Education - Trends,Policies, Strategies Index

Education: Trends, Policies and Teaching Strategies

If we are to help our children do better in school, then we need to understand the issues, trends and strategies in education. That way parents and educators can communicate more effectively about issues surrounding their children. This area has articles relating to the general topics of education trends, policies and strategies. Other areas at KidSource Online that have similar articles include: Gifted and Talented Students and General Education.
Our rating system for these Education Trends articles is:

- Best, in depth and most helpful overall
- Very Good, but more specific in focus
- Good reference material

Blackboard Bungle: Why California Kids Can't Read
An excellent and insightful investigative article about the whole language teaching method. A must read for all parents, since the whole language method is taught in many states, not just California. Written by Jill Stewart.

Academic Redshirting and Young Children
Academic redshirting for young children refers to the practice of postponing entrance into kindergarten of age-eligible children in order to allow extra time for socioemotional, intellectual, or physical growth. This Digest discusses what studies have said thus far about redshirting and its potential effects, and offers suggestions for parents considering delaying their child's entrance into kindergarten.

Practical Ideas on Alternative Assessment for ESL Students
This article discusses how alternative assessment may hold great promise for ESL students. Although the challenge to modify existing methods of assessment and to develop new approaches is not an easy one, the benefits for both teachers and students are great. The ideas and models presented here are intended to be adaptable, practical, and realistic for teachers who are dedicated to creating meaningful and effective assessment experiences for ESL students.

The Challenges of Parent Involvement Research
Recent major legislation, such as the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), has made parents' involvement in their children's education a national priority. School districts nationwide are being encouraged to reexamine their parent involvement policies and programs and to demonstrate innovative approaches in order to obtain Federal education dollars. In particular, eligibility for Title I funding, available to school districts in high poverty areas, is now contingent upon the development of "compacts" in which families and schools agree to assume mutual responsibility for children's learning: partnerships must be forged between homes, schools, and communities, requiring an unprecedented level of contact and communication between parents and educators (e.g., U.S. Department of Education, 1994).

A Guide To Enrollment And Success In Charter Schools
This Parent Guide from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education answers many common questions regarding charter schools, including questions about finding charter schools; application and admission procedures and requirements; and specific questions which parents should ask during the process of searching for a charter school.

Talking to Your Child's Teacher About Standardized Tests
This digest highlights one tool that teachers use--standardized tests. It explains basic features of testing and suggests questions that you might ask your child's teacher. By understanding the role of testing, you can help your child succeed in school and can develop a better relationship among you, your child, and your child's school.

Blending Gifted Education and School Reform
There needs to be a process for assuring that the unique needs of students who are gifted are addressed within the context of the current educational system. This digest includes a section on designing strategies for implementation of programs for gifted students and is a good reference for both parents and educators.

Creating Learning Centered Classrooms
The time is ripe for a closer examination of learning in college classrooms. Recent questioning of the value of higher education focuses on the worth of undergraduate education and on the quality of learning that takes place in college classrooms. In response, many colleges and universities have focused on changes that center on improving teaching and learning.

English-Only Movement: Its Consequences on the Education of Language Minority Children
The education of children from disadvantaged groups has been frequently a topic of political debate. The current English-Only movement, which advocates that English be the official and only language used in the United States, dramatically influences the life of language minority children, their families, and educators working with them.

Extended School Year
The term Extended School Year encompasses a range of options in providing programs in excess of the traditional 180-day school year. The issues of regression and recoupment have been pivotal in the litigation that has advanced the concept of extended school year. Regression has been described as the lack of maintenance or loss of skills over the summer recess. Recoupment is getting back that which was lost.

Global Education: Internet Resources
A good global education curriculum consists of more than simply facts and figures about nations and their relations with one another; it also encourages understanding of cultural differences and similarities, tolerance, and a globally interdependent view of the world.

How To Provide Full-Time Services on a Part Time Budget
There is a trend in many schools to eliminate gifted education programs in the belief that all students are best served in heterogeneous learning environments. This article challenges this trend and supports the benefits of keeping gifted students together in their areas of greatest strength for at least part of the school day. This practice of cluster grouping represents a way to make sure gifted students continue to receive a quality education at the same time as schools work to improve learning opportunities for all students.

Mixed-Age Grouping: What Does the Research Say
This article provides some basic information about mixed-age grouping and examines research on mixed-aged grouping. Finally, a list of questions is provided--questions parents can pose to prospective mixed-age group teachers or the schools principal--about how they will address parents concerns.

Multicultural Children's Literature in the Elementary Classroom
With the increasing number of linguistic and cultural minorities in the United States, the American society today looks very different than that of Aoki's childhood. These changes in demographic trends impact the education system. Not only do schools need to prepare all children to become competent citizens, but also to create an environment that fosters mutual understanding.

