When children's own strategies for solving mathematical problems are not connected to the way mathematics is taught in school, students fail to make sense of mathematics instruction and begin to "fail." This chapter adopts the position that student understanding of worthwhile mathematical content is the essential goal of mathematics education, and…

This report summarizes the accomplishments of the 3-and-a-half year implementation of the Mid-Atlantic Multifunctional Resource Center (MRC), a program that provided training and technical assistance to educators and parents of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio,…

As the world becomes more diverse socially, culturally, and economically, there are growing expectations that the individual's differences and rights will be recognized, respected, and responded to in positive ways. This book provides teachers of both multi-age and diverse single-age classrooms guidance on classroom organization, curriculum…

Educators, particularly those in special education, are recognizing the importance of providing students with instruction in problem-reducing and problem-avoiding prosocial and affective skills. This book presents a prosocial skills approach designed for use with handicapped and non-handicapped elementary school students. The teaching of positive…

Designed to help students better understand the controversial issue of affirmative action, this teacher's guide supplements the thirty-minute instructional videotape of the same name. The videotape explores the history of affirmative action in the United States, including its successes, failures, and future. The videotape and the teacher's guide…

The teaching guide and the videotape it complements are designed to help students define and discuss civic responsibilities. The thirty-two minute videotape takes a case-study approach toward understanding civic responsibility. The video identifies some of the attitudes and feelings people have towards problems in American society and then gives…

This document examines how a unit on model rockets, designed to be a "hands-on" activity within the "Mission to Mars" curriculum that was implemented in the Nashville (Tennessee) area middle schools, has been used to investigate children's understanding of experimentation. A literature review explores some of the traditional…

A discussion of the practice of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teaching calls for an instructional strategy integrating traditional methods and the communicative approach. Components of traditional teaching methods (grammar instruction, correction, dictation, dialogue, and native language use) are linked with communicative questioning…

The persistent underrepresentation of women and people of color in science and mathematics education and careers remains a challenge to all who champion the commitment of equity and excellence in education. This is the first publication in a series produced by the Science and Mathematics Education unit at the Northwest Regional Educational…

This booklet summarizes the science chapter from the "Handbook of Research on Improving Student Achievement," a report sponsored by the Alliance for Curriculum Reform and also published by the Educational Research Service. The handbook is based on the idea that efforts to improve instruction must focus on the existing knowledge base on…

This publication presents manuscripts and research reports by graduate students. Accompanying papers from their mentors establish a context for the student papers. In this double volume the works are organized by sponsoring university. Student papers presented are: (1) "Looking, Talking, and Experiencing Art with Preschoolers" (Shari…

This digest summarizes studies that provide evidence that youth with multiple and severe risks in their lives can develop into confident and competent adults; and discusses the critical role schools can play in this process of development. Resilience is the term used to describe a set of qualities that foster a process of successful adaptation and…

A plan was developed to improve test scores in a Georgia high school. A committee of teachers, students, citizens, and a curriculum consultant was formed to analyze the school's problems and the reason for low test scores and low achievement. Data on the school climate indicated that it was poor, except that the instructional leadership of the…

This document consists of three separate booklets designed to educate the public and users about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The 54-page "All about OSHA" is intended to provide a nonexhaustive overview of OSHA services. The following topics are discussed: the need for occupational safety and health…

Research Ideas for the Classroom is a three-volume series of research interpretations for early childhood, middle grades, and high school mathematics classrooms. Each volume looks at research from the perspective of the learner, the content, and the teacher, and chapters are co-authored by a researcher and a teacher. Chapter titles in the middle…