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This style of PMII is characterized by its structural change during the learning session. In all of these alternative teaching techniques, the students are assigned to a small group of students that they work with for part of the lesson. During the remainder of the time, the teacher lectures or they work in different groups. Therefore, during a learning session, the organization of the learning environment changes.

• Jigsaw was developed by Aronson and his colleagues in 1978 (as cited in Maheady et al., 1991), students are placed into three- to six-member heterogeneous learning groups. Each member of the group becomes an "expert" on a section of the lesson. The students are told to read their sections, and then meet in "expert groups" with other group members that read the same section. They discuss the material, identify the most important learning points, and return to their original groups to instruct team members about information in which they become "expert". Group members are responsible to learn all content from one another.

• Team Assisted Individualization (TAI) is a combination of cooperative learning and individualized instruction. Students are placed in an individual sequence of the learning material based on test performance. They proceed at their own pace, but their team checks daily practice sheets. Students earn points for their respective teams by passing final tests, completing multiple units, and handing in assignments. Students take their final unit tests individually (Slavin, Leavey, Madden, 1986 as cited in Maheady, Harper & Malette, 1991).

• Simple Structures: Kagan (1992) developed over 14 cooperative classroom structures, as opposed to traditional competitive structures. He has argued that competitive classroom structures set students against one another, whereas cooperative structures organize more positive social interactions among students. Some examples are:

• Numbered Heads Together (NHT): The teacher breaks the students into heterogeneous groups of one high achieving, two average, and one low-achieving student, and gives the students numbers 1-4. Then, the teacher lectures in the traditional format, and asks questions. The students turn to their group, and discuss the question so that every group member knows the answer. The teacher calls out a number, and only the team members with that number can raise their hand to answer the question. The goal of NHT is for all students to learn by working together, cooperatively. In addition, the social structure of the groups fosters heterogeneous friendships (Kagan, 1992).

• Co-op Co-op: This structure has two levels to it: team learning and mini-topic learning. The order of tasks the students complete include: 1) Student-centered class discussion, 2) selection of heterogeneous student teams, 3) team building and skill development, 4) team topic selection, 5) mini-topic selection (experts), 6) mini-topic preparation, 7) mini-topic presentation, 8) preparation of team presentations, 9) team presentations, 10) reflection and evaluation. Co-op Co-op assumes that children are curious and want to learn, thus, it allows the children to be creative and teach others what they discover. Presently, there is little research to substantiate Kagan’s Simple Structures, but it is believed that the structure could produce substantial benefits (1998).

here was once a teacher who asked two students to do a research about a community helper. Student A set out to do an interview with a fireman. Student B set out to do an interview with any community helper available. Student A had a difficult time locating a fireman so she went back to her teacher to ask if any other worker can be interviewed. And teacher said “Yes!” So student once again set out to locate any community helper and did find an available postman. Proudly, student A went back to teacher to tell teacher about the postman and to ask what types of questions can be asked. Teacher helped student A formulate questions to ask. But when student A finished interviewing the postman, she also found out that the postman had another special community task assigned to him during the evening. Excited about this, student A went back to teacher to ask for more questions to ask about the special task of the postman, and once again student A went back to interview the postman. How many times did student A go back and forth to her teacher to seek help? In the meantime, student B went out to observe different kinds of community helpers and sat down to think about the most significant helper possible and available for an interview. Then student B made an outline of interview questions to ask, a basic skeleton of an outline. Then student B also made a web of other questions to ask just in case…other interests arose from the interviewee. Student B made sure that the questions could be flexible to all the available community helpers should changes be made. After the interview, student B went to see teacher to present the proposed questions, open to suggestions of course.

Which of the two students exercised diligence at work? Was it student A who exerted muscle power going back and forth consulting with teacher? Or was it student B who saved a lot on physical exertion by covering all areas of concern, saving a lot on time but indeed, covering important areas?

The Home school educational set-up is probably the most significant location for observing and learning the habit of diligent and thorough thinking , decision-making and application. For the children who are so blessed to have the opportunities to work around the house, diligence and thoroughness applied upon waking up in the morning means immediately fixing the beddings used well, collecting laundry to be washed and bringing these to the proper area and cleaning up the room as it should be before leaving it . Sometimes it can also mean mopping up the bathroom floor after a bath making sure that the next person to use the bathroom will find it clean and fresh as if it hadn’t been used. It can also mean cleaning up the whole cooking area when all you have to do is wash one plate that has been used. It really is just doing the work very well, efficiently or proficiently. More than what is really asked. What does the student learn when diligence and thoroughness is applied at home in tasks, recreational activities and other duties?

