Teachers should engage in active, collaborative, creative problem solving with their colleagues and students when developing solutions to common behavioral problems. Children communicate through their behaviors and need to learn more positive alternatives. Teachers should help students make successful transitions, create a sense of control, follow…

Discusses metacognition as an important component of a set of essential survival skills for the future. Indicates ways to promote general awareness of metacognitive activity, facilitate conscious monitoring of comprehension, and encourage a deliberate and systematic approach to learning and problem solving. (RH)

The goals and history of the Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary Schools are described. Teams, levels, and gender are discussed, as well as teacher training, administration, scoring, and awards. Sample problems are included. (MNS)

Discusses the need for elementary students to evaluate their own information problem-solving styles. Presents self-evaluation techniques to be used before, during, and after the information problem-solving process. Offers a list of self-evaluation questions, guidelines for designing self-evaluation instruments, and an example questionnaire. (JMV)

Six bonuses that students and teachers experience when using calculators are described. Then problem solving and creative problem-making are discussed, followed by practical suggestions for teachers who want to try calculators. Advice on personalizing the use of calculators and recognizing some of their limitations is also included. (MNS)

A comparison of the Unified Sciences and Mathematics for Elementary Schools (USMES) program with eight major goals for social studies identified in 1971 by the National Council for the Social Studies. USMES is weak in knowledge of a wider world, but is strong in real problem solving, cooperative efforts, and community involvement. (Author/AV)

Suggestions for teaching problem solving which include the use of general models, variation of illustrations and terminology, and diagrams are illustrated for comparison multiplication word problems. (MN)

Suggestions for improving problem-solving skills of first-grade students are made after the results of five studies of addition and subtraction story problems are presented. (JT)

The influence a parent has on the beginning educational development of a child is unquestionable and profound; a parent's attitude and interest will greatly influence a child's attitude toward and interest in learning. This pamphlet is designed to help parents become aware of the many opportunities to develop, nurture, and refine their child's…

The Motivate and Stimulate for Excellence project was designed to provide academically above-average primary and intermediate level elementary school students at 10 project schools with enrichment activities to enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Process and product evaluations assessed the extent to which project…

This brief report describes an exploratory pilot project in which sixth-grade students used hand-held calculators throughout the school year. The report includes guidelines on the purchase and use of calculators as well as advice on gaining community support for such a project. Issues related to classroom management are discussed; in particular,…

This document notes that the traditional elementary school mathematics curriculum focused on computation. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress and other tests in states where minimum competencies have been established are thought to indicate computation-oriented curriculum has not produced the desired results. Further, the…

Elementary teachers and principals enrolled in an elementary education graduate course developed this guide which interprets and applies the concept of inquiry teaching and learning. The purpose of the guide is to bridge the gap between the theory of the inquiry process and its use in the classroom. It is written for use by elementary educators as…

The purpose of this booklet is to help teachers design and select appropriate mathematical problems for the early childhood years. Organizing the classroom for problem-solving sessions is its secondary focus. The material was gathered in early 1970s and first appeared in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Thirty-Seventh Yearbook,…

Developed for elementary teachers, this activity unit is designed to teach students the importance of estimation in developing quantitative thinking. Nine ways in which estimation is useful to students are listed, and five general guidelines are offered to the teacher for planning estimation activities. Specific guidelines are provided for…