Math education consultant Marilyn Burns finds that teachers ask her the same three questions so often she's named them "The Big Three": What can I do with students who finish their math work more quickly?, How can I free up time to work with kids who need extra help?, and How can I differentiate math learning experiences? Burns, who…

A recent employer survey sponsored by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills found that the skills new job entrants most need for success in the workplace--oral and written communication, time management, critical thinking, problem solving, personal accountability, and the ability to work effectively with others--are the areas in which recent…

In spite of tough financial times, resourceful school leaders devise ways to overcome challenges and improve education. To do this, they make strategic use of the resources they have. And they also cultivate learning communities. In this article, Elizabeth A. City describes how school leaders can make more strategic use of three essential…

Although the amount of available time imposes limitations on accomplishment, the key issue is time usage. Effective classroom management conserves instruction time by planning activities and tasks to fit the learning materials; setting and conveying procedural and academic expectations; and appropriately sequencing, pacing, monitoring, and…

Specific problems (involving power, implementation, mission, time management, expertise, cultural constraints, avoidance, and motivation) are keeping school-based decision making from improving teaching and learning. Educators must begin with a clear mission, set explicit goals for the decision-making process, alter governance structures to…

Most teachers find it difficult to achieve a balance between their work lives and their personal lives. Today, technology and increasing connectivity make maintaining this delicate balance more challenging than ever. Because learning is no longer limited to a certain time or place, connected educators face an interesting dilemma: When, and how…

Addresses the problem of how schools should cut their curricula to make room for state-mandated additions, such as AIDS education. Recommends state guidelines for allocating time and assessing the effect that teaching new curricular content will have on an existing curriculum. (TE)

A Virginia Department of Education survey of urban, suburban, and rural schools using block scheduling revealed fewer disciplinary problems, a strong teacher preference for this format over traditional scheduling, and positive effects on standardized test scores in reading and mathematics. When time is used well in schools, school climate improves…

Like all early college high schools, Clear Horizons Early College High School in Houston, Texas, tries to help its students earn a high school diploma and a two-year associate's degree simultaneously through taking dual credit courses while in high school. Although many of the school's students were successful, Clear Horizon's leaders realized…

Describes a Time Awareness Program initiated at a Kansas City, Missouri, elementary school to address time wastage problems involved with starting the day, changing subjects, and attending assemblies. The key to successful learning is to allow teachers to teach all day without breaking the teaching/learning cycle. (MLH)

Now that regular elementary classroom teachers must plan their lessons around special "pull-out" programs, their responsibilities are compounded and their control over instructional time considerably diminished. This article discusses the benefits of parallel block scheduling as a possible solution. Includes seven endnotes. (MLH)

Collaborative time for teachers to undertake and sustain school improvement may be more important than equipment, facilities, or even staff development. Although some schools have managed to include pupil-free workdays in their annual calendars, others must find low-cost alternatives. This article presents 15 examples involving creative scheduling…

Teaching portfolios are not just scrapbooks of random assignments and student work samples, but represent teachers' evolving reflections and analyses measured against rigorous standards. Thoughtful reflection, not a color printer, is the key to portfolio success. Tips on assembling suitable "artifacts" and handling anxiety and time…

Outlines research on how expert teachers function in the classroom. Shows the structure of an expert teacher's lessons and how she handles content in the teaching of mathematics. The studies suggest that content knowledge is critical and that expert teachers manage time and academic engagement equally well. (MD)

Educational improvements should not depend on "heroic" efforts. Administrators need to develop ways to support innovation systematically. Four conditions are important for facilitating improvement: (1)available time, (2) cushions against interference, (3) encouragement, and (4) recognition of the need for incorporation. (MD)