With crowded classrooms and outside influences, many teens have problems staying on task. This program discusses how to stay focused. Subjects covered include the positive effects of staying focused; the negative effects of not staying focused; ways to stay focused; bad habits; good habits; setting goals; scheduling; various distractions; and ways to make it easier to focus. Correlates to all applicable National and State Educational Standards including...

In spite of a growing dependence on technology, studies show that as students move through grade levels they become progressively less interested in the sciences. This program illustrates how teachers can use inquiry-based learning, a powerful teaching method, to motivate students to deepen their understanding about the world around them. Students tackle problems and ask questions instead of simply memorizing concepts in the abstract. What makes this...

This program thoroughly describes the concept of self-esteem: what it is, where it comes from, and how to build it, maintain it, and protect it. The power of positive thinking, the importance of a supportive home environment, and the harmful effects of advertising are considered, along with the negative impact of a poor attitude, destructive comments, and unrealistic thoughts of one's own worth.

Working together, administrators, principals, and teachers can give priority to the essential skills children must develop in order to succeed. This program presents the value of a no-nonsense approach to teaching. By maximizing learning time, by structuring curriculums so that mastery of academic content is required to proceed, and by quickly providing extra assistance for students having difficulty, the processes of both teaching and learning can...

Frequent and regular assessment of student progress is an effective method for driving schools towards equity and academic excellence. This program focuses on how student assessment data can be used to evaluate and improve instructional priorities and strategies, to communicate high expectations, and to involve parents and the community in a school's efforts.

When a child is promised some kind of prize-such as candy, a toy, or money-for completing a task successfully, his or her drive to succeed often surges. But what effect does such carrot-dangling have on long-term motivation and progress? This program explores the relationship between rewards and human development, contrasting performance goals with learning goals. Simple observational experiments with babies, toddlers, and elementary- and middle-school...

This program examines what stands between our children becoming literate adults or school dropouts. It explores the experiences of students on the edge of success or failure in school, shares the feelings of students who fail and those who triumph, visits classrooms around the country where teachers encourage literacy across content areas and promote cognitive development for all their students, and-above all-provides hope that the literacy crisis...

"A resource guide designed to help teachers, administrators, students and parents incorporate the practice of Circles into the everyday life of the school community... offers comprehensive step-by-step instructions for how to plan, facilitate, and implement the Circle for a variety of purposes within the school environment. It describes the basic process, essential elements and a step-by-step guide for how to organize, plan, and lead Circles. It also...

Underachievement: a persistent discrepancy between a student's perceived ability and academic performance. This program examines the root causes of this problem, its early warning signs, and the curricular impact of mistakenly assessing it as a learning disability or as ADHD. Constructive communication strategies teachers and parents can use to investigate indications of underachievement are suggested.

The immediate relevancy of hot topics like pandemics, gay rights and students' rights makes this series prime material for student research. Each title provides a thorough and carefully balanced presentation of the many issues surrounding each topic, inspiring critical thought. Meaning is fleshed out through a clear presentation of context, and the clear narrative includes compelling examples and is enlivened by pertinent quotes from age-appropriate...