Worksheets hold a special place among the many well-intentioned--yet ineffective--items in the early childhood and elementary toolkit. They are nearly ubiquitous in some elementary classrooms and are even popular in preschools. Parents are encouraged when they see worksheets in their children's backpacks; they see such papers as indicators that…

Starting from the contribution on the "ten principles of effective pedagogy" by James and Pollard, we critically reflect on some of the principles and assess whether these principles can be grounded in the wider European research literature that has accumulated internationally. We conclude that these principles can be supported and…

Critics charge that social studies education often fails at the most rudimentary level because there is a tendency to "play it safe" by focusing on general abstractions while avoiding discussion of specific--and often times controversial--topics. In this article, the author argues that one way in which social studies teachers can overcome such…

Discusses the importance and benefits of reading aloud to young children. Presents methods and follow-up strategies using a variety of literature to further develop children's early skills in reading and writing. (RS)

Describes an approach designed to help explain war and the nuclear threat to young children, using a Dr. Seuss book as a springboard for discussion to help children expand their own concepts on the subject. (KS)

Applies the idea of the theme booktalk to "Wuthering Heights," which serves as a springboard for talking about themes of family rage, confrontation, quarrel and rebellion in other works of literature with relevance to contemporary young people. (JK)

A children's book author explains why she chose to write "Encounter," an accurate story of Christopher Columbus's first meeting with the gentle Taino tribe 500 years ago. The article presents suggestions for using "Encounter" as a springboard for activities to help elementary students interpret history. (SM)

Ways children learn are described and related to aerospace education. Discussion focuses on (1) providing activities on the child's level of understanding; (2) considering the whole child; (3) stimulating curiosity; (4) encouraging thinking; (5) presenting varied experiences; and (6) integrating curriculum areas in each learning activity. Ideas…

Museum objects can be the springboard for exercising critical thinking. There are four main thought processes associated with critical thinking: (1) fluent thinking, the ability to produce many ideas; (2) flexible thinking, the ability to view something in different ways; (3) original thinking, the ability to produce unique ideas; and (4)…

For many reasons, oral histories should commend themselves to classroom teachers. Sensitively edited, they are eminently readable because of their intimacy, their authenticity, and their varied presentation of human life. As with other books, especially novels written in the first person and autobiographies, oral histories can provide students…

Ideas concerning reflection in general, the role of reflection in cognitive apprenticeship, and reflection in action are discussed. The notion of reflection in a particular setting is presented for two cases: the professional education and training of physicians, and a teaching improvement program in which a teacher-teacher coach facilitates the…

Nine essays serving as springboards to the study of historical events and cultures focus on the use of memorabilia and primary resources for teaching social studies. Following a short preface by John I. Thomas, Linda Carrillo examines ways in which folk songs can be used to arouse a child's interest in the study of other cultures. In "Using…