On Standardized Testing
How many of us really believe that a child's intelligence, achievement, and competence can be represented adequately by standardized tests? Do we believe that any distribution curve is capable of classifying all children? These are important issues for parents and educators and are discussed in this article which presents the case for reducing standardized testing in the primary grade classrooms.

School-to-Work Transition in Language Arts Classrooms
School-to-Work (STW) Transition is an education initiative that brings educators, students, business, and industry together to help young people progress smoothly from their classrooms to their careers. STW programs are aimed at developing an integrated secondary school curriculum that facilitates students' transition from school to the workplace.

Teaching in Year-Round Schools
The year-round calendar is an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional nine-month school calendar. This digest examines the benefits and challenges of teaching in year-round schools

Ten Common Fallacies about Bilingual Education
Today, we know a great deal more about the challenges faced by English language learners and about promising strategies for overcoming them. One such strategy, bilingual education, has been the subject of increasing controversy. Although a growing body of research points to the potential benefits, there are a number of commonly held beliefs about bilingual education that run counter to research findings. Based on current research, this digest clarifies some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding language use and bilingual education in the United States.

Differentiating Instruction For Advanced Learners In the Mixed-Ability Middle School Classroom
A particular challenge for middle school teachers is being able to differentiate or adapt instruction to respond to the diverse student needs found in inclusive, mixed-ability classrooms. This digest provides an overview of some key principles for differentiating instruction, with an emphasis on the learning needs of academically advanced learners.

Meeting the Needs if Gifted and Talented Minority Language Students
Providing appropriate gifted and talented programs for students from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds is a challenge that many school districts face. This digest explores the controversy surrounding the under representation of minority language students in gifted and talented programs and makes recommendations for more suitable assessment techniques and program models.

Meeting the Needs of Able Learners through Flexible Pacing
Flexible pacing includes any program in which students are taught material that is appropriately challenging for their ability and allows them to move forward in the curriculum as they master content and skills. For able or gifted learners, flexible pacing generally means some form of acceleration, accomplished by moving the student up to advanced content or by moving advanced content down to the student. With flexible pacing all students can progress through school at a pace that provides a steady challenge without crippling frustration or unreasonable pressure.

Capitalizing on Small Class Size
Efforts to reduce class size, particularly in the primary grades, have been at the forefront of discussions about education for over two decades. This article explores several topics that are prominent in school districts' efforts to derive the greatest benefit from smaller classes.

Charter Schools
In seven short years, the U.S. charter-school movement has produced about 800 schools in 29 states and the District of Columbia, enrolling over 100,000 students. Charter schools reflect their founders' varied philosophies, programs, and organizational structures, serve diverse student populations, and are committed to improving public education.

Developing Language Proficiency and Connecting School to Students' Lives
The Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence (CREDE) has developed the following five pedagogy standards for effective teaching and learning for all students, including students placed at risk for academic achievement: (1) teachers and students producing together, (2) developing language and literacy across the curriculum, (3) connecting school to students' lives (4) teaching complex thinking, and (5) teaching through conversation. These standards emerge from principles of practice that have proven successful with majority and minority at-risk students in numerous classrooms in several states. They incorporate the broadest base of knowledge available and reflect the emerging professional consensus about the most effective ways to educate linguistically and culturally diverse students.

Escalating Kindergarten Curriculum
This article discusses the practice of kindergarten retention, which is increasing dramatically. In some districts, as many as 60% of kindergartners are judged to be unready for first grade. These children are provided with alternative programming: developmental kindergarten (followed by regular kindergarten), transition or pre-first grade, or the repeating of kindergarten.

Languages across the Curriculum
According to Lambert, "We expend almost all of our national resources for foreign language learning on first-time, low-level language learning among high school and college students, then watch those minimal skills decay and disappear through lack of use or reinforcement." With the exception of students who major in languages or area studies, or who study abroad, college graduates in the United States typically possess less non-English language proficiency than they had when they entered college. Even students with advanced proficiency seldom develop bilingual skills and intercultural knowledge sufficient to meet their professional career needs by the time they graduate. As a result, the United States chronically lacks the multilingual language proficiency it needs to function effectively across cultural boundaries.

The Shifting Kindergarten Curriculum
This digest reviews factors influencing kindergarten curriculum, and contrasts characteristics of skill-based and developmentally oriented programs. Redefinition of the kindergarten-primary curriculum from a developmental perspective is more beneficial for children than the use of retention and extra-year placement. Advocates of developmental kindergarten programs should emphasize the effectiveness of an active learning setting for advancing children's growth and development

Breakthrough Study Shows Online Use Increases Student Learning
The results from a national study show that online communications can raise student achievement in the classroom. In this study, conducted by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) and sponsored by Scholastic Network, students with online access perform better on key comprehension, communication and presentation skills than students who do not have such access.

