Postmodernists have criticized modern conceptions of supervision as bureaucratic, hierarchical, and oppressive. This paper asserts that the postmodern proclivity to completely eschew expert supervision, evaluation, and judicious use of directive supervision is misguided, potentially limiting, and dangerous. The paper argues that collegial…

A needs assessment for use with adult learners of English is a tool that examines, from the learner's perspective, what kinds of English, native language, and literacy skills the learner believes he has, literacy contexts in which the learner lives and works, what he wants and needs to know to function in those contexts, what he expects to gain…

Gender differences of gifted and talented students in mathematics performance were examined using the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) of 1995. The LEAP test is a statewide criterion-referenced test administered to all Louisiana public school children in Grades 3, 5, 7, 10, and 11. In this study, the database was restricted to…

This study compared the effects of utilizing children's books, maps, and videos in a theme integrated unit in social studies with the effects of using a social studies textbook in an elementary class. One fifth grade class in New York state was used for this study. In the first treatment, the class received instruction in a unit on Canada using…

This paper discusses "Doing Theory in the Methods Class: Focused Reflection," a chapter from the book "Whole Language Voices in Teacher Education" edited by Kathryn F. Whitmore and Yetta Goodman. The book chapter focuses on guided classroom reflection as a key element in the education of preservice teachers, exploring whether…

Instructional librarians in academic libraries continue to think critically about their function, methodology, and teaching effectiveness as they assist students in their quests for knowledge. While several factors identify effective teaching, one important component is teaching to the diversity of learning styles of the students. This paper…

In an effort to foster group work, encourage critical thinking, and assist students in understanding the costs and benefits of being a critical thinker, a classroom activity was developed for use in an introductory psychology course. In the activity, students are divided into groups and presented with a taxonomy of cognitive objectives,…

As a result of the development of two computer statistics laboratories in the psychology department at New York's Brooklyn College, a project was undertaken to develop and implement computer program modules in undergraduate and graduate statistics courses. Rather than use the technology to merely make course presentations more exciting, the…

In an effort to encourage student participation and instructor-student communication in a large introductory psychology course, an approach was developed to call on students involuntarily to answer critical thinking questions rather than factual questions. To address the possibility that students would be anxious and intimidated about speaking in…

A writing workshop was developed for undergraduate psychology courses to address problems related to writing skills development. Specific problems addressed by the workshop include the lack of attention paid by students to comments written on their papers during grading, students' tendency to look for easy solutions to their writing weaknesses,…

Stories are one means of communication between people of all ages. The telling of stories or listening to them is a part of a tradition as old as human experience. This guide gives practical advice, curriculum suggestions, and story examples for teachers interested in using storytelling with young children. The following are the sections: (1)…

The New Jersey High School Proficiency Test for grade 11 (HSPT11) replaced a similar requirement for grade 9 and became a graduation requirement in October 1993. As in the past, the writing test consists of a writing sample, which assesses student abilities to write sustained discourse, and a multiple-choice portion that assesses how well students…

Educating young people to give them alternatives to violence for their futures is explored in this examination of the causes of violence in schools and society and possible solutions. The challenge is one of moving from cultures that condone violence and intolerance of difference to cultures that are both more tolerant and more peaceful. Part I of…

This teacher's manual is a resource to assist teachers in expanding and refining their repertoire of teaching strategies and to guide them in instructional planning and decision making when teaching reading in the content areas. The manual does not prescribe a particular style of teaching--it is of value to teachers as they consider their…

Documentation and assessment are important elements in securing continuity, progress, and flexibility in the teaching and learning of young children. This article explores the first year of portfolio assessment in a kindergarten in Finland, asking such questions as: (1) What are portfolios and why are Taija (one particular student), her peers,…