This info-packed book is bursting with over 250 mind-blowing facts and illustrations on a range of fascinating subjects, from extreme animals and record-breaking sports to amazing technology and gross body facts. Did you know ... To stay light enough to fly, bats poo just 30-60 minutes after eating. Figure skaters spin up to 300 times in one minute. In ancient Greece, every Olympic athlete competed in the nude! Every fact is accompanied with a hilarious illustration by artist Andrew Pinder to bring the information to life. With tons of awesome things to discover, this book will keep curious kids laughing and learning for hours on end. Also available in the series: 9781780559254 Awesome Facts for Curious Kids: 6 Year Olds 9781780559261 Awesome Facts for Curious Kids: 7 Year Olds

Science education at the upper secondary level presents an extremely diverse image. In some education systems, it is possible for students to abandon the discipline altogether; in others, program specialization may involve students' being enrolled in science-intensive tracks. In the latter case, the links between secondary and higher science education tend to be strong, especially for competitive-entry, science-based programs in subjects such as engineering and biomedical sciences. In this capacity, upper secondary science may be said to have created a new academic elitism.
This edited volume adopts a comparative approach to upper secondary science as it occurs in sixteen countries, focusing on such key topics as links with basic science education, issues in assessment, and the secondary/tertiary education interface. With contributions from a wide cross-section of countries, including Australia, Malaysia, Brazil, Nigeria, and Pakistan, Issues in Upper Secondary Science Education provides an unparalleled resource for understanding upper secondary science education systems around the world.

This open access book develops a theoretical concept of teaching that is relevant to early childhood education, and based on children's learning and development through play. It discusses theoretical premises and research on playing and learning, and proposes the development of play-responsive didaktik. It examines the processes and products of learning and development, teaching and its phylogenetic and ontogenetic development, as well as the 'what' of learning and didaktik. Next, it explores the actions, objects and meaning of play and provides insight into the diversity of beliefs about the practices of play. The book presents ideas on how combined research and development projects can be carried out, providing incentive and a model for practice development and research. The second part of the book consists of empirical studies on teacher's playing skills and examples of play with very young as well as older children.

This book explores racism in American schools and provides possible solutions to this widespread problem. Dr. Donaldson documents recent incidents of racism and explores the manifestations of racism and its toll on our society. The major part of Donaldson's work focuses on the role of the arts in antiracist/multicultural education. She brings together the views of leaders in multicultural education with her own insights to substantiate the importance of the arts in fighting racism. Dr. Donaldson focuses her research on high school students, discovering that even high achievers perceive racism as a deterrent to their learning. The students most often perceive racism as a problem caused by adults, and Donaldson shows that multicultural arts can empower students to stand against this racism. Finally, Donaldson explores the reeducation of teachers in an antiracist, interdisciplinary curriculum development and implementation pilot study.

This book is designed to examine issues related to schools, violence, and society. Since the 1960s, crime and violence have been increasing in America's schools. This violence is not limited to inner-city schools, but has struck virtually every strata and socio-economic level of American culture and society. The prevalence of crime and violence occurring in our nation's schools has become the concern of policymakers on the national and state levels. Concern has spread to parents, educators, and students themselves. This edited volume reviews violence in society, school violence, and crime. Coverage includes past trends in school violence and describes the current extent of the problem, as well as tspects of its causes and prevention. The influence on the students and community of gang activity, gang-related issues, drugs, alcohol, and weapons on campus is discussed.

This handbook covers such research issues in middle level education as advisory programmes, teaming, effective teachers, staffing, and teacher preparation programmes.

Mastering Primary Design and Technology introduces the primary design and technology curriculum and helps trainees and teachers learn how to plan and teach inspiring lessons that make design and technology learning irresistible. Topics covered include: * Current developments in design and technology * Design and technology as an irresistible activity * Design and technology as a practical activity * Skills to develop in design and technology * Promoting curiosity * Assessing children in design and technology * Practical issues This guide includes examples of children's work, case studies, readings to reflect upon and reflective questions that all help to exemplify what is considered to be best and most innovative practice. The book draws on the experience of a leading professional in primary design and technology, Gill Hope, to provide the essential guide to teaching design and technology for all trainee and qualified primary teachers.

