Writing practitioners, researchers, and scholars are at a juncture where foundational assumptions about the teaching of writing, its place in higher education, and its ability to help foster a truly inclusive democratic society are increasingly contested. Trust in literacy has been eroded over the past decades, coming to an acute crisis in the…

This commentary focuses on philosophical underpinnings that could guide a sea change in approaches to sustainability within English-medium curricula in Aotearoa. Framed optimistically, it engages with the possibilities that exist for Pakeha to transform relationships with tangata whenua and this land through regenerative curriculum design. Three…

Grade retention as a major element in education and reading policy has been adopted by at least 14 states, with 32+ states linking reading intervention to high-stakes testing. These policies ignore four decades of research on the negative consequences of grade retention and the significant body of research on effective and supportive literacy…

In the last issue of "American Educator," several scholars argued in favor of a common core curriculum. By common core, they meant that the curriculum should be broadly adopted (enabling improvements in instructional materials, student tests, and teacher training), but also limited (preserving instructional time for districts, schools,…

Historically, science was introduced into the school curriculum to enable students, who were entering university to study science related subjects, to gain some background knowledge before beginning studies at the university level (Fensham, 2008, p 14). Unfortunately this view is still very prevalent among policy-makers and teachers today. And…

The budget crises will have far reaching impacts on education in California. This CenterView focuses on the critical issues of equity and teaching quality now beginning to emerge for Californians as they struggle to offer students instruction necessary to meet the state's rigorous academic standards. It is absolutely essential for educators and…

Background: At the heart of this polemic lies the view that contemporary research in PE and Health (PEH) has largely overlooked one of the key determinants of social behaviour, social class and its expression in and outside schools; an omission that has quite serious consequences for how we (researchers and teachers) think about and conceptualise…

Praises United States Secretary of Education William J. Bennett's 1986 report as a readable, provocative document that restores central importance of elementary education. Disagrees with two improvement suggestions: elimination of teaching experience for principals and disregard of class size as an important variable. Sees improved instructional…

Students, parents, and teachers of today should know full well that even a whole phalanx of educational reforms does not automatically prevail over the social bigotries that persist from the past. This paper provides an uncomfortable reminder of how the democratic purposes of U.S. education must be sustained not only by court decisions and…

Elementary choral groups should be select. In every other part of life excellence is rewarded. Selecting the best singers for choir provides opportunities for those children that are necessary in the pursuit of excellence. Standards must be kept high. (RM)

Academic achievement is increasing in schools, but so is the dropout rate. Excellence in schools must be defined more broadly than the scores students earn on achievement tests. Concerns such as equity must be a part of the definition of excellence in education. It is essential that for some programs with disproportionate enrollments, educators…

Presents a brief history on the evolution of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) standards and reform efforts in mathematics education. Discusses the advantages of having standards. Mentions some research results stating dramatic increases in reading and mathematics achievement for schools with the highest implementation of…

In contrast to the most commonly suggested approaches to equalizing access to higher education in Australia, either permanently abolishing fees or reinstating fees, the most equitable solution would be to spend comparable amounts on all forms of postsecondary education and training, spreading resources to a broader range of programs and…

A discussion of the education of a population that is increasingly diverse, linguistically and culturally, this paper argues that non-mainstream students do not perform as well in school as predominantly white, middle-class, English-speaking mainstream students because they are not equitably served by the educational system. Some complexities of…

While 15 years ago only a few schools had microcomputers, today a majority of public schools have some computers, although an adequate number of computers for students to use is still in the future. Unfortunately, statistics show that, in many states, a higher percentage of male students are enrolled in computer classes than female; boys seem to…