Correspond, Don’t Compliment Weaving reader-response details into a letter to an author helps convey how a book changed the way you look at yourself or the world.

The Strange Case of S.C. A doctor invites the family and friends of S.C., a patient with Hectic Holiday Disorder, to share their stories.

Reader’s Theater When a feuding cat and dog discover that their family has holiday travel plans, they join forces with a spunky mouse to keep everyone home for the holidays.

Reading Tips Reading comprehension, like phonemic awareness, decoding, and fluency, can be taught. Discover some ideas for keeping students involved in what they are reading and helping them improve their concentration and reading comprehension.

The Reading Coach “Good writing doesn’t start with formulas and formats. Thinking, defining what the writer wants to say, planning, and exploring -- that is where it begins. Use these strategies to help students realize they have powerful, important things to say."

Books for the December Holidays Read about a hapless deli owner who takes Santa's place on Christmas Eve. Learn about the history and the observance of Kwanzaa. Join a young girl as she discovers for herself what Hanukkah is all about. Follow the exploits of two naughty trolls. Discover books that explore the true meaning of the holidays.

Four More Holiday Books Christmas and Hanukkah books for the youngest readers that feature flaps that lift and wheels that spin, a book of Christmas poems, and for older readers, a guide to holidays celebrated the world over.

How Cool is That?
How cool is your reading assessment system? And does it merely assess your students’ current reading performance or, like Total Reader, does it improve their reading as well?

Math in the Real World Personal finance lessons are becoming popular in middle schools, and teachers say the lessons can help improve basic skills and student behavior. Learn how several teachers bring real-world skills into the math classroom.

Math Cats Math Chat “When we introduce students to functions, we typically bring the concept to life through the idea of function machines. But functions will really begin to come to life as students find uses for functions in the real world."

Explain That To add or subtract like fractions, add or subtract the numerators, and write the sum or difference over the denominator. To add or subtract unlike fractions, you must first find a common denominator.

Go Figure What do you know about angles?

Math Mnemonics Circumference of a circle.

From the Math Machine Line Jumper is a fun Web site for teaching about basic operations, negative numbers, and number lines. (Grades 1-7)

Visit our Lesson Planning Channel for more math resources, including lessons, games, and printables.

Teaching With Moral Dilemmas “Moral dilemmas have multiple functions. They are a bridge to the assorted epochs of human history, a tool of engagement for learning, a means of character education, and a potential model for civic interaction. They are a vital component in linking human nature across the millennia."

Reader’s Theater Reader's Theater is a strategy in which students read from scripts. Repeated reading of Reader's Theater scripts builds students' comprehension and fluency as it improves their self-esteem and reading confidence.

Resources to help you -- and your students -- enjoy a stress-free year.

Bulletin Boards That Teach Cosmic Resolutions -- Students set goals as they create a galaxy of New Year's resolutions.

Technology Channel
Be sure to check out our Techtorials and templates.

Teachers in Space

Why I Am a Teacher Eric Baylin invites you to join him in singing about one of the great joys of the teaching calendar -- all those breaks!

Emma McDonald “Think of long-term planning as planning for a trip. First, you decide on a starting point and a final destination. Then you plan all the details that will help you make the trip with the least amount of fuss possible. A little long-term planning for the spring semester will help keep you from getting overwhelmed and stressed out in the weeks ahead."

Exploiting Your Power “Meaning business is the low-key, almost invisible way in which effective parents and effective teachers establish and enforce rules. At this point in our analysis of meaning business, we will examine power -- your power. To lead, you must be comfortable with power."

Dr. Ken Shore "Dear Dr. Shore, A child in my fifth-grade class has a reading disability. What can I do to help him feel better about reading?"

Professor Joe Martin "One of best lessons I learned in my early years of teaching was to focus on WHO we teach, not just on WHAT we teach. Now, don’t get me wrong. WHAT we teach is vitally important to our students’ success, as well as our school’s success. But sacrificing the WHO for the WHAT is just plain criminal."

Meet other members of Education World’s Columnist Team.

Getting It Together: Ms. Powell’s Tips for Organizing Your Classroom A system for collecting forms and money.

Class Participation Class participation is an important aspect of student learning. When students speak up, they learn to express their ideas in ways others can understand. Eight tips for encouraging students who are reluctant to participate in class.

Modeling Procedures Modeling classroom rules involves demonstrating the specific behaviors and language patterns of an expectation. Teachers act out the behaviors, showing what each looks and sounds like. Included: Eight procedures for modeling and practicing expectations.

Win-Win for Behavior Problems “Omission Training in conjunction with Responsibility Training is as close to magic as you will get in behavior management," says Dr. Fred Jones. “It has the power to all but eliminate reliance on such sanctions as office referrals and parent conferences…. I have seen it bring an outcast child into the middle of the class sociogram in two weeks!"

More Classroom Management Tips Positive Reinforcement.

Letters From Santa Julie Woletz’s high school students write letters from Santa.

Teaching Study Skills: Ideas That Work Faced with poor student performance on tests and assignments, teachers often recognize that the root of the problem lies, not in a lack of understanding, but in poor study skills. Discover how three teachers introduce students to more effective ways of studying.

Rallying Cry Education World talks to Thomas Baldrick, author of two books that focus on kids and how adults relate to them. Baldrick, a frequent presenter at workshops for students, teachers, and parents, offers practical tips for celebrating children in the classroom.

Backpacktivity Students make a scale model of Earth’s solar system.

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