The trend toward virtual learning for K-12 students has witnessed explosive growth across the country. As enrollment in virtual classes continues to grow and blended classrooms in particular become more commonplace, teachers able to adapt skills originally used in traditional classrooms--as well as develop new ones--will be a critically needed…

What is the place of the arts in our schools? In a world of high-stakes testing and accountability, can schools "afford" to teach the arts? This "Informed Educator" explores why many who have studied this issue consider the arts to have an important role in the curriculum. Examples of the ways some leaders effectively communicate the benefits of…

In the most effective schools, the potential for positive impact of the school library media center and the library media specialist is recognized, and teachers and media specialists work together routinely to support teaching and learning. This "Informed Educator" examines both the elements of an effective school library media center and the…

This "Informed Educator" provides a snapshot of the current state of virtual education at the elementary and secondary levels. A number of critical factors are addressed, including: (1) the types of online courses and schools now available; (2) virtual program providers-- institutional, school, district, state, consortia and private sector; (3)…

This issue of "Focus On" is intended to help teachers reflect on and address issues of culture and learning. A brief discussion of the "classroom as culture" is followed by an overview of relevant research and suggestions for teachers working to make instruction culturally responsive in a standards-based environment. Books in Brief; Web…

In October 2006, the U.S. Department of Education introduced the so-called "single-sex regulations," which brought the issue of single-sex education to the forefront of discussion among educators, policymakers, and parents. Anecdotal evidence suggests that single-sex education can have a positive impact on student achievement. However, opponents…

This issue of "Focus On" provides an overview of several key early literacy components: phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge, concepts of print, oral language development, writing, family literacy, and reading aloud. Suggestions for assessing early literacy development are provided, and examples of implementation of effective early literacy…

Today's schools--and today's teachers--are looking for strategies that help them address challenges inherent in ensuring all students meet standards. A key is identifying and making maximum use of all possible resources available in the school. The media center is one of these, as is the media center specialist. Teachers can help ensure their…

This article reports on school staff's and occupational health nurses' development project (2001-2004), which aimed to promote school staff's occupational wellbeing by activities to maintain the ability to work in 12 comprehensive schools in Finland. The effects of the project were evaluated based on a follow-up study questionnaire presented to…

This study addresses the questions that arise when collecting, describing, and analyzing information from multiple informants regarding attributes of individual students. Using data from the Fast Track study, we evaluate alternative measurement strategies for using multiple teacher ratings of student adjustment to middle school among a sample of…

This paper studied the effect of perceived teacher influence over school policy on first-year teacher attrition. Data came from the National Center for Education Statistics' Schools and Staffing Survey 1999 - 2000 and Teacher Follow-up Survey 2000 - 2001. First-year teacher status and teacher influence over school policy were related to teachers'…

This study aimed at investigating the contribution of motivational beliefs, cognitive, and metacognitive strategy use to Turkish high school students' achievement in biology. In order to investigate the specified purpose of the study, 519 tenth-grade students were administered the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich, Smith,…

This article traces the "cultural turn" in UK educational policy through an analysis of the Creative Partnerships policy (New Labour's "flagship programme in the cultural education field") and a consideration of an arts project funded under this initiative in one primary school. It argues that current educational policy foregrounds the economic…

This article highlights one strand of a study which investigated the concept of the violence-resilient school. In six inner-city secondary schools, data on violent incidents in school and violent crime in the neighbourhood were gathered, and compared with school practices to minimise violence, accessed through interviews. Some degree of…

In engaging in research we draw upon and develop meanings and concepts that help to frame what we do, how we do it and the meaning we make of it. In the process of framing, we exclude other possibilities from our research practices. To do research, then, is to engage in the fashioning of conceptual boundaries. This article explores the dilemmas of…