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	Blackboard Bungle: Why California Kids Can't Read An excellent and insightful investigative article about the whole language teaching method. A must read for all parents, since the whole language method is taught in many states, not just California. Written by Jill Stewart.
	Academic Redshirting and Young Children Academic redshirting for young children refers to the practice of postponing entrance into kindergarten of age-eligible children in order to allow extra time for socioemotional, intellectual, or physical growth. This Digest discusses what studies have said thus far about redshirting and its potential effects, and offers suggestions for parents considering delaying their child's entrance into kindergarten.
	Practical Ideas on Alternative Assessment for ESL Students This article discusses how alternative assessment may hold great promise for ESL students. Although the challenge to modify existing methods of assessment and to develop new approaches is not an easy one, the benefits for both teachers and students are great. The ideas and models presented here are intended to be adaptable, practical, and realistic for teachers who are dedicated to creating meaningful and effective assessment experiences for ESL students.
	The Challenges of Parent Involvement Research Recent major legislation, such as the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), has made parents' involvement in their children's education a national priority. School districts nationwide are being encouraged to reexamine their parent involvement policies and programs and to demonstrate innovative approaches in order to obtain Federal education dollars. In particular, eligibility for Title I funding, available to school districts in high poverty areas, is now contingent upon the development of "compacts" in which families and schools agree to assume mutual responsibility for children's learning: partnerships must be forged between homes, schools, and communities, requiring an unprecedented level of contact and communication between parents and educators (e.g., U.S. Department of Education, 1994).
	A Guide To Enrollment And Success In Charter Schools This Parent Guide from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education answers many common questions regarding charter schools, including questions about finding charter schools; application and admission procedures and requirements; and specific questions which parents should ask during the process of searching for a charter school.
	Talking to Your Child's Teacher About Standardized Tests This digest highlights one tool that teachers use--standardized tests. It explains basic features of testing and suggests questions that you might ask your child's teacher. By understanding the role of testing, you can help your child succeed in school and can develop a better relationship among you, your child, and your child's school.
	Blending Gifted Education and School Reform There needs to be a process for assuring that the unique needs of students who are gifted are addressed within the context of the current educational system. This digest includes a section on designing strategies for implementation of programs for gifted students and is a good reference for both parents and educators.
	Creating Learning Centered Classrooms The time is ripe for a closer examination of learning in college classrooms. Recent questioning of the value of higher education focuses on the worth of undergraduate education and on the quality of learning that takes place in college classrooms. In response, many colleges and universities have focused on changes that center on improving teaching and learning.
	English-Only Movement: Its Consequences on the Education of Language Minority Children The education of children from disadvantaged groups has been frequently a topic of political debate. The current English-Only movement, which advocates that English be the official and only language used in the United States, dramatically influences the life of language minority children, their families, and educators working with them.
	Extended School Year The term Extended School Year encompasses a range of options in providing programs in excess of the traditional 180-day school year. The issues of regression and recoupment have been pivotal in the litigation that has advanced the concept of extended school year. Regression has been described as the lack of maintenance or loss of skills over the summer recess. Recoupment is getting back that which was lost.
	Global Education: Internet Resources A good global education curriculum consists of more than simply facts and figures about nations and their relations with one another; it also encourages understanding of cultural differences and similarities, tolerance, and a globally interdependent view of the world.
	How To Provide Full-Time Services on a Part Time Budget There is a trend in many schools to eliminate gifted education programs in the belief that all students are best served in heterogeneous learning environments. This article challenges this trend and supports the benefits of keeping gifted students together in their areas of greatest strength for at least part of the school day. This practice of cluster grouping represents a way to make sure gifted students continue to receive a quality education at the same time as schools work to improve learning opportunities for all students.
	Mixed-Age Grouping: What Does the Research Say This article provides some basic information about mixed-age grouping and examines research on mixed-aged grouping. Finally, a list of questions is provided--questions parents can pose to prospective mixed-age group teachers or the schools principal--about how they will address parents concerns.
	Multicultural Children's Literature in the Elementary Classroom With the increasing number of linguistic and cultural minorities in the United States, the American society today looks very different than that of Aoki's childhood. These changes in demographic trends impact the education system. Not only do schools need to prepare all children to become competent citizens, but also to create an environment that fosters mutual understanding.
	On Standardized Testing How many of us really believe that a child's intelligence, achievement, and competence can be represented adequately by standardized tests? Do we believe that any distribution curve is capable of classifying all children? These are important issues for parents and educators and are discussed in this article which presents the case for reducing standardized testing in the primary grade classrooms.
