Are makerspaces--where children can create gas-powered Roman chariots, singing greeting cards, or playdough circuit boards--just the site for a slightly wacky explosion of inventiveness? Or can these maker activities be channeled to support deep STEM learning? Bronwyn Bevan, director of the Exploratorium Institute for Research and Learning in San…

The entire staff of one New York elementary school was trained in Developmental Activities Project to understand how students develop logical thinking, how to assess each student's developmental level, and how to create an appropriate learning environment. DAP is based on Piaget's 46 concrete mental structures, including classification, relations,…

Out-of-school educational settings and activities should involve varied learning modes deviating from the narrow skills and tasks of schooling. As a Los Angeles after-school program shows, students learn better when instruction builds on what they already know, helps them express their ideas, and develops activities related to their interests.…

Situated in a western mountain range, the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching is a residential facility that houses teachers seeking intellectual refreshment. The center pays all expenses, aiming to advance teaching as an art and a profession via seminars and a relaxed atmosphere. (MLH)

With typical funding, Rhode Island's Met School takes the personalized-instruction philosophy to new heights. Using mentors, parents, customized learning plans, journal writing, computer projects, and real-world settings, this school allows high-school students to develop their passions and interests instead of competing for grades. (MLH)

In 1999, two schools in an impoverished border town in Texas received 3-year federal grants from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to support varied after-hours activities: academic tutoring, computer literacy, "ballet folklorico," arts and crafts, guitar instruction, and service learning. Students and parents now have a safe…

After-school program participation is associated with higher grades and test scores, especially for low-income students. Programs come in three types: school-age childcare, youth development, and educational after-school programs. Few programs meet students' needs, due to inadequate funding, poorly trained leadership, transient staff,…

In the nation's capital, 53 schools are participating in the Comer School Development Program, which sponsors meaningful, engaging activities involving students, parents, and community members. The Comer framework comprises three school governance mechanisms (the school development team, the parent program, and the mental health team), three…

Numerous federal and health-promotion agencies recommend increasing youngsters' physical activity levels to 30 to 60 accumulated minutes daily. The National Association for Sports and Physical Education has developed national standards that define a physically educated person. High-quality program components and learning activities are described.…

Robert Slavin's position--that extrinsic rewards promote student motivation and learning--may be valid within the context of a "facts-and-skills" curriculum. However, extrinsic rewards are unnecessary when schools offer engaging learning activities; programs addressing social, ethical, and cognitive development; and a supportive…

Basing their classroom instruction on the Dunn Learning Styles Model, two third-grade teachers modified certain classroom-design features, including noise, light, temperature, spatial design, sociological stimuli, perception centers, mobility, and intake. Accommodating students' reading styles has yielded superior results on the Texas Assessment…

By studying survey data from 1,000 teachers participating in a Title II workshop, researchers identified three structural features (form, duration, and collective participation) that set a proper context for professional development. Three core features of professional-development learning experience include content focus, active learning, and…

The Des Moines (Iowa) Public School System was one of the first to offer a cooperative home-school experience for interested parents. The district's Home Instruction Program, which now serves 310 students from 165 families, offers parents several choices regarding curricula, type of assistance, evaluation method, and dual (part-time) enrollment…

Science centers and children's museums, such as the New York Hall of Science and the Orlando (Florida) Science Center, offer rich programs linked to students' classroom learning and provide an informal, inquiry-based setting for exploring major concepts. School/museum partnerships can further teachers' and students' lifelong learning progress.…

A 1996 study attributed adolescent remedial readers' low comprehension to poor motivation, lack of experience, and egocentricity. Secondary teachers can help by connecting reading assignments to real-world learning experiences, providing self-directed activities, and inviting collaborative learning and varied self-expression. A San Diego program…