Studies have found that movement can have a positive effect on the linguistic and intellectual capabilities of the brain, proving that physical fitness is related to academic performance. By allowing elementary students to move around and be involved in physical activity at school, the brain is able to make stronger connections with the material…

In a world of massively mediated information and communication, students must learn to handle rapidly growing information volumes inside and outside school. Pedagogy attuned to processing this growing production and communication of information is needed. However, ordinary educational models often fail to support students, trialing neither…

Teachers' professional identity influences the ways teachers think and teach. Research on native English speaking teachers' (NEST) professional identity construction and development has not been widely explored. This study analyzes six NESTs' identity in 31 lesson plans and activity designs for intensive English camps at an English Wonderland in…

This case positions the reader as the superintendent of Jefferson City Public Schools (pseudonym). Like many urban school districts in the United States, Jefferson City faces a complex milieu of fiscal challenges attributed to inadequate state funding and declining student enrollment. Within this case, the superintendent must address the failing…

This qualitative single case study on backward design lesson planning experiences of teachers in a professional learning community focused on gaining a better understanding of collaborative planning of standards-based learning intentions, success criteria, assessments, and activities as performed by four participants meeting daily in one high…

The indispensability of ICT tools in EFL classrooms is rather taken for granted, often in a way to promote the teaching/learning experience. Accordingly, teachers more than ever are encouraged or even explicitly instructed to use different tools inside the classroom. However, the lack of a systematic approach that governs the design and the…

This descriptive study examines the elements of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) that elementary teacher candidates exhibit as they plan, teach, and reflect on a mathematics lesson that integrates children's literature. Data for this study were gathered from observations and written work of preservice elementary teacher candidates…

Montessori's first premise is that movement and cognition are closely entwined, and movement can enhance thinking and learning (Lillard, 2005). Children must move, and practice moving, to develop strength, balance, and the stability needed to fully participate in the rigors of daily life. It is imperative for young children's motor…

In this paper, we analyze efforts to encourage teachers' attention to student thinking through a professional development (PD) program. We describe three groups of teachers within the same program who completed different types of assignments, either conducting interviews, planning classroom activities, or both. In both types of assignments,…

With the ever-growing needs for more resources, the lack of concentration on preparing an exclusive activity for a particular classroom can be observed in a large number of educational contexts. The present study investigates the efficiency of ready-made activities for busy teachers. To this end, an activity from the ready-made resource book,…

This study aimed to describe the application of Area Instruction Model on one of the state kindergarten in Bandung city. The study used a qualitative approach with descriptive qualitative design. Data was obtained through interviews, observation, and documentation. The validity of the analysis was guaranteed through perseverance observation and…

Annual fieldtrip visits offer an excellent opportunity to engage teachers and students in learning opportunities that may not otherwise be available in their classrooms. Here we describe a collaborative project designed to support teacher engagement before, during, and after a classroom fieldtrip to a children's museum. We found that providing a…

Socioscientific issues are ill-structured problems that involve moral, ethical, and financial aspects, and lack clear-cut solutions. Teaching socioscientific issues necessarily puts a demand on teachers to draw on knowledge stemming from other domains, and to also appreciate, and present to the students the societal aspects of science. For new…

Summer learning loss contributes significantly to the achievement gap between low income students and their more affluent peers. That makes high quality summer learning programs a smart investment for school districts concerned about success for all students. Such investments have become easier thanks to the flexibility built into the Local…

The second edition of "Words and Actions" features an expanded framework, a variety of new unit, lesson, and activity examples from different languages and levels, and additional content on how social justice education fits within the context of contemporary approaches to language instruction. The revised text provides concrete examples…