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The article discusses teaching methods that can be used to encourage student motivation and learning. Topics discussed include the importance of creating a safe school environment to encourage motivation and learning, the benefits of active learning, and the use of coaching strategies by teachers to increase motivation.

The article discusses research which focused on classroom motivation that promotes mastery, conducted for nonprofit organization What Kids Can Do. It reports involvement of students, teachers, and neuroscientists in the study. Topics explored include the need for teachers to understand learning challenges being faced by students, the use of a motivation equation for analyzing lessons, and the tendency of students to lose their balance in the classroom despite how much they value learning.

The article discusses students' perspectives on homework. The author interviewed multiple students and asked several questions to get teenagers opinions on the educational benefits of homework assignments. The goal of the author's "What Kids Can Do" project was to see what motivates students to master content and to assess how different approaches to homework can improve academic achievement in students. The students interviewed for the project responded to several questions dealing with the topic of homework which included the purpose of the assignments, teacher feedback, grading, and time management. In response to student comments, the author provides suggestions for teachers in how to use homework more effectively.

The article discusses the Practice Project in which the author asks secondary education students what it takes to become really good at something. The conditions that inspire teenage students to practice something to perfection are explored. The author relates her experience of working on a yearlong inquiry sponsored by the nonprofit organization What Kids Can Do to determine how young people acquire the knowledge, skills, and habits that help them become masters in a chosen field. Research evidence showing that opportunity and practice are more influential on performance than innate talent is considered. Several habits of experts that students can use are discussed.

The article discusses the results of a study of five U.S. public secondary schools identifying the common elements for creating school cultures of "belonging and becoming," including a web of structural supports, an intentional community, and a culture of respect, participation and reflection. The other elements mentioned include a commitment to restorative practices, a curriculum of connection and engagement, and a focus on developing student agency.

The article presents information on the experiences of first-generation college students. The author discusses feelings of tension on entering new territory, with parents unfamiliar with the situation and unable to provide reassurance. First-generation college students report feeling culturally removed and perceive themselves to be outsiders. Students mention feeling intimidated, academically unprepared, isolated, and judged. Survival techniques included forging both social and academic supportive relationships, joining campus organizations for minority groups, keeping an open mind, developing a strong sense of self, and finding and using mentors among faculty. The author includes suggestions of how high school educators can help first-generation students succeed in college. INSET: How Can Secondary Educators Help?.

The article focuses on how to handle the stress of the teenagers when they transit to 9th Grade in the United States. It reflects that by the time the students hit 8th grade, the transition to 9th grade looms large. Middle school teachers are talking more urgently about the need to prepare for high school. Friends and siblings already in high schools are warning that every thing is about to change. Because of all these confusions, the 8th graders worry about their social world turning upside down as they move from the top to the bottom of the grade-level pecking order. A survey regarding a new book for the middle school students reveals that for most of the teenagers the 9th grade is the beginning of a new, high-stakes period of their lives. Because the 9th grade determines their future position in the life. Therefore they stop playing and develop a study habit. The article gives information on the students' expectations on their teachers and the sort of assistance they need from them to get rid of the confusion.

This article presents comments of various urban high school students on their needs for a meaningful curriculum in the U.S. According to one of the students of the 11th grade said that they had far fewer opportunities to participate in challenging and interesting courses and extracurricular activities. Even if they could qualify for the best classes, there was not enough room for them. She said that for them, it was normal for school to be boring. Like their peers around the country, they chafe against a system that shuts them out rather than recognizing and developing their potential. They know that all students must learn basic skills and content knowledge, but they see that some students have far greater opportunities to learn. Another student commented that adult attitudes about what goes on in the classroom also determine whether students feel like partners or prisoners there. Teachers who know their students well can make powerful connections between academic subjects and the things kids worry and care about. Extracurricular activities provide another way to acknowledge the importance of students' passions and feelings of competence.

The article discusses the position of high school principal in the United States. The principal's leadership ability determines a high school's design and whether innovative policies can be implemented to create a real learning community. Resistance from students can be avoided if the administration will listen to students and help them establish their identity. The author's books, "Fires in the Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from High School Students" and "Sent to the Principal: Students Talk About Making High Schools Better," are mentioned in this article.

Discusses the signals that principals give in their attitudes and words, according to urban students from across the United States. Ability of students to tell when school leaders show confidence in their potential; Importance of giving public recognition; High school students' awareness that some schools offer their students more opportunities than do others.

Presents suggestions made by students on how teachers can improve literacy instruction. Ways on to capture the interest and attention of students; Views on reading and writing; Importance a teacher's attitude toward scholarship.

Focuses on the possible adoption of the use of portfolios by teachers as evidence of their learning and growth as of June 1999. Examples of the portfolio of Pedro Bermudez, presented at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform's National School Reform Faculty and the National School Reform Faculty's critical friends groups; Benefits, including the ability to receive comments and criticism; Contents of a portfolio; Presentation; Comments from teachers; Outlook. INSETS: Asssmbling the Portfolio;How (Really) to Assemble Your Portfolio by Peggy Silvia.

Presents tips and techniques to avoid provoking shame in five- and six-year-old children. Can be devastating to children; Focus on specific behavior, not on child; Expression speaks louder than words; Wrong way and right way to praise; Children's self esteem; Child's responses to feelings of shame; More. INSET: Critical tips for parents, by K.C..

Examines the Montessori approach to preschool education, which emphasizes intellectual achievement. There are about 3,500 Montessori schools nationwide, where children choose their own activities and work at their own pace. Class mix; Structure; Development of theory; Growth. INSET: Seeing Montessori in action, by K.C..

Discusses what type of help parents can give preschoolers to best prepare them for school. Looks at how curiosity, creativity, communication and cooperation can be enhanced to help a child develop and build critical skills. INSET: The curriculum of the home (preschool development), by P.L.F..

Presents a short story entitled `Luxury,' by Kathleen Cushman about a family's road trip from Tennessee to Georgia.

Focuses on ways in which typical kindergarten activities serve as the foundation for language arts, mathematics, science, and the creative arts. Comments about parents' concern that children may not be learning enough in kindergarten; Example of an activity at Harvard Elementary School in Massachusetts; What children learn from each other; Circle time and communication skills; More. INSET: At-home activities to enhance learning.

Offers suggestions in helping your preteen steer clear of substance abuse, on the rise in their age group. National Institute of Drug Abuse survey report on drug use among preteens; Some `Weekly Reader' drug survey results; Ignorance and denial as a parent's two biggest enemies; The need for open conversation about family values; Parental role modeling; Setting limits; How to begin a conversation about drug abuse; Comments; More. INSET: Drugs are a girl's problem too, by K.C..

The article offers an opinion on the benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) in U.S. high school education. Topics discussed include the disciplinary practices of U.S. high schools, the importance of teacher-student relationships, and the use of small class sizes. The role of SEL in restorative justice is also examined.

The article discusses how parents can be role models for teenagers who are not their own children. Adolescents often find their strongest role models in people outside their home, especially when they have a chance to do activities with these individuals. Teenagers appreciate it when such people find the time to teach them new skills or offer support and coaching when they need it. Talking to other teenagers can sometimes give parents a clearer sense of what is going on in the world of their own children, who might not care to share even the harmless details with them.

The article presents the poem "Brothers and Sisters," by Kathleen Cushman. First Line: As if in some badly made home movie, their faces shift; Last Line: knowing, impenetrable, beyond influence.