Observation of one sixth-grade teacher's classroom decision making, using videotaping and interviews, revealed that decision making occurred frequently during each lesson, comprised mostly instructional and managerial decisions, and was based more on teacher assessments of students' states of mind than on teacher knowledge. (RW)

In the primary school classrooms, students spend almost three terms (20-25 hours) doing project work in groups of 4-5. In order for any learning task to be conducted effectively, the students need to know how to work collaboratively in their groups, and teachers need to find out how their students perceive one another while working in their…

A teacher of sixth grade social studies classes describes how he implemented the core practices of the Foxfire approach, including student ownership, problem solving, and decision making; connections to the community; small-group teamwork; the teacher as facilitator and collaborator; and ongoing reflection and group self-evaluation. (SV)

This study used an alternating treatments design to evaluate the effect of three teaching practices: "response cards," (RC) "numbered heads together," (NHT) and "whole group question and answer" (WGQA) on 6th graders' daily quiz scores and pretest-posttest performance in chemistry. Results indicated that both RC and NHT were superior to the…

Describes theme binders designed by sixth graders as an independent study component that unites the class as a learning community, showcases student work, and illustrates developmental milestones for parents. Details theme binder components: (1) cover page; (2) introductory page outlining the theme and contents; (3) evaluation sections indicating…

Using a sixth grade classroom as an example, this paper discusses balance within the classroom, including balance of instruction and learning, of intentions and actions, and of relationships. This balance holds teachers in positive tension with students, parents, and the school community. Three metaphors describe pedagogic judgment as the…

A study examined how to increase active participation in a language arts class, based on the belief that such an increase would lead to better test scores and better learning. Subjects included a class of 30 homogeneously grouped accelerated sixth grade students, which meets five days a week for 90-minute periods. During the study, the class was…

Relates several art activities that can be used as learning experiences to enhance the goals of the social studies and the arts. Stresses that art and architecture can be used to enrich the social studies program as they serve as evidence of the subject being discussed. Directions for two activities are included. (LS)

Suggests a classroom newspaper provides an excellent vehicle for teaching writing to students of various ability levels, allows students to direct their writing to a specific audience, and increases motivation (because recognition through publication is very reinforcing). All students, including students with disabilities, can benefit from the…

On the premise that there are certain practices that influence students' intrinsic motivation for academic engagement, this study examined the congruence between a teacher's goals and practice with regard to autonomy. Self-report data were collected on seven sixth-grade elementary school teachers concerning their goals for their math classes.…

A study examined whether departmentalization affected the reading achievement of sixth-grade students attending a Chicago public school. A random sample of 30 students was chosen from a group of 53 who received instruction in a departmentalized program. A second random sample of 30 was selected from a total of 54 students who received instruction…

This study investigated the effectiveness of color coding, accomplished by highlighting, used to help students differentiate between exact meaning (explicit information) and implied meaning (implicit information) in both narrative (short story) and expository texts. Subjects were 78 sixth-grade students randomly enrolled in four language arts…

This study examined 14 sixth grade teachers' opinions about classroom management, gathering information from an online discussion group conducted during the summer of 1997. Researchers selected and analyzed the teachers' opinions using content analysis according to the tenets of three classroom management theories: (1) the non-interventionist…

A controlled study investigated the impact of systematic praise techniques on 145 sixth-grade students' self-esteem. Eighty-five students comprised the experimental group, and 60 students made up the control group. The study was initiated in order to explore the link between self-esteem and academic achievement. The attempt to increase student…

Three approaches to classroom management--assertive discipline, cooperative learning, and behavior management/mastery learning theory--are described. Assertive discipline was observed in a fifth-grade class taught by a teacher who would not allow students to interfere with her teaching or another child's learning. The assertive discipline approach…