Given the current national debate over immigration reform and the plethora of anti-immigrant policies, practices, and laws, school curriculums should include materials that will allow students to learn about, and reflect on, the impact this debate has on the lived realities of those most impacted. Specifically, teachers and their students will…

Children's identities and sense of self are inextricably tied to their families. The experience of being welcome or unwelcome, visible or invisible begins in early childhood. The goal of early childhood professionals is to ensure that all children and their families are welcomed in early childhood settings and provided with quality care and…

Ageism is a relevant topic of study because of its inevitability for all humankind. Student attitudes toward the elderly are generally negative and often follow stereotyped views found in books. An outline for use in developing a curriculum on aging is provided. (DF)

Discusses the nature of social studies. Suggests that the National Council for the Social Studies seems dysfunctional because it aspires to be apolitical in a field that is inherently political. Concludes that social education will continue to reflect the structure of society and the values of people who control the educational process. (DK)

Kindergarten teachers do not view social studies as an important part of the preschool curriculum. This was the finding of a survey of kindergarten teachers in two midwestern states. The questionnaires used in the survey were designed to determine the emphasis teachers placed on specific social studies topics, skills, and values. Teachers…

One's conceptions define what is worth learning about war and peace and why. Educators must make important choices of content. Three conceptions of peace education are discussed: those that focus on information, those that center on issues, and those dealing with attitudes. (RM)

Discusses former Soviet schools' inadequacy in promoting students' political involvement. Reports that students can be grouped according to their social attitudes as (1) conformists; (2) negativists or nihilists; and (3) those with critical, creative attitudes toward majority opinion. Argues that schools can promote independent thinking by…

Argues that social justice is a legitimate goal of schooling and should be included in the curriculum. Discusses aspects of social justice including distributive justice and equality of educational opportunity. Maintains that Western educational systems have many possibilities for achieving social justice through the curriculum. (CFR)

Aging is often thought of as an essentially biological process and therefore a matter for the natural sciences, but that notion constitutes a very narrow view of aging. The longevity revolution of the past century and how it affects each individual and all societies can only be understood if we also draw on the social sciences. When the young…

Tries to make explicit race/class/gender connections in an undergraduate seminar on stratification. Students learn about models of social class and mobility and ideas of inequality. Attempts to balance the syllabus by including material about different groups and a representative group of scholars. Describes classroom discussions and experiences.…

Suggestions for including critical elements of multicultural education in the special education curriculum are offered, including employing student-centered assessment strategies, using culturally responsive instruction, transforming the curriculum, teaching students to accept and appreciate individual differences, teaching social responsibility,…

As an agency of socialization, one of the main purposes of the school is to prepare children for responsible membership in society and to encourage appropriate social/moral attitudes and behavior necessary for good citizenship. This study of personal and social skills and values was conducted to help formulate the Canadian core curriculum.…

Asserts that peace activism should be integrated into U.S. history. Traces the history of the peace movement and peace activism from the American Revolution to the 1980s. Concludes that the peace movement, although diverse and constantly changing, has made an appreciable difference in national attitudes toward war and civil violence. (CFR)

Asserts that social studies is a natural medium for teaching cross-cultural understanding and making education more meaningful for students from different ethnic, social, or cultural backgrounds. Presents a bibliographical essay including recommended teacher and student resources on issues related to multiculturalism and national unity. (CFR)

Contends that peace history should be taught as a separate course or part of a larger survey course because of the wealth of scholarly materials. Discusses four historical movements that form the main currents of U.S. peace historiography and states that historian Merle Curti was the most influential peace historian. (CFR)