their students. She also suggests that a school-wide behavior policy, such…

The author's first two years of teaching were filled with read alouds, eager faces, a-ha moments, and weekends stuck at home with cold after cold. No matter how quickly she bolted from students' incoming coughs and sneezes, come winter, she always seemed to get sick again and again. Thus, in this article, the author offers ways on how to spot,…

Rafe Esquith has taught for 23 years at Hobart Boulevard Elementary School in Los Angeles. In a neighborhood plagued by gangs, guns, and drugs, his is a special classroom known as Room 56. Within its walls, children living in poverty play Vivaldi concertos, perform unabridged plays by Shakespeare, and go on to attend top universities. In 2003,…

The authors describe their experiences job-sharing, and offer suggestions about making the decision to job-share, finding a partner, organizing teaching responsibilities and discipline, and presenting a united front to children and parents. (MT)

A summary of 8,500 responses to Instructor's Elementary Education Policy Poll is presented. Discussed are teacher empowerment, how to improve the status and quality of teaching, and how to increase student achievement. (MT)

Suggestions on recordkeeping for the elementary school teacher. (CM)

Describes how several teachers in the United States and Canada have been observing the International Year of the Child. (JMB)

Do you know that in a mere 35 minutes you can get a running start on setting goals for the coming teaching year? Provides a precise system for putting them down on paper. (Editor/RK)

Presents anecdotes describing teachers with strong points of view on moral and social issues. (CM)

Presents short followup interviews of seven elementary school teachers who were teachers of the month a decade ago, and are still enthusiastic, practicing teachers. (CM)

Presents six strategies for positively promoting good behavior among elementary students, including: surprise rewards for quiet classroom behavior; a compliment chain made of paper clips; behavior self-evaluation forms; consistent routines; a list of five things students must do in order for the teacher to be able to give out directions; and…

More than 60 tips, tricks, and teaching tactics from planting a class tree to compiling a room scrapbook. (Editor/RK)

Presents elementary school teachers with four simple questions for starting a year-long evaluation program. (CM)

Presents ideas to counteract teacher burnout and sagging teacher morale based on the attitudes of characters in the television show M*A*S*H. (CM)

Strategies for choosing themes for theme teaching include limiting subject areas, integrating skills, balancing teacher- and student-generated themes, avoiding cutsey activities, drawing from various arenas, avoiding overly long themes, avoiding yearlong or schoolwide themes, understanding the themes, repeating themes, and borrowing themes from…