For educators, the content of the curriculum really is like oxygen: it is the necessary precondition for improving schools, closing the achievement gap, engaging parents, and preparing teachers. However, when educators take the content of the curriculum for granted, they lose opportunities to coordinate and collaborate. Good curriculum instruction…

As a key concept in early mathematics curriculum, number sense is crucial for children's learning of other mathematics concepts. An earlier curriculum with a strong focus on number sense development presumably helps children perform better in mathematics later on. Chinese students outperformed their United States (U.S.) peers on number sense at…

The research looks at the phenomenon of composite classes as experienced by the Murezi community. To gather the required data and to have an in-depth understanding of the Murezi school experience, the case study was employed and the questionnaire, interview and on-site observations were employed as data gathering instruments. The three were used…

This article examines Reading Recovery as a microcosm for issues related to race and access. Tenets of critical race theory are presented to explore how racial biases are systemic in our ways of being, teaching, and conducting research. Specifically, I present data for African American children involved in Reading Recovery in one Midwestern…

Identifies and discusses specific components of Maria Montessori's educational philosophy and considers what computer based instruction (CBE) might imply for each. Experiences in initiating a CBE program in a first-grade Montessori classroom are also provided. (JN)

Several experiments involving approximately 130 6-year-old children were conducted to examine the effects of overt illustration on first graders' learning from oral prose. In all experiments, experimental Ss heard prose selections after or during which they illustrated selection content with plasticized figure cutouts and background scenes while…

This study examined five broad research areas related to first grade in Texas public schools: (1) characteristics of first graders; (2) teachers' views of children's readiness, behavior, and academic growth; (3) programs and practices used in schools and classrooms; (4) the relation of student progress in Grade 1 to student characteristics,…

This report presents four studies summarizing results of Project SEARCH, which attempted to identify characteristics of children at risk, apply risk analysis procedures, and identify effective educational practices. The first study examined the presence or absence of risk factors in 25 first graders (and 10 controls) referred by their teachers to…