A view of construction from the window of a first-grade classroom was the catalyst for a multi-grade, multidisciplinary curriculum project at St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School in Washington, DC. This article provides background information on the school and the project, and details the students' work. The project description includes how the…

The essays presented in this "Occasional Paper" reflect the voices of those in the midst of becoming the teachers they hope to be. In these essays, teachers find courage, resourcefulness, insight, and inspiration. They are reminded not to give up on themselves. Three vital aspects explored in these essays include: (1) teaching is about being…

This books aims to change the way the reader views radical literacy education, offering a personal look at the Freirean ideas that guided an educator's early years of teaching, and the theories and classroom experiences that urged her to take a second look. Through her own experience, the author demonstrated the power of sustained dialogue between…

The goal of this paper is to reflect upon Engineering Education, starting from experiments that have been carried out at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), aiming to improve the learning process of the content of basic drawing disciplines concerned with graphic representation, which are subjects of the initial terms of the courses of…

Examines the case method in light of developments in adult education and finds that reflection after class discussion is usually neglected and often discouraged. Concludes that use of reflective reports helps to overcome concerns about value and relevance in management education. (Contains 17 references.) (JOW)

This description of a teacher-researchers's experiences of surprise in daily practice suggests that moments of surprise are opportunities to develop and sustain reflective teaching practice. The experience of surprise is in itself an embodied reflection that can awaken pedagogical possibilities. (SLD)

According to responses from 145 secondary agriculture teachers and 2,400 students, students thought instructional clarity increased when teachers actively involved them. Systematic differences between teachers' and students' perceptions (especially teachers rating themselves more highly than students did) indicate a need for teachers to reflect on…

Suggests that Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of the most important figures in American Literature, yet his writing can be too "lofty" for many modern students to grasp. Offers some examples of ways to bring Emerson down to earth, grounding his spiritualist musings in material illustrations and making him more accessible to students. (NB)

Inspired by Donald Schon's work "Educating the Reflective Practitioner" (1987), the authors create virtual worlds using an approach combining video technology and the case teaching method. This article describes two video series, "Mentoring the New Teacher" and "Becoming a Star Urban Teacher," aimed at enhancing the…

Presents five story telling strategies--inspired by the work of Vivian Paley--that teachers can use to discover children's perspectives in a classroom: share the story of our names, share favorite stories from childhood, pass the paper and find the different stories, act out the story with different communication styles, and see our work as making…

In this article, we examine the evolving influences and literacy beliefs of two elementary teachers during their second year of professional teaching. Interview and observational data indicated that teaching context and personal dispositions most influenced the participant?s literacy beliefs during this time. In particular, instructional decisions…

In this article, we examine the evolving influences and literacy beliefs of two elementary teachers during their second year of professional teaching. Interview and observational data indicated that teaching context and personal dispositions most influenced the participant's literacy beliefs during this time. In particular, instructional decisions…

The Strategy Toolbox is a concrete model developed to increase the academic achievement of students through increased teacher knowledge and expertise in teaching strategies. It is intended for implementation by individual teachers who share their ideas, classroom applications, and reflections in a group setting as an overall strategy for school…

Using an autobiographical approach for pedagogical reflection, the author raises questions about how to include "hospitable kinship" and "gift exchange" in teaching and learning. Her experience with a Zimbabwean community circle of hospitable kinship has prompted her to consider how this method of community formation might be…

Middle school teachers are not unique in their lack of time to contemplate their profession in any systematic way. Educators could benefit from journal-keeping as a means to reflect on their practice, their attitudes towards what they do in the classroom, and the obstacles they all face in teaching. This article presents excerpt from a teacher's…