This paper reports on a study that analyzed the links between child labor and poor school performance. Using data gathered in Ghana in recent years through the administration of tests, the study measured reading achievement and mathematics achievement to about half of the individuals surveyed as part of the Ghana Living Standards Survey. The paper…

This report describes a program for increasing motivation in writing that will enhance students' skills at a variety of grade levels. The targeted population consisted of first, second, and third grade classes as well as ninth through twelfth grade Learning Disabled students in a Midwestern state. The evidence of lack of motivation was documented…

A "Gateway to Success" Mock Job Fair Program was conducted at Federal Correction Institute, Terminal Island. Prior to participation, inmates and employers were administered a pre-program needs assessment questionnaire to determine expectations. Results of the program evaluations (completed by inmates and employers) documented a need for…

During the 1994-1995 school year, the town of Sierre/Siders implemented and evaluated the first bilingual kindergarten class in the Valais canton of Switzerland. The following year the towns of Sion/Sitten and Monthey in the same canton also launched bilingual education classes. In these bilingual classes German is introduced as a second language…

This paper discusses how faculty can and do develop a spirit in the classes they teach and thus become more effective teachers. This paper focuses on classes at a community college and at a university. Faculty and students from all types of college and university classes were interviewed. The classes studied were imbued with a breath of life, a…

Designed for elementary or middle school teachers and library media specialists, this book provides educators with practical, easy-to-use ways of applying motivation assessment techniques when selecting World Wide Web sites for inclusion in their lessons and offers concrete examples of how to use Web evaluation with young learners. WebMAC…

A SMART Learner is a lifelong learner who can adapt to rapid change and who possesses characteristics associated with success in and out of school. These workshop materials to help parents help their children become SMART learners provide: information from current research and best practice; learning activities that will actively engage parents in…

In multigrade instruction, children of at least a 2-year grade span and diverse ability levels are grouped in a single classroom and share experiences involving intellectual, academic, and social skills. "The Multigrade Classroom" is a seven-book series that reviews current research on multigrade instruction, identifies key issues…

Earth is running out of space in landfills and non-renewable resources are being depleted. In this activity, students address the question, "How can we reuse some of our garbage so that we begin to throw away less?" Students brainstorm ideas for an effective board game format and design a game in which players try to come up with alternative uses…

The constant state of "simply making it through the day" for many beginning teachers affects their physical and mental well-being, and impacts their decision to stay in the field of education. Given the seriousness of teacher burnout, it behooves school systems to provide an induction experience for beginning teachers that will contribute to their…

The association between ethnic group identification, attributional style, and the use of self-protective attributions with respect to self-esteem, academic achievement and motivation among ethnically diverse adolescents was examined. Participants in the study included 422 African American, 90 Arab American, and 194 European American high school…

Is educational technology effective in increasing student learning? If technology is an effective tool in the classroom, how can teachers best be trained to use it appropriately? An experiment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a constructivist math class utilizing computer technology as well as other tools. The study occurred in a…

This study examined academic success, intrinsic motivation, and student perceptions as indicators of engagement in a multi-ethnic sample of secondary school students. A particular interest was in examining differences in student perceptions across middle and high school, and another focus was examining students' perceptions of the school's concern…

This paper asserts that successful teachers must be reflective and analytical about their own beliefs and practices and acquire deep understanding of cognitive and motivational principles of learning and teaching. It examines how teachers can model and promote self-regulated learning for students. Self-regulated learning is characterized by…

Curricular goals that traditionally focused on the delivery of the teaching rather than the outcomes of the learning are in a state of major transition. Implementation of academic standards requires the application of content and not merely its delivery. As a result, colleges of education must prepare anew genre of teacher leaders equipped to…