There's no doubt that children's home environments have a huge impact on the kind of people they become. But so do their educational environments. A number of schools are beginning to realize it's worth it to spend the time on "soft" skills such as empathy. Even forgetting the recent scary headlines about bullying, teachers know that a classroom…

Elementary teachers from four schools nationwide describe how they partner with parent volunteers to enhance education through special projects, yearly events, and schoolwide programs. The activities address self-esteem, family-centered science, geography, and parent learning. (SM)

Presents 80 quick activities that elementary teachers can use to get to know their students, reward good work, communicate with parents, brush up on basic skills, spruce up the classroom, pamper themselves, or publicize the school. (SJL)

Involving parents is a good way to promote student success. By sharing an interactive homework assignment, teachers can help parents understand what their children are learning about averages and how they can reinforce the learning at home. Two reproducibles provide models for teachers to create math take-homes. (SM)