With the advent of the informal or open classroom, a new area of concern has become important--classroom arrangement. In the past, classrooms were oriented toward the front, toward the teacher's desk and the blackboard. Education depended mainly on the pupil's interaction with the teacher and with printed materials. Nowadays, in informal…

A developmental setting for multi-handicapped preschool children and the physical layout of the classroom are described. Photographs and drawings of specially designed educational equipment, such as a shallow sand and water table adapted for wheelchair-bound children and an adjustable easel that allows armless children to paint with their feet,…

"Written with the teacher's imagination in mind," this seven-chapter career education booklet's aim is to help teachers reorganize classroom activities. The booklet stresses: "One small step by teachers who thoughtfully plan...what they teach is worth more to a school system than a highly polished superstructure that is difficult to…

This book is a comprehensive staff report addressed to the United Teaching Profession as a basis to improve America's schools. Contents include: Section 1, The setting: a note of urgency; are schools to blame? the traditional role of education; the fruits of success; the new focus of change: humaneness in education; and, barriers to humane school.…

The term "open education" is used to designate the curriculum and instruction methods associated with an open plan school -- one without interior walls. Such a program consists of more advanced children assisting those less advanced, independent study, children progressing at their own rate, extensive use of the outdoor environment,…

Identifies existing problems in the area of social studies education, focusing especially on those generated by the lack of a universally accepted teaching philosophy in the field. Describes a teaching model by which students learn to be internally oriented, experience self-motivated instruction in a democratic classroom, and thereby learn social…

This report brings together empirically-based studies on classroom organization and management and outlines practices that facilitate creation of a classroom system that is both preventive and interventional. The nine sections focus on: using research to create a classroom management system (arranging the classroom, planning rules and procedures,…

The Step by Step program was begun in 1994 as an experiment linking sound early childhood educational practice with concepts of democracy to create learning environments in which children practice choice and learn critical thinking skills, and in which parents actively participate in their child's education. This manual expands the program to…

Suggests that teachers are challenged with arranging the environment to allow physically impaired children to participate in classroom activities. Defines limited motor ability. Suggests ways to make minor modifications or adaptations to accommodate these children in common classroom activities, including circle time, art, sensory play, fine…

Offers suggestions to caregivers for creating successful literacy experiences for infants and toddlers in all types of group settings. Explores research on parental behavior during book-reading experiences and provides guidelines for caregivers. Also offers advice on designing a center's physical environment and selecting children's books. (EV)

Characteristics and perceived training needs were studied for 173 educators working with nontraditional students and other high-risk students in developmental education in the Massachusetts community college system. Most respondents spend their time working directly with students. Classroom and counseling skills are areas in which respondents most…

This report documents the second of two studies on teaching and learning generic skills in high schools. It extends the earlier work by providing a model for designing classroom instruction in both academic and vocational classrooms where teaching generic skills is an instructional goal. Ethnographic field methods were used to observe, record, and…

This paper discusses the impact of layout and design of child care centers on the education of young children. It asserts that child care facilities must be designed to support and stimulate children's natural developmental processes, providing both direct and indirect educational opportunities. The paper discusses the stages of the design process…

To make effective use of a two-way interactive distance education system, classroom design should be a primary consideration. A properly designed classroom will enhance content objectives and increase acceptance of this type of instructional delivery. This paper describes key considerations for optimal design. Construction considerations include…

In the first year of operation, a high school computer writing lab boosted the percentage of freshman passing state-mandated writing tests from 55% to 77%. Two facilitators were employed in the lab and had five major responsibilities: (1) careful organization of the physical facility; (2) training teachers and students; (3) scheduling classes; (4)…