This critical literature examines the methodology of teaching and learning developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. Maria Montessori always believed that children are a unique being and they always surprise us with their unseen capabilities. In order to fully develop those unseen capabilities, we must give them freedom of choice to explore their…

Because elementary education is predominantly made up of women, it is interesting that not much research in the field has been conducted with an inherently feminist perspective. Lisa Goldstein notes that developmental psychology has been the theoretical foundation for early childhood education--an irony, especially considering the pervasiveness of…

Considers advantages and disadvantages of four different sociopolitical approaches to multicultural studies: corporate, liberal, essentialist, and radical democratic. Suggests the use of a radical democratic perspective because this approach acknowledges the need for changes in the power structures of society. Offers suggestions for designing a…

Outlines "Bullybusters," a psychoeducational drama developed by a school's counseling and drama departments. The program depicts the negative consequences of the various forms of bullying, while informing students how they might overcome bullying's adverse effects. Subsequent classroom discussion sessions were successful in getting students to…

In earlier "humanitarian" accounts, Britain's voluntary blind institutions exemplified successful nineteenth-century philanthropy and later became effective partners of the state. From the 1970s, Victorian charity came increasingly under criticism and subsequent studies on disability condemn the exclusion and utilitarian training of a…

This paper reviews literature on leadership education, including empowerment of individuals with disabilities. The emphasis in early leadership research was on leadership "traits," reflecting the belief that leaders are born, not made. Subsequently research viewed leadership as the outcome of both situational and personal factors, and their…

Argues that, to transform students into lifelong readers, teachers must conceive a plan to motivate students to develop positive attitudes about reading. Cites self-efficacy as particularly pertinent to motivation. Reviews the research on self-efficacy to examine which instructional strategies are most effective in literacy education. (PA)

Provides a review of current literature with emphasis on the issues of student empowerment, early intervention strategies, and cultural issues in education which may stimulate solutions for restructuring literacy education in response to the No Child Left Behind legislation of 2001. Notes that reading failure for speakers of nonstandard English…

The 1967 "Joint Statement on Rights and Freedoms of Students" articulated a set of principles that seemed revolutionary to educators who expected higher education to continue its previous course in which students were merely passive recipients of education. This article provides a chronology of the development of the Joint Statement. (KW)

Noting the discrepancy between what is advocated and what is practiced in language arts classroom, this Digest synthesizes the existing problems, reviews the research supporting language arts integration, and proposes a rationale for integrating the language arts. The Digest points out that these new initiatives in language arts focus on the…

Students, either male or female, can be silenced by the adversarial discourse that often characterizes argumentative situations. Alternatives proposed by feminist rhetoricians should apply to any voice silenced in the classroom. Rhetoricians concerned with empowering writers of argument have illustrated three alternatives that enable writers to…

This article discusses the negative effects of criticizing a child's teacher in front of the child and the positive effects of modeling a healthy respect of the educational system. Study findings are discussed which indicate high-achieving children saw themselves as active partners with their teachers or coaches, not empty vessels. (Contains 6…

Examines potential ways to view bilingual education in a more liberatory perspective. Summarizes the global, historical context of bilingual education, and outlines principles and features of six models of formal bilingual education. Discusses how language use in school can empower or disable language minority students. Views bilingualism as a…

Self-determination is an important component of transition services and prompting this outcome requires that educators use assessment both to design instruction and provide information about instructional effectiveness. This article introduces self-determination as a critical transition outcome, examines assessment issues, and overviews practices,…

An experiential practitioner discusses the foundations of his ethical perspective on challenge by choice--participant choice within adventure activities. These foundations include existential and experiential philosophy, leisure theory, and the adventure-based counseling model. The ethics of choice and informed consent is discussed in relation to…