Examines the differences between imagination, creativity, and fantasy, and presents the relationship of imagination to creativity. Suggests that the basic distinction between imagination and fantasy is that while imagination is related to reality, fantasy is related to unreality. The link between imagination and creativity lies in the opportunity…

Four components of high-achieving middle schools together provide for the refocusing of middle level education on student achievement, while being attentive to the needs of the early adolescent learner. Those components are: a culture that supports achievement, ongoing discussion about achievement, a supportive structure, and an academically…

Examines how educators can create a school culture that supports and nurtures the success and accomplishments of all students. Discusses the role of institutional core values; school heroes and leaders representing those values; the school's system of rewards, reinforcement, and punishments; the school's ceremonies and rituals; and how the…

Examines how principals of high achieving middle schools use their various roles to promote student achievement and engage the school community--staff members, students, and parents--in studying and addressing the achievement needs of students. Outlines the characteristics of the principal's roles as inspirational leader, human resource developer,…

Discusses the challenge of providing an educational program for young adolescents that balances a commitment to academic achievement with a commitment to providing a caring, nurturing learning environment. Outlines 10 characteristics of the continuous process of school improvement in the high achieving school. (TJQ)

Discusses the importance of family and community involvement to student achievement. Schools can establish an effective partnership among schools, families, and the community by providing support for families, creating family-community learning centers, supporting the community, providing opportunities for shared responsibility, facilitating the…

Recognizing the benefits of parental involvement, these suggested activities comprise a starter list for educators interested in encouraging parents to participate in their students' education: training opportunities, homework helplines, school personnel directories, promotion and recognition of parent efforts, casual social affairs, needs and…

Presents an annotated "league table" on attendance at publicly funded early childhood care and education services for children ages 3 to 5 in 15 European countries. The table points to a widespread movement to universal provision of early childhood services for children over age 3, except in Britain, Ireland, and the Netherlands. (MDM)

Discusses the Swedish family support system and presents the results of a study of the intellectual and socioemotional development of 110 Swedish children from early childhood through age 16. Found that socioeconomic background and the age when they first entered public day care had a significant influence on the subjects' intellectual and…

Discusses the importance of sound induction programs for newly qualified teachers and reports on a survey of 61 primary and 36 secondary schools in Wales concerning their policies governing new teachers. The survey found that only 37% of the primary schools claimed to have an induction policy, compared with 83% of the secondary schools. (MDM)

Reviews recent studies on the effects of mixed-age grouping (MAG) in Swedish nursery and elementary schools. Although studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s suggested that MAG was beneficial to children's learning and socioemotional development and to teachers' work satisfaction, studies conducted in the 1990s suggest that MAG does not promote…

Surveyed 154 nursery school teachers in Greece concerning their perceptions of the nature and extent of behavior problems exhibited by their pupils. Found that geographic region and the location of the nursery school (city, town, or rural area) affected teachers' perceptions of children's emotional and developmental problems, but not conduct…

Examined the process by which 79 nursery school pupils age 4 and 5 years discovered the properties of magnetism while playing with magnets and various metallic and nonmetallic objects. Found that the older children were more likely to discover magnetism on their own, while the younger children required the encouragement of their teacher to uncover…

Interviewed 59 2nd- and 44 3rd-year elementary school students concerning their solutions to arithmetic problems commensurate with their age and ability. The results indicate that as children progress through school, they continue to use counting as an important part of their problem-solving repertoire, combining counting skills in idiosyncratic…

Interviewed teachers and parents concerning newly developed school services for 6-year olds in Stockholm, Sweden, where the traditional age for starting school will change from 7 to a flexible 6 or 7 in 1997. Results from ratings done by teachers indicate that the new services have had a positive influence on the children's adjustment and peer…