A North Carolina district that launched a differentiation program for gifted students discovered that all students benefit. Interested districts should start by offering staff development to a small, interested group of teachers; build on teachers' existing practices; target resources; and support teacher collaboration. (MLH)

In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Grant Early Childhood Center is implementing Prizing Our Natural Differences (POND), an exemplary public-school Reggio Emilia program. POND effectively integrates day care for toddlers, preschool education, after-school care for primary students, and special-education services for young children. (Contains 10…

In its valiant differentiation and detracking efforts, a Virginia high school hoped to assist all students in mastering state standards and enrich, excite, and challenge high-ability students via learning contracts and advanced material feeding their interests. However, disgruntled parents managed to reinstate the tracking system. (MLH)

A new principal remembers her humiliation when a kindergarten teacher chastised her for tying a shoe with her teeth (as taught by her handicapped mother). As a teacher, she refrained from prejudging "problem" children's actions and often violated classroom rules to accommodate students' varied needs. (MLH)

Discusses hurdles to new principals' success. Principals must respect school culture, including ghosts and heroes; realize that working relationships will change; and anticipate isolation and overwork. Meeting individual teachers, locating the power, keeping central administrators informed, listening and learning, finding mentors, and picking…

In "Failure to Connect" (1998), Jane Healy examined pros and cons of computer use, warning that good teachers, small classes, and challenging curricula trump high-tech products. Computers can impede youngsters' development. Computers enhance learning only if teachers comprehend them, use appropriate applications, and define learning goals. (MLH)

In an era where students design web sites and integrate video, graphics, and animation into their presentations, art is becoming the new literacy. Art education promotes self-expression, cognitive and attitudinal improvement, multicultural awareness, and personal growth. Teachers should re-name art "business communication" and get subversive. (MLH)

A survey of 1,427 students (grades 4 through 7), 176 teachers, and 9 administrators in a Connecticut district revealed that children learn about computers from more experienced persons, enjoy independent exploration, and believe computers are for everyone, especially workers. Teacher expertise varies greatly. (MLH)

Although nearly two-thirds of family households have computers and 46 percent have Internet connections, troubling income-related gaps persist. Parents want interactive connections with teachers, homework hotlines, and tutoring services more than school web sites. Web-quest models, laptops, and computer donation programs are promising…

Groups of teachers and schools can bridge the theory-practice gap by using the Web-based Integrated Science Environment (WISE) project library. The WISE learning environment promotes lifelong learning along with language and technology literacy by making science accessible, thinking visible, and learning a cooperative experience. (Contains 16…

Teachers implementing a local history project in Belmont, California, had help from a federally funded technology innovation challenge grant: the Challenge 2000 Multimedia Project. Sponsored by a Silicon Valley school-business partnership, the initiative illustrates how technology can transform classroom learning while supporting instructional…

The Center for the Analysis of Commercialism in Schools found that the number of press citations from 1990 to 2000 discussing seven types of commercializing activities (program sponsorship, exclusive agreements, incentive programs, appropriation of space, sponsored educational materials, electronic marketing, privatization, and fund raising)…

The first federal Internet privacy law (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) provides safeguards for children by regulating collection of their personal information. Unfortunately, teens are not protected. Legislation is pending to protect children from online marketers such as ZapMe! Interactive technologies require constant vigilance.…

When Urseline Academy girls need career advice, academic guidance, or personal support, they e-mail their mentors--professional women in the Dallas area whose "real-world" knowledge helps the students make informed choices. The program is an outgrowth of a summer internship program stressing student-centered learning. (MLH)

Students and teachers in the Virtual Classroom Program at an Ottawa, Ontario, high school connect in real time with peers and experts from around the world. Students collaboratively select interdisciplinary topics, conduct research using online databases and experts, and create oral and multimedia presentations. (MLH)