Principal Salome Thomas-EL is "crazy about the kids" in his school. He's "curious about them and the lives they lead" at home and in the community. He is committed to being a "consistent adult" they can rely on and to maintaining a "culture of love and support for every child." In this inspirational and…

The goal of the University of Southern California (USC) WonderKids Program is to expose students to numerous Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers in an after-school setting. Elementary school students explore STEM fields with hands-on curricula and guest speakers from those fields. In partnership with the USC/Norris…

Description Contents Resources Courses About the Authors Understanding Sociological Theory for Educational Practices introduces readers to the contemporary classroom through the lens of sociological theory. By compelling readers to think critically and reflexively this book helps future teachers create a welcoming and equitable learning…

Homework has been an integral part of the educational system for over 100 years. What likely began as simple memorization tasks has evolved into complex projects and sparked an increasingly heated debate over the purpose and value of homework assignments. This "Focus On" examines the purpose of homework, how to create homework that has value,…

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is one of the biggest employers of engineers in the world--about 90,000 among its own employees and its corporate partners. So it's not surprising that NASA wants kids to learn more about engineering, become interested in the things engineers do, and experience the world of engineering…

How can teachers extend learning and successfully connect with students, enabling them to work on art over the summer months? An activity developed by this author challenged students to craft a personal image based on items they received in the mail from him while he was visiting Japan over the summer break. The students were asked to create and…

The Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! program is an engaging curriculum that helps young people understand the complex media world around them so they can make thoughtful decisions about issues important to their health, specifically nutrition and physical activity. This training guide was developed in response to the requests of…

The project activities highlighted in this publication were conducted within the framework of school-based afterschool programs operated by community-based organizations. The intention of the Discovering Community initiative, created by The After-School Corporation and MetLife Foundation, is to foster greater collaborations and mutual respect…

The author demonstrates how simple snapshots can open new entryways into literacy for all children and help educators view teaching and learning in new ways, building classroom-wide and school-wide community. The book offers projects that help children see real-world possibilities in literate behaviors by using photos as a stimulus for literacy…

Third in the Mighty Easy Motivators series, this book is a hands-on guide to crafts for pre-school and grade school children to engage in during the literature program, after-school activities, or playtime. The programs in the book meet two objectives: introducing children to exciting new stories and poems and helping them create a story-related…

States that using diverse types of museums as sources of information for writing helps to stimulate imagination and personal expression. Describes many possible approaches, including poets in museums, curriculum collaborative programs, intensive student writing projects, high school programs, and after-school programs. Discusses problems that may…

Describes an after-school program in New York City designed to help inner-city high school students understand ecological concepts. (KHR)

Describes the efforts of a teacher to create an after-school drama program where none existed before in a blue-collar area of Pennsylvania. Explains how an original production, "Voices from Middle School," was developed and performed through combining her after-school volunteer drama classes with an in-school poetry class. (PA)

Building on the work of an earlier article ["The Word Writing CAFE: Assessing Student Writing for Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency," Dorothy J. Leal, "Reading Teacher," 59 (4) Dec 2005 (EJ738016)], these authors investigated the use of a simple assessment tool with a different audience to yield similar useful results. (Contains 3 figures and 4…

Describes the formation and organization of a mathematics club for fourth- and fifth-grade students. Offers 12 hints on running a successful club based on the author's experiences. (MDH)