Maintains that the division of opinions in a staff can determine an educational innovation's success or failure. Teacher empowerment can help forge widespread agreement and consensus for the innovation. These principles are exemplified by the Sizer initiative in the Delaware schools, which is described. (BB)

Reviews research concerning the effects of retention of kindergarten and first grade students and alternatives to such retention. (BB)

Describes the Kids Organized on Learning in School (KOOL-IS) initiative of the B.F. Day Elementary School in Seattle, Washington, which coordinates health, social, and educational services for homeless children. Organizational components, a case study, and program evaluation are considered. (BB)

Describes the production of a dramatic musical, Chimera: A Journey to Redoubtia, at Chapman Elementary School in Anchor Point, Alaska. Student participation in the project, and students' rewards from participation, are detailed. Benefits of the integration of dramatics into the language arts curriculum are listed. (BB)

Discusses topics that are especially appropriate for investigation by young learners and describes activities that stimulate children's curiosity. Suggestions about ways to focus children's attention on mathematical aspects of the activities are offered. (BB)

Describes a high school day care program which allows teenage mothers to stay in school and provides their child with school readiness opportunities. (BB)

Maintains that adults can improve the quality of their lives by working to help meet children's needs. This can be done by advocating and legislating for children, and by donating time, energy, and financial resources to children. (BB)

Summarizes recent ERIC documents on interpersonal competence among preschool and kindergarten children. (BB)

Suggests seven reasons for parents to beware of popular commercial phonics programs designed to give their children a competitive edge in learning to read. Discusses what parents can do to promote their children's efforts to learn to read. (BB)

Discusses the changing nature of our world, particularly in regard to the technical revolution. Considers the effects of the changing world on primary education. Maintains that young students in our changing world share basic curricular needs regardless of where they live. (BB)

Describes a discourse created by second graders who were deliberating about important social issues in the course of discussing a story. (BB)

Discusses ways for teachers of young children to utilize the arts, particularly music and the visual arts, across the early childhood curriculum. (BB)

Discusses difficulties parents encounter when they play with their disabled child and the inappropriateness of some commercial toys for disabled children. Also describes the development of adapted toys and of toy lending libraries for young disabled children. (BB)

Discusses advantages of flexible grouping over ability grouping. Maintains ability grouping is nonprogressive, and blames it for the unequal treatment of students who have a low perception of themselves. Flexible grouping is based on the use of a variety of group patterns to accommodate diverse interests, learning rates, and special styles. (DG)

Whole language activities promote the English literacy development of young children with limited English proficiency. Teaching strategies for promoting whole language development include (1) content-specific instruction; (2) scaffolding; (3) caretaker speech; (4) wait time; (5) peer interaction; and (6) cultural relating. (DG)