The first book in the series Policy and Pedagogy with Under-three year olds: Cross Disciplinary insights and innovations establishes a path for the much-needed examination of the experiences of infants and toddlers in contemporary educational settings across the globe. Bringing together internationally renowned scholars in the field, it starts a series of discussions about the positioning of under-three year olds in contemporary practice and policy contexts. It takes an in-depth look at what this means for our understanding of under-three year olds and those who share their worlds. Featuring some of the most important contemporary topics in this pedagogical domain, such as care, well-being, belonging, professionalism and status, the contributors offer a kaleidoscope of perspectives for contemplating the new normality of very young children living their lives in group-based early childhood settings, and what gives rise to their current realities. It also explores some important policy directions and trends.

This 15-volume set has titles originally published between 1929 and 1994 and is an array of scholarship on the early years of children, from birth to age seven. The set focuses on learning and education but also contains titles with perspectives on child development, parenting and various other issues in the area of early years. Individual volumes examine nurseries (both in the home and the school), playgroups, language development, teaching of mathematics and other curriculum subjects. This collection will be a great resource for those interested in the history of early years and education.

This book focuses on ethical and methodological issues faced by researchers working with young language learners in formal school contexts. It uncovers and explicitly discusses a range of ethical dilemmas, challenges and experiences that researchers have encountered and grappled with, in studies of all kinds from large scale, experimental studies to ethnographic studies focused on just a handful of children. The chapters are written by researchers working with children in different classroom contexts around the world and highlight how ethical dilemmas and tensions take on a complex form in child-focused research, requiring researchers to pay particular attention to the social and cultural norms of the different communities within which children are educated as well as their school-based experiences. The book comprises three sections, with the first part focused on involving children as active participants in research; part two on ethical challenges in multilingual contexts and part three on links between teacher education and researching children. The book includes a critical discussion of the opportunities and challenges associated with applying the UNCRC (1989) document in second language research with children which will be of use to any researcher working in this area.

The current global marketplace demands more workers who are scientifically literate, yet few are being adequately prepared to meet that demand. Particularly underrepresented are women and minorities, who often lack the social and academic support that stimulate and sustain interest in science, math, and engineering. The authors of this book demonstrate that early intervention, especially during grades 4 through 8, can help overcome some of these obstacles. They show how increased career awareness and exposure to mentors and role models can help students see science and math-related careers as desirable and viable options. And they explain how test preparation, activity-based instruction, cooperative learning, and tutoring can help to improve academic outcomes. The authors also provide critical information on ten successful intervention programs, including MESA, Project SEED, and Operation SMART - and they offer practitioners specific guidance for developing, funding, and implementing similar programs in their own schools.

This book explores the constitutionality of religion-based charter schools. The method of analysis uses hypothetical charter schools to answer legal questions. The answers are grounded in law using the latest precedent. The background material before examining charters sets forth both the legal and policy contexts of religious charters schools. The legal context includes a detailed analysis of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution focusing on the most recent Supreme Court cases on that topic. The policy analysis examines the normative and structural dimensions of charter schools, which are then compared with voucher programs. The historical, political and educational contexts of charter programs are also examined. The book concludes that charter schools present an opportunity for parents and communities to form charter schools that will accommodate their beliefs; however, the constitution does not allow them to form schools that endorse their beliefs.

This book traces how a new school, physically designed as a modern learning environment, has come into being in New Zealand. A key feature is how it designs its curriculum for future citizens. The book explores how flexible curriculum and assessment options support the provision of a well-balanced, coherent and future-oriented learning programme. It also illustrates how the school is implementing its vision and copes with being different from other schools which understand and embody the New Zealand Curriculum as well as the NCEA qualifications system in more traditional terms. School leaders', teachers' and foundation students' thinking and perspectives about what it's like to become a new school are highlighted and shed light on what is possible within an evolving education system.

In education, there is an aim to construct an authentic framework of educational paradigms in order to provide a sharing knowledge system as a result of re-examining contemporary trends, educational currents, case studies from the classrooms, and educational psychology directions. It is an intellectual need of meta-comprehension and new educational approaches based on educational psychology outcomes. Analyzing Paradigms Used in Education and Educational Psychology is a critical scholarly book that discusses sophisticated paradigms from academic narratives and educational realities. Featuring a range of topics such as classroom management, lifelong education, and theology, this book is essential for researchers, teachers, educational psychologists, education professionals, administrators, academicians, practitioners, and students.

