Comments on the articles presented in this issue, discussing factors that influence the climate for learning. Ways that beliefs, past experiences, and cultural competence of adults may influence their ability to work collaboratively and support children's collaborative work are discussed, as are the effects of various adult interaction styles on…

Reviews two books that address fundamental issues of good and evil; a collection that addresses fundamental questions about child care; two books on recent developments on the study of the self; a two-volume collection on children's development within social contexts; and a comparative study of theories of child development. (AA)

Reviews two books on the role of gender in higher education: "Gender and Higher Education in the Progressive Era" (Lynn D. Gordon), and "Educated in Romance: Women, Achievement, and College Culture" (Dorothy C. Holland and Margaret A. Eisenhart). Both books argue that gender determines educational experiences and societal…

Reviews a book about the history of a small rural school in Braxton County, West Virginia. Argues that consolidation and eventual closure of this school resulted from political, economic, social, and cultural forces that failed to recognize the important relationship between the school and the community. Reflects on the reviewer's own previous…

Kozol's book, Savage Inequalities, examines inequality between urban and suburban education and encourages suburban residents to reflect on U.S. education since the 1970s and on the role of their communities in structuring the current savage inequalities. The book suggests affluent parents successfully transmit their ideology of inequality to…