11.   Teachers now assign family time lines, family orchards and essays that give children more freedom in telling their personal histories.

12.   University teachers often assign books that are impossible to find, forcing students to buy photocopies from them.

13.   When Adam Sonenshein was in the sixth grade, a teacher assigned him to follow the presidential race between Democrat Michael Dukakis and Republican George Bush.

14.   With many students working at part-time jobs five to six hours on school nights, many teachers no longer assign homework.

15.   He said his teachers assign large chunks of homework that limit the number of days he has heavy loads.

16.   In addition to using computers to help them teach, teachers also could assign electronic homework.