Observes that the tendency to question pushes some gifted students toward self-directed inquiry and supports their academic talent. Considers ways to nurture all students, especially the ones who don't question much on their own. Explores the author's experience in guiding her students toward becoming self-directed learners and guiding them to…

Notes that people's voices telling their own stories is the only true connection to the past. Describes how in their teachers' writing group, they listen to each others' stories. Considers how they offer support to each other when lessons fall flat and celebrate when they share the children's wonderful products. (SG)

Describes how a fifth-grade teacher, who had been sharing evaluation with her students for some time, made the change to writing report card comments together with her students, thus sharing evaluation in one more way. (SR)

Considers different fifth-grade students' transformations through expressing themselves with poetry. Claims the content of children's writing suggests a complete revision of standard educational ideas about who the children are, what they know, how they think, and how much they can learn if teachers only know how to tap into their brilliance. (SC)

Notes that inquiry allows the author's students to learn on their own every day; it gives them the opportunity to investigate, explore, and discover the world around them by developing and using their own questions, thoughts, and interests. Concludes that her intention is to promote her students' feelings of self-esteem, success, self-worth, and…

Describes how a Title 1 lead teacher used the "hypothesis-test" approach with Joshua, a fifth-grade student from a "ravaged background" who was about two years behind in academic performance. Shows how, pursuing his inquiry, Joshua eventually became a strategic reader and a confident engaged learner. Notes that Joshua's turning point was also the…

Describes the author's work in his fifth-grade class as he helps his students understand the importance that culture plays in their representations of meaning. Shows how opportunities to transcend language by using other sign systems allow multiculturalism to flourish. Describes a schoolwide celebration of cultures through various arts and sign…

Describes the author's year-long analysis of one student's work to demonstrate her larger and ongoing research process in her classroom, as she investigated whether and how students were taking up the key inquiry-based processes that serve as a foundation for learning across disciplines in her classroom. (SR)

Describes a three-year collaborative project, Investigating Our Community, involving teachers and fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Focuses on moving from mandated curriculum that defines inquiry with known outcomes to inquiry that explores the unknown knowledge and stories of their school's neighborhood. Finds that a community investigation…

Describes a fifth-grade teacher's year-long unit of study on memoir. Addresses getting started, mini-lessons, drafting, and embellishment and voice. Notes that even reluctant writers became involved in writing memoirs and that the teacher followed her own advice and began writing a memoir about her grandmother. Appends a rubric for evaluating…

Describes a fifth grade teacher's eight-week unit of study on fiction. Notes that fiction had been a part of the teacher's reading workshop but was absent from her writing workshop. Discusses immersion and exploration, characterization, developing plot, and drafting and revision. (RS)

Explains the author's organized yet reflective approach to getting her fifth-grade students to read in literature circles. Discusses her slow and thorough process of building a community, and teaching students to respond to literature. Discusses resources for literature circles, and describes the first literature circle in her classroom (after…

Describes how a special education resource teacher, in collaboration with a fifth-grade teacher, changed plans and adapted to the needs of the students by implementing portfolios, student reflection and self-evaluation, and peer conferencing. Shows how portfolios allow all children (including special education students) to shine, to see their…

Describes a fourth/fifth-grade classroom in which students make decisions and enjoy school because they are invested in their own learning. Describes how the ability to think autonomously and solve problems is fostered in students by developing a sense of community. Describes how the student-planned social studies curriculum was more extensive…