This text presents a creative, child-centered approach to the teaching of dance in the elementary school based on the theories and methods of Rudolf Laban and Joyce Boorman. The content area of dance is briefly described so that the practical experiences presented later in the text can be viewed in perspective. Dance experiences are presented that…

A longitudinal study of 99 students attending 1 rural and 1 urban elementary school in Yugoslavia evaluated the effects of an interdisciplinary play-oriented program based on drama, story making, art-constructive activities, group research, and various games. Results showed an improvement in creativity, motivation to learn, and expressive…

Studies the employment of collage by young children as a symbolic activity in organized educational settings. Establishes a taxonomy of collage types and observes their development in two kindergarten classes. Concludes that collage promotes the acquisition of a flexible sequence of skills and reflects a range of abilities and approaches. (DSK)

The CREST (Creative Resources Enriching Student Talents) Project, an enrichment approach for elementary gifted, talented, and creative students, is described. The project is explained to incorporate an interdisciplinary approach to instruction in art and science using resources within the community. Chapter 1 outlines the project philosophy,…

The unit on nonverbal communication is designed for presentation to elementary, middle, and junior high school gifted students. An introductory section lists four unit objectives leading to awareness of the nonverbal communication transmitted by students themselves and by others; expression and understanding of the nonverbal messages of gestures,…

A teacher program is described which seeks to increase the user's ability to identify, measure, and stimulate the creative potential of children. The product involves techniques for stimulating the growth of eight particular thinking/feeling processes in children. Information is provided here on the content and purposes of the product as well as…

Educational experiences which facilitate the development of original thinking and learning are (1) the "open system" of education which stresses freedom at home and at school; (2) the emphasis on sensory awareness of the environment; (3) the development of curiosity and sense of wonder; (4) the growth of imaginative powers and original thinking…

Teachers should foster in children's writing the use of words with "sparkle" and "spin"--"sparkle" implying brightness and vitality, "spin" connoting industry, patience, and painstaking work. By providing creative listening experiences with good children's or adult literature, the teacher can encourage students to broaden their imaginations and…

This study explored teacher perceptions toward giftedness among rural children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, before and after staff development. The study also explored the influence of staff development on teacher-designed instructional strategies to nurture giftedness. Five teachers at a K-4 school in rural Arkansas participated…

A project is an extended, in-depth investigation of a topic, ideally one worthy of children's attention and energy. This catalog, prepared for an annual meeting of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, combines articles explaining the project approach in the classroom with summaries of projects displayed at the meeting. It…

This study investigated the influence of two different instructional approaches on 298 elementary school students. Two four-week units were taught, the first on movement education and fundamental movement skills, and the second on gymnastics. Two treatment groups were randomly selected, and classes were conducted by six experienced teachers who…

This booklet is a teacher's manual that promotes sex equity in elementary school physical education. The first part of the booklet explains the development and effect of sex stereotypes in the classroom. The second part lists games, activities, and sports in which both sexes can participate equally. Appendices include behavior and discipline…

Described are the development, implementation, and evaluation of six 3-hour inservice training sessions designed to help five participating teachers improve imagination and creativity in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students. Content areas for each session are outlined; activities including brainstorming and role playing are reviewed; and…

Questions grading elementary pupils' art work as experiments and teacher experience indicate non-graded pupils fare better. (DS)

Findings of this study support the view that open schooling neither enhances nor decreases achievement as conventionally defined and measured. However, creativity in first graders was found to be enhanced by open schooling methods. (Author/DB)