In response to a paper calling for the re-engagement of agricultural education with the sciences and science education, this essay is supportive but argues to proceed with caution: one that at first does no harm. I offer a supplementary lens and story of change at Cornell University as a cautionary and motivational tale. I concur with the authors…

In this article, the author states that she supports Wayne Bowman's (2006) concern with the impact narratives can have, including their potential to legitimize "existing patterns of privilege and possibility." She argues that "there is nothing inherently emancipatory about narrative." In fact, narrative "may, and often…

In 2003, the National Commission on Writing released "The Neglected "R,"" its report on the state of writing instruction in the nation's schools. The report identified an apparent paradox: writing, which the Commission defines as an essential skill for the many that has helped transform the world, is nevertheless increasingly…

Jonathan Woocher opens his clarion call for a new paradigm in Jewish education with a nod to Samson Benderly, founding executive of the Bureau of Jewish Education in New York (BJENY), who at the beginning of the 20th century set out to design a communal system built upon the twin pillars of progressive educational theory and practice and cultural…

In this article, the author reviews "Theory and Educational Research" and concludes that given some misgivings, the collection arrives at a nonfetishized appreciation for the role of theory in empirical research in education. Jean Anyon and her colleagues give theory its due, not more but also not less. In the same move, they recognize…

This article connects the theoretical perspective of Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed with the teaching and learning styles of teachers and students at Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS) in East Harlem, New York. It examines some of the ways the Freireian model has worked within the public school system and considers some of the…

I argue in this article that recognizing the role of subjectivity and bringing in the researcher's positionality as a tool in the research process can not only enhance the ethical integrity of the research but also enhance both the research process and the analysis and interpretation of the data. Cultural studies theorists have long argued that…

Markets or market-like mechanisms are playing an increasing role in higher education, with visible consequences both for the regulation of higher education systems as a whole, as well as for the governance mechanisms of individual institutions. This article traces the history of economists' views on the role of education, from Adam Smith, John…

This paper reviews New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's education reform agenda, "Children first", in the light of organizational theory. I argue that this reform agenda reflects both coercive and mimetic isomorphism, as Bloomberg uses mayoral control to apply business concepts and practices to New York City's public school system.…

Describes the author's three-month career as a student teacher of social studies and art in an upstate New York high school. As his stint progresses, he realizes he cannot continue to rely on his old ways of thinking and functioning. He learns to handle a cooperating teacher's unrealistic expectations and to engage students with audiovisuals and…

In this article, the author assesses Mayor Michael Bloomberg's model of educational reform through dictatorial mayoral control. Many people give credit to Bloomberg's education policy, but it's anyone's guess why the 4th-grade scores rose 10% in 2005 at the same time that the 8th-grade reading and social studies scores went from bad to worse (with…

Citing scandals in accounting, law, banking, securities and corporations, Candace de Russy, a member of the State University of New York Board of Trustees recently urged college boards to "make ethics a living tradition, a day-to-day reality throughout higher education." If colleges prepare bankers, lawyers, accountants and brokers, de…

Describes the New York State Library's planning process and visions for its future in networked services. Topics discussed include roles for the library in a networked environment; leadership in networked services and training; network navigation; organizational response; services to state agencies and local government; and public kiosk services.…

Eleven brief articles focus on specific learning disabilities with emphasis on programs in New York State and City. Articles have the following titles and authors: "The History of Learning Disabilities Revisited" (J. Wiederholt, G. Hale); "The Learning in Learning Disability--Ask What, Not Why" (R. Schworm) which stresses the…

Mel Levine writes about learning disabilities in a way that sometimes invites satire. The premise of his 2003 book, "The Myth of Laziness," for example, is that a child who appears lazy probably does not lack motivation, but rather suffers from "output failure." Levine, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North…