Hands up if you've ever been given lesson observation feedback that you didn't understand, didn't agree with, or just thought was plain rubbish. If your hand is in the air, you're in good company! When it comes to teachers receiving high-quality feedback that helps them improve their teaching, we have a serious issue in our schools. Teachers want to improve their teaching. They embrace any opportunity to learn. They want other professionals to watch them teach and to get into conversations about developing their practice. What they don't want is to be criticised, patronised, sent down blind alleys, or left utterly confused. Those who've been giving feedback telling teachers to 'differentiate more', 'talk less', or 'let students lead their own learning' have a lot to answer for. The Teaching Delusion 3: Power Up Your Pedagogy has been written to address the issue of teachers receiving poor feedback in our schools. As a self-improvement and coaching resource, it is essential reading for all teachers and school leaders. Through a detailed exploration of 12 key elements of pedagogy, author Bruce Robertson sets out a clear, researched-informed guide to improving pedagogy in every classroom, across every school. By highlighting key features of effective practice and a broad range of techniques teachers can focus on developing, this practical guidebook will be valued by professionals in all sectors, regardless of experience. The Teaching Delusion 3: Power Up Your Pedagogy completes The Teaching Delusion trilogy with a bang!

This book makes a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary argument for investing in effective early childhood education programs, especially those that develop in children their proven natural capacity to construct knowledge by building meaningful relationships. Recent insights in the fields of law, policy, economics, pedagogy, and neuroscience demonstrate that these particular programs produce robust educational, social, and economic benefits for children and for the country. The book also provides legal and political strategies for achieving these proven benefits as well as pedagogical strategies for developing the most effective early childhood education programs. The book concludes by making visible the wonderful learning that can take place in an early education environment where teachers are afforded the professional judgment to encourage children to construct their own knowledge through indispensable learning relationships.

This is a comprehensive yet accessible guide to the teaching and learning of physical education in the primary school. By taking a developmental approach, readers are encouraged to plan lessons that are individually relevant, worthwhile and exciting for children, and to ensure that learning is at the heart of the physical education experience. In addition to covering all activity areas of the physical education curriculum, the authors provide guidance to ensure that the subject is planned, delivered, assessed and managed effectively. Teachers are encouraged to consider a range of issues that impact on subject delivery, and reflect on strategies and skills required for effective subject leadership. This book is invaluable reading for all in-service and trainee primary teachers, and those who work within wider school sports partnerships. It provides a theoretical and practical focus for those wishing to deliver high quality physical education in the primary school.

Many foundational concepts in biology are notoriously difficult to teach. The challenge grows tougher when you add the need to align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This book makes your job easier by opening your mind to fresh and effective approaches for today's high school classrooms. Hard-to-Teach Biology Concepts provides an Instructional Planning Framework that helps you understand students' learning needs, incorporate appropriate teaching strategies, and interpret the framework and teaching tools through the lens of NGSS. Contributing authors show how they use the framework to teach four NGSS disciplinary core ideas: growth and development of organisms, ecosystems, heredity, and biological evolution. Although the teaching models are specific and illuminating, the book doesn't dictate what's right for you. Veteran teachers and those new to the classroom can use the framework to develop students' conceptual understanding based on what works best for student and teacher.

Asal and Harwood explore how today's information technology is changing how we educate and are educated. Focusing on the United States, with useful insights from the classroom digital revolution in a few other key places (the United Kingdom, Australia, and India), the authors investigate the impact of today's technologies on education -- how they impact teachers and teaching, children and learning, and the intersection of teaching and learning. For example, they tell us what the educational impact of having over 60% of America online is. The authors explain exactly how new technologies are changing the learning environment in and out of the classroom with a focus on the effects on K-12 education. Chapters include vignettes about children who are integrating information technologies into their lives at school and at home and those children who for a variety of reasons, most notably, socio-economic, have found themselves excluded as full members of the first digital generation. There are also accounts from K-12 teachers who are incorporating technology into their classroom environments. Using closed-circuit cameras, electronic cheating, and distance learning are all also discussed at length.

Adopting a life story approach, this book explores the memories of those who attended Irish secondary schools prior to 1967. It serves to initiate and enhance the practice of remembering secondary school education amongst those who attended secondary schools not just in Ireland, but around the world.