Although the Bartholomae/Elbow debate is often framed as a modern conflict between the advocates of "academic" and "personal" writing, it is more appropriately viewed as the most recent manifestation of the historical clash between expressivism and constructivism. However, both sides of this conflict, which split over whether to see writing as a…

Children in two first-grade classes and their teachers decided to take an imaginary trip to Washington D.C. For three weeks, the first graders spent their afternoons on the project, and their simulated flight was the culminating activity of a unit on Washington, D.C. In this article, the author discusses several details of the activity,…

From a visual perspective, many disadvantaged students are assigned to schools that are dark, shabby and lifeless--more like a factory or fortress than a place for learning. Equally lifeless is the standard test-driven curriculum which utterly fails to tap the interests and talents of these students. Stultified learning environments are…

This article describes the experiences gained from a seminar in the teaching of mathematical reasoning and problem solving designed to prepare in-service high school mathematics teachers to teach genuine mathematical activity in a computer-based environment. Presented with a set of unfamiliar tasks and activities, the participants were encouraged…

Investigating the nature and value of dance drama as an expressive idiom for elementary school children, this paper discusses foundational concerns about the nature of dance drama, aesthetic content, learnings in dance drama, and the organization of these learnings. Noting that the ideas of dance drama presented have largely emerged from a content…

This study investigated the musical thinking of two composers through the use of concurrent protocol analysis and examinined their problems, funded experience, and reflective thinking. The objective was to determine the extent to which there is an observed or implicit paradigm of reflective thinking in the thinking of a practicing composer. The…

This paper describes two recent seminars for exemplary K-12 public school teachers from North Carolina held at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT). A discussion is presented on the program's rationale. The seminars are examined in the light of the framework of an article on four conceptions of excellence: (1)…

"Fun activities," such as games, puzzles, discussions, debates, drama, and art, are used in every unit of the Chicago Mastery Learning Reading/Learning Strategies program. Activities include (1) ungraded optional activities, (2) enrichment activities, and (3) subject-related applications. These materials aid in comprehension, memory, and transfer;…

An experimental FLES program in Lati, designed for a rural community elementary school in North Carolina, aims at improving and increasing students' English vocabulary and exposing them to a different culture. It was also hoped that students would be motivated to continue their study of foreign languages, cultures, and the humanities at the high…

Describes course-planning model for a Canadian citizenship education program, based on a workbook format especially for limited English speaking adults. The course takes into consideration three influencing factors: society, subject matter, and characteristics of learners, as it structures them into a participatory seminar format. This allows the…

Describes the development and evaluation of machinery for the visual feedback of intonation at the Institute for Phonetics, Nijmegen (The Netherlands). In terms of possible applications to second language language learning, equipment such as a pitch visualizer could assist the teaching of pronunciation and intonation, as well as be incorporated…

Describes a model for validating creative endeavor as equivalent to scholarship in evaluating teachers for promotion. (PD)

Virginia Standards of Learning for K-5 are listed in this paper with student activities related to observation of live theatre performances of "Arabian Tales" written and performed by the high school theater touring company, Organized Chaos. This play toured in Virginia in the academic year of 2000-2001. The play runs about 45 minutes.…

Uses personal experience with writing a newsletter to show how a newsletter assignment involves students in a wide variety of writing experiences, makes them aware of their audience, and shows them the need for good organizing and editing skills. (MM)

The Learning about Learning organization attempts to help children find and use their personal style of learning. Through creative arts activities, self-understanding and creative problem solving are fostered, and the relevance of arts skills to all areas of the curriculum and to daily living is demonstrated. (SK)