	School-to-Work Transition in Language Arts Classrooms School-to-Work (STW) Transition is an education initiative that brings educators, students, business, and industry together to help young people progress smoothly from their classrooms to their careers. STW programs are aimed at developing an integrated secondary school curriculum that facilitates students' transition from school to the workplace.
	Teaching in Year-Round Schools The year-round calendar is an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional nine-month school calendar. This digest examines the benefits and challenges of teaching in year-round schools
	Ten Common Fallacies about Bilingual Education Today, we know a great deal more about the challenges faced by English language learners and about promising strategies for overcoming them. One such strategy, bilingual education, has been the subject of increasing controversy. Although a growing body of research points to the potential benefits, there are a number of commonly held beliefs about bilingual education that run counter to research findings. Based on current research, this digest clarifies some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding language use and bilingual education in the United States.
	Differentiating Instruction For Advanced Learners In the Mixed-Ability Middle School Classroom A particular challenge for middle school teachers is being able to differentiate or adapt instruction to respond to the diverse student needs found in inclusive, mixed-ability classrooms. This digest provides an overview of some key principles for differentiating instruction, with an emphasis on the learning needs of academically advanced learners.
	Meeting the Needs if Gifted and Talented Minority Language Students Providing appropriate gifted and talented programs for students from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds is a challenge that many school districts face. This digest explores the controversy surrounding the under representation of minority language students in gifted and talented programs and makes recommendations for more suitable assessment techniques and program models.
	Meeting the Needs of Able Learners through Flexible Pacing Flexible pacing includes any program in which students are taught material that is appropriately challenging for their ability and allows them to move forward in the curriculum as they master content and skills. For able or gifted learners, flexible pacing generally means some form of acceleration, accomplished by moving the student up to advanced content or by moving advanced content down to the student. With flexible pacing all students can progress through school at a pace that provides a steady challenge without crippling frustration or unreasonable pressure.
	Capitalizing on Small Class Size Efforts to reduce class size, particularly in the primary grades, have been at the forefront of discussions about education for over two decades. This article explores several topics that are prominent in school districts' efforts to derive the greatest benefit from smaller classes.
	Charter Schools In seven short years, the U.S. charter-school movement has produced about 800 schools in 29 states and the District of Columbia, enrolling over 100,000 students. Charter schools reflect their founders' varied philosophies, programs, and organizational structures, serve diverse student populations, and are committed to improving public education.
	Developing Language Proficiency and Connecting School to Students' Lives The Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence (CREDE) has developed the following five pedagogy standards for effective teaching and learning for all students, including students placed at risk for academic achievement: (1) teachers and students producing together, (2) developing language and literacy across the curriculum, (3) connecting school to students' lives (4) teaching complex thinking, and (5) teaching through conversation. These standards emerge from principles of practice that have proven successful with majority and minority at-risk students in numerous classrooms in several states. They incorporate the broadest base of knowledge available and reflect the emerging professional consensus about the most effective ways to educate linguistically and culturally diverse students.
	Escalating Kindergarten Curriculum This article discusses the practice of kindergarten retention, which is increasing dramatically. In some districts, as many as 60% of kindergartners are judged to be unready for first grade. These children are provided with alternative programming: developmental kindergarten (followed by regular kindergarten), transition or pre-first grade, or the repeating of kindergarten.
	Languages across the Curriculum According to Lambert, "We expend almost all of our national resources for foreign language learning on first-time, low-level language learning among high school and college students, then watch those minimal skills decay and disappear through lack of use or reinforcement." With the exception of students who major in languages or area studies, or who study abroad, college graduates in the United States typically possess less non-English language proficiency than they had when they entered college. Even students with advanced proficiency seldom develop bilingual skills and intercultural knowledge sufficient to meet their professional career needs by the time they graduate. As a result, the United States chronically lacks the multilingual language proficiency it needs to function effectively across cultural boundaries.
	The Shifting Kindergarten Curriculum This digest reviews factors influencing kindergarten curriculum, and contrasts characteristics of skill-based and developmentally oriented programs. Redefinition of the kindergarten-primary curriculum from a developmental perspective is more beneficial for children than the use of retention and extra-year placement. Advocates of developmental kindergarten programs should emphasize the effectiveness of an active learning setting for advancing children's growth and development
	Breakthrough Study Shows Online Use Increases Student Learning The results from a national study show that online communications can raise student achievement in the classroom. In this study, conducted by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) and sponsored by Scholastic Network, students with online access perform better on key comprehension, communication and presentation skills than students who do not have such access.

Education: Trends, Policies and Teaching Strategies

Infants | Toddlers | Preschoolers | K-12 Education | Health | Recreation | Parenting | Organizations | Store Home | Media Info | Survey | About Us | Legal

Infants | Toddlers | Preschoolers | K-12
Education | Health | Recreation | Parenting | Organizations | Store
Home | Media Info | Survey | About Us | Legal