Carol Ann Tomlinson, a professor at the University of Virginia Curry School of Education, has led the push for differentiated instruction and sees a strong commitment by educators to tailoring teaching to student academic levels, learning styles, and personal interests. However, Tomlinson says barriers still stand in the way to making sure every…

Doug Lemov didn't set out to write a book about the tools of the teaching craft. Working as a managing director of a group of urban charter public schools, he was just trying to get some answers for his teachers. They were hungry for tips on how to really engage kids and solve problems that were getting in the way of their teaching. Lemov observed…

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…

Some high achievers are not as easy to engage. Sometimes motivating high achievers is "a matter of being more sensitive to what they are interested in," says Don Ambrose, a professor of education at Rider University in New Jersey. But too often classrooms are not set up for that kind of sensitivity. Research shows that schools are…

Presents tips to help teachers develop and manage valid, truly authentic assessments that are linked to daily class instruction, discussing how to refine assessments, get parents involved, encourage self-assessment, and make criteria clear. A model developmental reading scale for bringing more uniformity to reading assessment is presented. (SM)

The winners of the 2005 State Teachers of the Year recently talked about their views on closing the achievement gap, the state of the profession, and what "really" works in the classroom. This article presents the views of these teachers namely Heidi Louise Capraro, Stanley Murphy, Vicki Lynn Goldsmith, Karen Heath, Kimberly Babeu, Jason Kampras,…

A recent study comparing Asian and American students identified three factors that contribute to superior performance of elementary school children. These are: (1) amount of class time devoted to academics and direct instruction; (2) parent support of academic activities; and (3) student effort. The study and its findings are discussed. (MT)

This article describes a 17-year-old program for at risk students which emphasizes 1-to-1 attention. Project STAY (School to Aid Youth) works with 40 first-grade students each year and has a high success rate. Other features of the program include heavy parent involvement, innovative teaching approaches, and lots of positive reinforcement. (IAH)

A study of German fifth graders correlates high levels of test anxiety with decreased student achievement. To minimize this effect, teachers must foster a balance between efficient use of class time with attention to student needs. Suggestions on how to create a learning, rather than a testing, environment are given. (JL)

The use of social studies instruction to train children to engage in creative decision making is described. (CK)

After spending most of the day in school, students are given additional assignments to be completed at home. It is worth asking not only whether there are good reasons to support the nearly universal practice of assigning homework, but why it is so often taken for granted--even by vast numbers of teachers and parents who are troubled by its impact…

Findings are discussed from a study in which classroom behavior of three fifth grade teachers was observed. Their respective classroom environments were labeled: "learning-oriented,""work-oriented," and "work-avoidance." The affect of these environments on achievement test scores and guidelines for implementing motivational strategies employed in…

Explains that the amount and quality of talk in the classroom directly affects student achievement and describes how to avoid the initiation-response-evaluation pattern by asking open-ended questions, igniting rich conversations, and increasing wait time with students. The paper also includes Internet resources for boosting talk in the classroom,…

Research suggests children have seven distinct intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal). The article presents ideas to help elementary teachers develop intelligences in their students. It describes the project approach to providing multiple opportunities for using…