Presents a series of lessons for a U.S. history class on Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of America. Notes that this approach teaches students to evaluate critically the historical information presented in their textbooks. (MM)

Describes a "literate occasion," when the death of a teacher's grandmother gave her fourth-grade students the chance to use their reading and writing skills for a purpose--to support their teacher. Emphasizes the importance of showing students the power of literacy in their lives and the lives of others. (MM)

Explores the writing process from a child's perspective. (MM)

Examines collaborative writing and the importance of children's talk as they write. Provides several examples of children's dialogues during collaborative writing and role-playing sessions. (MM)

Examines 10 assertions about education from both the "common sense" perspective, and "cybernetics" or systems theory. Urges educators to examine unexamined assumptions. (MM)

Presents "Language Arts" reviewers' observations about manuscripts they have reviewed over the years. Focuses on: what reviewers observed in the language arts field; specific comments on authors' writing; and constructive suggestions for prospective authors. (MM)

Discusses how the acquisition of literacy, and particularly its acquisition through the whole language approach, may have unanticipated repercussions in the lives of the learners. Proposes four constructive ways of noticing, respecting, and using these repercussions of change in a whole language classroom. (MM)

Presents two dialogues between a first grade teacher and a sixth grade teacher, one discussing student self-evaluations, and the other focusing on similarities and differences between first- and sixth-grade students. (MM)

Reviews the history of education in the United States, focusing on student control opportunities in writing instruction. Observes that, contrary to literature on the subject, student ownership of written work may not always be the appropriate or best possible alternative. (MM)

Describes how teachers can demonstrate love for their students. Relates anecdotes showing loving interactions between students and teachers. (MM)

Discusses the meanings of collaboration from the author's perspective as a participant in classroom research. Examines a primary grade project that combined collaborative research with staff development. Notes that while participants face a risk in sustained collaboration, these partnerships can stimulate learning for teachers, administrators,…

Interviews Canadian children's author-illustrator Ian Wallace. Discusses the development of several of Wallace's books, including "Chin Chiang and the Dragon's Dance" and "The Sparrow's Song," as well as his development as an artist. (MM)

Discusses electronic spreadsheets and how they can be useful as a classroom tool for mathematical calculations and creating text matrices. Provides examples of electronic spreadsheets for plotting genealogy, comparing types of crocodilians, compiling data for "mystery liquids," and charting the differences and similarities among three versions of…

Provides 25 citations to books, journal articles, and other publications for mainstream teachers with English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students. (MM)

Describes how a teacher and students deal with the death of a classmate through sharing aloud her written compositions. (MM)