Modeling differentiated instruction is one way to demonstrate how educators can incorporate instructional strategies to address students' needs, interests, and learning styles. This article discusses how secondary teacher candidates learn to focus on content--the "what" of instruction; process--the "how" of instruction;…

Given the power of children's literature to communicate authentic representations of disability and the potential of humor for nurturing social acceptance, teachers should know how to discuss this literature in the inclusive classroom. The authors analyze authentic children's literature with elements of humor and provide strategies in…

As a flexible instructional tool, cue cards offer support for students with and without disabilities. By providing different amounts of support, they also can be used to differentiate instruction in a variety of subject areas and grade levels. This article describes various strategies for using cue cards and includes examples from K-12 classrooms.

State and national standards, taken as is, can limit the potential of the curriculum and skilled teachers. The ideas presented here suggest ways in which we might better scrutinize standards for their potential richness and limitations in order to enrich our instruction.

After children have witnessed domestic violence, the lingering trauma can undermine their ability to learn and succeed in school. With the right classroom strategies, however, teachers can help students relieve stress, reengage in the curriculum, stay focused and organized, attend to tasks, and reestablish relationships.

Leadership is everyone's responsibility-even first graders. The most important contribution that any educator can make in an era of unrelenting change is identifying and developing aspiring leaders. Elementary school teachers can embed leadership development opportunities into the classroom to foster leadership dispositions and skills…

In high school English classrooms where English language learners may be at risk of academic failure, Culturally Responsive Teaching can help educators build an inclusive community in which all students can improve their literacy skills.

New accreditation standards for teacher preparation programs call for more seamless and effective connections between methods courses, clinical experiences, and school-based mentoring. Intentional clinical experiences and intermediate instructional strategies can foster collaboration between teacher preparation programs and teacher leaders in K-12…

Five literature selections with detailed instructional strategies offer practicing and preservice teachers lessons to help students think deeply about traditional male stereotypes, gender role development, and acceptance of individual differences. Incorporating gender variant books and techniques into early childhood and elementary teacher…

This article describes ways that e-books, a common form of technology, can be used to differentiate instruction, enhance literacy learning, and support Common Core State English Language Arts (ELA) Standards at the fifth-grade level. However, the strategies described can easily be adapted to suit a wide range of grade levels and instructional…

This article examines standards which would define a teacher who is good enough to teach children. A good teacher should understand the development of learners. To ensure inclusive learning environments, the teacher should use understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures. The teacher should also collaborate with others to develop…

As each school year starts, teachers are faced with teaching and building relationships with students from diverse backgrounds. To effectively teach students, science teachers (and teachers in general) must develop an understanding of students' culture, background, and language. Knowing these factors, as well as students' learning needs,…

Although many cite the No Child Left Behind Act ([NCLB], 2002) as the first result of public outcry for accountability in American education, evidence of this change can be traced back more than three decades, to the Reagan administration and "A Nation at Risk" (National Commission on Excellence in Education [NCEE], 1983). This…

A primary goal of all teacher educators is to provide preservice teachers with meaningful professional development opportunities that will help them succeed in making the transition into their own classrooms. Through these experiences, individuals develop the requisite knowledge and skills to become effective classroom leaders capable of…

This article examines: (1) why learning comes so naturally for some students and yet is so onerous for others; (2) why some students need constant reminders while others get on task right away; and (3) why some students "just don't get it" even after countless repetitions and multitudes of practices. This paper describes the…