Powerweb Educational Psychology

UNIT 1. Perspectives on Teaching 1.Good Teachers, Plural, Donald R. Cruickshank and Donald Haefele, Educational Leadership , February 2001 The authors examine the various perspectives throughout the twentieth century that describe what makes a good teacher. They argue that since none of the previous theories satisfy everyone, we should recognize many kinds of good teaching and develop evaluation systems that encompass the full range of what could be considered effective teaching. 2.What I Hope for in My Children's Teachers: A Parent's Perspective, David Boers, The Clearing House , September/October 2001 David Boers provides a parent's perspective on effective teaching that captures the research on the topic. He argues that caring, thoughtful, and knowledgeable teachers will always have parental support. He sets a high standard for teachers to reflect on their classrooms, to refine their skills, and to know their students and to meet their students' needs to understand and develop. 3.Helping Children Cope With Loss, Death, and Grief: Response to a National Tragedy, National Association of School Psychologists , October 22, 2001 This pertinent article, provided by the National Association of School Psychologists, discusses the range of reactions that children and adolescents display in response to loss, death, and grief, and suggests ways that teachers and parents can help them cope with their own personal situation and the national tragedy of September 11, 2001. 4.The Standards Juggernaut, Marion Brady, Phi Delta Kappan , May 2000 The standards movement is a significant educational issue in the United States today. In her discussion of the standards movement, Marion Brady asks us to give more thought to what students of the future ought to know and be able to do. 5.A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope, National Association of School Psychologists , 2002 This pertinent article, provided by the National Association of School Psychologists, discusses the range of reactions that children and adolescents display in a response to a national tragedy and suggest ways that teacher and parents can help them cope. UNIT 2. Development Part A. Childhood 6.Shaping the Learning Environment: Connecting Developmentally Appropriate Practices to Brain Research, Stephen Rushton and Elizabeth Larkin, Early Childhood Education Journal , Volume 29, Number 1, 2001 The authors discuss the relationships between recent findings in brain research and developmentally appropriate practices in order to explore the implications for early childhood learning and teaching. 7.To Be SuccessfulLet Them Play!, Sally C. Hurwitz, Childhood Education , Winter 2002/2003 How important is play to young children? This article offers insights into how play contributes to the cognitive and social development of children. 8.Wired for Thought, Sharon Begley, Newsweek , Special Issue, Fall/Winter 2000 The author describes the cognitive development that goes on in young infants and how biology and the environment interact to create an intelligent person. 9.Raising a Moral Child, Karen Springen, Newsweek , Special Issue, Fall/Winter 2000 Karen Springen describes how caretakers can encourage young children to learn right from wrong as well as the underlying theories that support moral development. [read more]