The Benefits of Using Sociodrama in the Elementary Classroom: Promoting Caring Relationships Among Educators and Students

In the current age of academic rigor, standards and accountability, the fostering of caring relationships in the classroom may not always be a priority. Expressing care for another person is a skill that can be taught and nurtured through a supportive educational environment. Sociodrama encourages each of its participants to develop self-confidence and self-expression through risk-taking and exploration in activities that explore real life personal feelings and situations. By using sociodrama as a means for exploring issues in the classroom it is possible to celebrate participants’ individuality and to create caring and nurturing relationships among educators and students. This article examines the research describing the benefits of including sociodrama in the elementary curriculum.     

Investigating teachers’ images of mathematics

Research suggests that understanding new images of mathematics is very challenging and can contribute to teacher resistance. An explicit exploration of personal views of mathematics may be necessary for pedagogical change. One possible way for exploring these images is through mathematical metaphors. As metaphors focus on similarities, they can be used to express already-held perceptions about the nature of mathematics. In addition to providing a way of talking about current views of mathematics, the analogous dimensions of metaphors can prompt new ways of thinking about these images. In this article, I consider the use of metaphors as a strategy for explicating elementary teachers’ views of mathematics. I claim that the investigation of metaphors of mathematics helped create a shared communicative space and enhanced the quality of the discussion with the teachers. In particular, our exploration of the metaphor mathematics is a language encouraged a consideration of the humanistic dimensions of mathematics and contributed to a varied re-imaging of mathematics.     

Promoting teachers’ algebraic reasoning and self-regulation with metacognitive guidance

This study investigates algebraic reasoning and self-regulation skills among elementary school teachers who participated in a professional development program either with IMPROVE metacognitive questioning (PD + Meta) or with no metacognitive guidance (PD). Sixty-four Israeli teachers participated in a 3-year program designed to enhance mathematical knowledge. Results indicated that the PD + Meta teachers outperformed the PD teachers on various algebraic procedural and real-life tasks regarding conceptual mathematical explanations. In addition, the PD + Meta group outperformed the PD group in using self-monitoring and evaluation strategies in algebraic problem solving. We discuss educational and practical implications.     

论科学发展观的审美蕴涵

科学发展观既是对中国特色社会主义发展中出现的问题的应答,也是对人类文明的传承和发展。科学发展观具有创新美、崇高美、和谐美、逻辑美、简洁美、现实美。     

列宁探索社会主义道路的历史轨迹及当代意义

俄国十月革命胜利后社会主义道路的探索是马克思主义与俄国革命和建设实践相结合的产物。探索过程充满了艰辛和曲折,经历了由“直接过渡”到“迂回过渡”的转变,提出的许多新思想、新理论,对推进我国改革开放进程、加速我国社会主义现代化建设具有重要的借鉴意义。     

新加坡小学《公民与道德教育课程标准》的特点及启示

新加坡十分注重道德教育并取得了较好的效果,通过分析新加坡小学《公民与道德教育课程标准》（2007）的主要特点,进一步指出新加坡小学道德教育对推动我国小学道德教育课程改革和发展的积极作用。     

论社会主义时期民族问题的长期性、复杂性——对苏联民族危机的几点思考

苏联解体的历史悲剧,以惨重的代价给人们以重要启示：社会主义时期,民族问题不仅依然存在,而且是与社会主义国家巩固、统一命运悠关的大问题。从民族存在和发展的一般规律、旧时代民族遗产的影响以及民族矛盾性质的认识与处理等方面看,社会主义时期民族问题的长期性、复杂性不容忽视。     

论毛泽东对中国工业化道路的思考和探索

毛泽东在领导和探索新中国建设的实践过程中,根据中国国情。努力打破苏联模式,坚决走自己的路,经过艰辛探索,提出了走中国工业化道路的思想。毛泽东对中国工业化道路艰难探索和认识的发展过程,对我国当前工业化建设有可借鉴的地方。     

学习中国特色社会主义理论应把握的几个问题

当前,高校思想政治理论课教学的神圣使命就是坚持以十七大精神为指导,用中国特色社会主义理论体系武装大学生头脑,坚定大学生坚持走中国特色社会主义道路的理想信念。文章就高校思想政治理论课教师怎样全面、准确地理解和把握中国特色社会主义理论体系作出了初步的探讨。     

构建社会主义和谐社会的哲学思考

构建和谐社会有着深厚的哲学基础。社会主义和谐社会是一个具有整体性、结构性、层次性和开放性的整体系统;是一个矛盾不断解决又不断产生推动社会向着和谐发展的过程;是一个由低级到高级经历多个发展阶段,而又反复循环乃至无限发展的过程。