Maintains that improving preservice geography teacher education is difficult because few geography faculty understand the teacher education process and many education professors are not well-educated geographically. Discusses 13 recommendations to improve preservice geography teacher education. (CFR)

Discusses the organizational development of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) during the years 1982-1995. Describes the effort to establish national social studies standards in response to the national Goals 2000 movement. Describes the reorganization of the NCSS committee structure and central office staff. (CFR)

Describes the efforts of the Alaska Department of Education and geography educators to develop standards based on the National Geography Standards model. Discusses the statewide public consensus process and includes a chronological table of events. Provides six sample standards and performance criteria from the Alaska 2000 geography standards.…

Contends that citizenship education has become a political agenda rather than an educational concern. Argues that the national standards movement is fueled by opponents of multicultural education, global education, and an integrated social studies curriculum. (CFR)

Maintains that criticism of the history National Standards (from educators and historians, not the conservative media) has been unspecific and poorly focused. Argues that standards, by their definition, are exclusionary. Questions the attempt to develop critical thinking at an early age. (MJP)

This book provides K-12 teachers with information about effective teaching and learning tools. Each innovation has a long history of use and has been researched and evaluated in a variety of settings. The innovations foster a student-centered classroom environment that is equitable and rigorous. The nine chapters focus on: (1) "The Power of…

The Fall 2002 Idea Book contains suggestions for enriched learning. "Save Our History; Save Our Sounds,""Eureka!" and "Lindbergh Flies Again" involve two or more disciplines of study and would work well for team-teaching projects . Lesson materials from the Arts and Entertainment Network teacher's guide are:…

This publication describes the pilot Teacher Dialogue Forums, which provided Georgia teachers with an opportunity to: learn about current research on teaching and the teaching profession; share their views and learn from colleagues; and let their voices be heard and used to shape practice and policy in teaching. A total of 250 teachers…

As an alternative to the drill and practice worksheets that typically supplement student learning, this book provides a reference for kindergarten through fifth grade teachers containing ideas for interactive activities to invigorate daily lessons in many areas of the elementary school curriculum, as well as providing ideas for home school…

This booklet, which is intended for vocational educators/trainers in Australia, explains the principles and techniques of competency-based training (CBT). The following topics are discussed in the first 10 sections: the decision to adopt CBT in Australia; the meaning of competency; teaching and learning to become competent (competency standards as…

The United States is moving toward a more national, performance-based view of curriculum policy. The federal government will play a modest role in nationalizing curriculum policy issues, largely by pressuring states and localities through national standards. The chief agents of nationalization will continue to be state and locally based…

The skill standards in this document were developed as a result of meetings between representatives of the agricultural industry and educational institutions to determine the skills and educational preparation required of an agricultural biotechnology technician, verified by technicians working in laboratories, greenhouses, animal facilities, and…

These guidelines help professional development chairs, administrators, and teachers collaboratively plan for the ongoing skill development and content acquisition of staff members. Section 1, "Missions, Mandates, and Regulations for Professional Development," describes the mission of professional development as supporting teachers in…

This classroom assessment tool for grades 4-6 offers teachers a method to quickly identify the needs of migrant, language-different, and mobile students in language arts, mathematics, and science in relation to national content standards. The Snapshot System asks the student to perform a series of tasks that are keyed to content standards and…

Claims that the proposed National History Standards subvert the legitimate purpose of history instruction, the explanation and understanding of historical meaning, in an effort to redress historical grievances. Argues that the Standards apply a critical perspective to European culture while celebrating the achievements of native cultures. (MJP)