Diligence is not a matter of working hard; it is a matter of paying proper attention to a task, making a good job out of the job. So a child who learns to pack his own toys well does so by sorting out the stuff into groups. Try not to suggest what groups these should be. Let the child figure it out for himself. The exciting part is for the parent to politely inquire afterwards what groups these are. It is always a thrill to find out how your child is processing grouping by discovering the strategy the child has come up with. Did you know that grouping toys is a skill in math? And science? Then if the child can explain it back to you, you would have encouraged language and conversational skills. But above all, packing the toys into organized groups is an act of diligence and thoroughness. Life skills like dressing up or dressing down can also teach diligence. “Complete the job well!” is my frequent encouragement to my own children. They are encouraged to complete the task but well done. So after having changed clothes, make sure the soiled ones hang to dry first from perspiration before hamper time. Then polish up the place where you dressed up. This one is just an example of a daily event that happens in the home. With so many activities to be done at home, try to be diligent about tasks. Make a good job out of the job!
But how?

The Modeling Theory
The Modeling Theory operates in three simple steps. Here they are in overview.You observe a model;You imitate the model's actions; You get a consequence. With very little words, children can be highly influenced to be diligent and thorough at work by observing others in the family. Just by watching they can learn what to do, what not to do, when to do it and what to expect if it is done well. What a great theory! Of course the child has to know what is being modeled rather than be told what to do all the time.Just make sure the imitation leads to the right consequence. In the field of education, the theory of Modeling is used to influence behaviour so why not in the area of character? ( Read more on Social Learning Through Imitation, A.Bandura)

Recently there has been an increasing surge in cultural and religious conflicts in public schools throughout the U.S. Some groups are more actively promoting posting of then national motto, “In God We Trust,” in classrooms. Others are pressuring school boards to include Intelligent Design alongside evolution in the classroom, while still others threaten to sue if they do. The current worldwide battle against terrorism has brought new questions about religious points of view and a fresh challenge of how to educate students regarding religious differences.

There are two ways districts usually respond to these kinds of issues. Most choose to ignore them, hoping they won’t emerge in their own district while others take the path of least resistance giving in to the latest group to threaten protests. There is a better way that can help you proactively establish an environment that can address these concerns that can deal with differences without polarizing in conflict.

Helping staff, students and your community understand and appreciate the First Amendment ideals that define our national life and provide a way for us to respect different points of view without forcing people to compromise their deepest convictions. The problem is most people don’t understand those ideals, or don’t appreciate how they can help us in these kinds of conflicts.

* Training staff to know how to handle questions of religious practice and how to cover religious themes when they surface in the classroom is more important than ever. The initial response often determines whether a simple concern turns into a polarizing conflict.
* Teaching students how First Amendment ideals practically apply to how they treat classmates and can be an effective model to address bullying and harassment on campus. The First Amendment Center is developing a curriculum to do just that (www.firstamendmentcenter.org). Some teachers are even using this model with great success as the foundation for their system of classroom discipline that is based on mutual respect among students.
* Helping your community appreciate the values of the First Amendment that can help us fairly live with our differences.

Taking time for this kind of training may not seem important in this time of exacting standards and assessments. But if you’ve ever witnessed the good will and resources that can be wasted in an all-out conflict between different factions of the community, you know how critical it can be.

Teaching kids to read opens the world to them. They can go anywhere and do anything through books. But in today's age of high-tech gizmos and video games often the last thing our kids want to do is read. But there are some easy and fun ways you can share your love of reading with your kids. Implement these few simple ideas and your kids will be engrossed in a good bok before you know it.

Read to Them

Kids love being read aloud to. Cuddling up on the couch with a good book is a wonderful way to spend time with your child. Even older children like to be read to, especially while they are involved in other hands-on type activities.

Have a Hide Away

Make a reading corner in your house. Fix up a cozy corner with beanbag chairs, or a large overstuffed pillow, a small bookcase. You won't have to look far when they get quiet to find them.

Scatter Books Around the House

Leave books lying around. Place books in the bathroom, on their nightstands, in the living room and even in the kitchen. When they are bored they will pick them up out of curiosity.

Get a Library Card

Get them their own library card. Children love having their own library cards and checking out books they choose, on their own.

Got to the Library Often

Visit the library often. Schedule a regular library day, and just let them sit and read for a while in the library. Take advantage of your local library's programs, such as story times, to help capture a child's interest in books.

Throw Out Book Teasers

Drop tantalizing hints about a book. Start reading one yourself that your children might like and "share" some tempting tidbits. When they want to know what happens - say , "Oh you will have to read it for yourself, you won't believe it!"

Add Some Fun Extras

Extend the book. Add fun activities that go beyond a book. When reading Heidi, look for the countries on a map, eat Swiss cheese for lunch or make some soft rolls for grandmother.

Pull Out the VCR

Watch a video about a book. Then say, "I wonder how close that was to the book? Maybe we should read that."

Make Your Own Books

Let them make their own books. Younger children especially love this. Something as simple as plain paper stapled together becomes a timeless treasure when they write their own stories. Let younger children tell you the story and you write it out and they illustrate it.

Set An Example

You cannot expect your children to love somethin you don't. If you want your kids to be readers you have to be too. It can be books, magazines, or even lovely coffee table books full of pictures. Just let them see you reading and read often together.