Discusses how the whole-language process provides an authentic approach to lifelong learning. Includes discussions of Cambourne's conditions for learning; Holdaway's natural learning model; Goodman's miscue analysis research; whole-language theory; the role of teachers, students, and the community in language arts; and the role of the classroom…

Notes the challenges posed by cultural diversity in the United States. Presents a demographic assessment of factors relating to the schooling of culturally diverse populations, analysis of challenges associated with the growing number of language-minority students who are Hispanic, and conceptual and empirical perspectives precipitating a more…

Discusses difficulties of overcoming classism, racism, and sexism in the classroom. Addresses hostile reactions by white male students, silencing and marginalization, and the "inappropriate other"--a minority or female in the traditionally white male role of professor. Stresses that gender and race are inseparable parts of identity,…

Applies educational theories of Paulo Freire to social studies curriculum development and instruction. Contends that education either functions as an instrument to integrate young people into the current system or becomes an instrument to achieve freedom and progress. Argues that social studies teachers and students should become partners in…

Summarizes current theories about children's peer relationships and suggests practices recommended by teachers for parents concerned about their children's social development. Asserts that not having friends can be frustrating and painful for young children. Explores parental influences and gives steps parents can take to enhance children's social…

This article, in Section 1, describes language learning as learner growth or development in three interrelated areas: personal awareness, awareness of learning processes and task awareness. These are the three angles of a triangle that constitute the notion of school learning as learner education. The second section discusses how to promote the…

With the advent of "perestroika" and "glasnost," Russian childcare and education underwent a transitional period in practice and theory. Contrasting impressions from an earlier visit under the Communist regime, this book describes the experiences of Jean Ispa in her travels to Russia, observing children in six child care…

Principles for college outcomes assessment, as outlined in the literature, are reviewed. Drawing on the experience of the Virginia State Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) during a decade of state-mandated outcomes assessment, a number of salient issues are identified. Faculty and academic issues include these: faculty…

This book describes the experiences of 26 retired rural school teachers from western Wisconsin. The book was inspired by the community solidarity of the Cloverdale Community Club (Wisconsin) in maintaining the old Cloverdale School building. Cloverdale School was a typical one-room rural school, built in 1857 and closed by the consolidation…

This book describes how a journalist turned college professor faces the students of Generation X at a community college in California. He discovers a culture war between generations--a culture wave between college teachers, typically Baby Boomers and members of Generation X. This cultural divide is between the modern and postmodern worlds and the…

This digest summarizes a larger document of the same title which takes the position that because American democracy is founded on the premise that citizens need to engage in free and open discussion of opposing points of view, it is important that intellectual conflict become part of college instruction. It suggests several ways in which…

Play, possibly the dominant socializing agent for children's social competence and identity development, is heavily influenced by media-defined images. It is important for media images of minority cultures to be filtered by parents' reactions and comments in order to counter prevalent negative images. Children's interaction with the media is…

The efforts of Cleveland's intermediate level mathematics teachers to change their curriculum from computation to a dual emphasis on application and computation are described. This paper reports on the second year of a project to enhance mathematics instruction. A natural history ethnography was conducted, which focused on the work of seven…

Since nearly 10% of the students in the U.S. who receive doctorates in the mathematical sciences begin their undergraduate studies in two-year institutions, it is clear that these schools are a significant part of the mathematics educational pipeline. Yet, minority students enrolled in two-year colleges are one-fifth as likely to earn a bachelor's…

This book argues that limited faculty productivity is the major reason why the quality of undergraduate teaching has declined while university tuition has been rising substantially faster than the inflation rate. It stresses that inefficiency and fiscal waste are produced by the competing aims of research and teaching and attacks the academic…