Can informational text be used effectively in beginning reading instruction, as mandated by the Common Core State Standards? Yes, writes Nell K. Duke-in fact, the primary grades are the perfect place for informational text. Duke discusses seven features that characterize K-3 classrooms that make good use of informational text: (1) informational…

Ten percent of kindergartners show behavior problems or disrupt their class. This number triples for at-risk children. And children with self-control problems rarely succeed academically. With all a teacher has to accomplish during the kindergarten year, having students who lack the skills to "do school" is a real challenge. Other students are…

On the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, one-third of U.S. 4th graders performed at or above the proficient level in reading. That's the good news. But what about the two-thirds of students who "didn't" read proficiently in 4th grade? For students who enter school with below-average language development, a one-year gain in reading…

A recent report points to the potential of the community school movement to concentrate resources in impoverished rural schools and build effective partnerships between the community and school. According to "The Rural Solution: How Community Schools Can Reinvigorate Rural Education," community schools might be the most economically feasible way…

This article traces the evolution of kindergarten from its focus on children, to its focus on outcomes, to its current focus on literacy and math. The early childhood parts of kindergarten are losing ground to growing allocation of kindergarten time to academic content. A more ecological approach to kindergarten involves reincorporating play into…

Child development research shows that during the 5 to 7 shift, children make a major transition from early childhood to middle childhood ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. At the same time, their entry into formal schooling thrusts them into new roles and responsibilities, often in unfamiliar settings with unfamiliar people. These challenges…

The transition into kindergarten is a challenge for any student, but it can be especially difficult for students with disabilities and their families. In this article, Amanda Fenlon suggests that by planning ahead families and schools can smooth that transition and put students on the right road. She encourages families to work with their child's…

Despite the fact that two of every three students in U.S. schools have reading proficiencies below the level needed to adequately do grade-level work, schools don't make a point of offering either high-quality professional development for kindergarten teachers nor expert tutorial instruction for at-risk kindergartners. This means that most schools…

Students were asked to describe a time when they felt in charge of their learning in school--when they were working not just for a grade but because they were excited and interested. This article shares what a few of them said.

In 2000, Oil City Elementary School faced collapsing enrollment, a high-risk student population, and a reputation as the place for kids who were not smart enough to attend the nearby academic magnet. The school was slated for closure. But the school had a history of connection to Oil City, a town of 1,500 in western Louisiana, and school staff…

In this article, the authors discuss two interventions deployed to remediate low performing students. The first is grade level retention in which a student is required to repeat a given grade due to lack of academic or social progress. The second is academic redshirting in which a parent voluntarily delays the entrance of her child into…

Academic redshirting is the act of keeping a child out of school for an additional year before kindergarten. This practice has become prevalent in America as kindergarten standards become more rigorous. There are few examples in the literature of research that explores the differences between children who have been academically redshirted and…

Kindergarten teachers explore reading comprehension by using a surprisingly complex array of strategies. Kindergarten can be converted as a workshop of readers and thinkers, who take seriously the work of making meaning from books and also building on their interests helps students make authentic connections.

Since the implementation of the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme (PEVS) in 2007, its built-in quality assurance mechanism has brought about subtle changes in the work relationship between kindergarten (KG) principals and teachers. The increasing demand for accountability and the call for improvement in the quality of pre-school education are…

New technologies are widely used in several domains of human activity and business, including education, because of their positive impact on information management and service delivery. Considering technology's ability to provide for advanced and updated technological tools and applications, information and communication technologies (ICT) have…