There is nothing worse than hearing moans and groans when writing time is announced to students. Motivation for writing begins when students' interests are mixed with opportunities for creativity. This article presents an idea shared by a writing coach who found a way to spark students' interest in writing by developing recipes for more…

This article reports that Canadian medical students, inspired by an online community and an obscure heart condition, have ditched their books and transformed their class notes into a pulsating, hip-hop music video. "Diagnosis Wenckebach"--the name comes from a type of abnormal heart rhythm--was created as just one of many innovative…

The purpose of this book is to make the teaching and learning of history a powerful and enjoyable experience in the classroom, changing the often-cited boring image of history for students and offering teachers an opportunity to go beyond the regular textbook. The book focuses on: (1) Varied active teaching ideas; (2) Ideas on how to get students…

Students' and lecturers' perceptions of own effectiveness and creativity as teachers are compared, using a survey questionnaire with a sample of 854 students and 254 lecturers of a higher education institution, together with interviews and class observations of lecturers who were selected as examples of creative teaching. Results indicate that…

Asking children to use a dictionary without discussion to expand their vocabularies is uninteresting, unnatural and unwarranted. This type of assignment requests that the student teach him or herself. Directing students with words without showing them what to do is quite difficult. Asking them to do it independently without observing a model is…

Discusses the cultural features of "Spring" and "Autumn" in Chinese. Their meanings range from references to happiness and love to seasons, crops and farming, to the representation of a year's time and one's age. They are used in poetry and as noun compounds for titles of history books. (SC)

Written primarily as an aid for teachers who are seeking ways in which to enrich their language arts program, this book describes one teacher's approach to her students and their lessons. Part One discusses prose writing and suggests ways of teaching children to write well. Part Two concerns literature teaching which involves reading aloud to the…

Explains how to create a file of useful student-centered language learning modules with four-by-six cards. Modules can focus on vocabulary development, completion drills, or sequential arrangement of information, can be adapted to any age level, and can be inexpensively augmented, or discarded after use. (Author/DJD)

Discusses how one teacher used word play to turn writing into an entertaining and imaginative sport. (ARH)

Author discusses teaching as an art and as such its becoming a self-fulfilling activity. (GB)

A psychology professor at the University of Utah maintains that every student will be better than average in some category if schools can find the right categories. In a question and answer format, guidelines are provided for school administrators pursuing this approach. (Author/JF)

All curriculum materials, packaged or otherwise, should be evaluated on the basis of the objectives of a given school district. (CK)

Suggest that if teachers select poems they enjoy, memorize them, say them aloud every day, invite children to recite them also, set up a special place to display poems and poetry books, and do not rush children, they will make poetry come alive for students. (JL)

Discusses ideas for the teaching of Latin and Greek such as integrating the study of language and culture, using a natural approach to teaching oral skills, using multiple approaches to maintain student interest, and correlating Latin with other subjects. These ideas were promoted by Francis Parker and John Dewey a century ago and are still…

The construction of the double dactyl form of poetry, the value of creating double dactyls as a learning experience, and guidelines for instructing students in writing double dactyls are discussed. (RW)