Describes a classroom-based research project that studied the development of social skills of eight heterogeneously grouped deaf students, ages 8 and 9. Activities that fostered empathy development are described, as well as ways students learned and applied an understanding of perspectives in communication exchanges, literacy development, and…

Examines the use of role play for early childhood teachers so that they may better understand children's emotions and behavior, better understand teachers' emotions and behavior, sort out and respond to children's needs, and discover new strategies for dealing with problem situations and challenging children. Offers advice for using role play with…

Introduces the Reflective Judgment model of intellectual development which illustrates how reasoning skills develop in adulthood and relates this to multicultural education at the college level. The model can inform instruction and help students think about complex issues from different perspectives. (MJP)

Ontario Agri-Food Education's curriculum unit, "From Both Sides," applies a cooperative-learning method of conflict resolution to environmental issues. Two groups of students are assigned polar views on an issue such as pesticide use. Five steps involve preparing and presenting a position, refuting opposing positions, reversing…

Discusses benefits of incorporating cross-cultural perspectives into environmental science and natural resources training: more productive interactions between tribal governments and environmental scientists, policymakers, and managers; cross-cultural examination of value systems; protection of indigenous knowledge; and increased participation of…

The author offers an analysis of the failures and insights she experienced working with adolescents at a progressive school while discussing how the students understood and experienced race and identity -- their own and that of others. While she encountered students who were willing to take her into their worlds, her efforts fell flat when her…

As educators endeavor to engage an increasingly diverse student population, the curricular inclusion of elements of popular culture has been found to represent a particularly meaningful and successful approach. Research has consistently documented how utilizing issues of interest to students enhances affective links to the classroom and engenders…

This paper presents two examples of the case study method applied to enhance preservice teachers' decision-making abilities and multicultural perspectives. In the first example, preservice teachers (N=17) enrolled in a sophomore educational psychology course chose a case from a preselected list to diagnose and present to the class for analysis and…

This paper describes an undergraduate teacher education course offered at Urbana University (Ohio). The course introduces preservice teachers to the nature of multiculturalism in terms of economic, social, intellectual, age, and gender differences, leading participants to explore this educational process from sociological and psychological…

Attempts to document the process of being immersed in the discipline of visual art making by presenting excerpts from an artist's studio diary. Includes post-diary commentaries on the excerpts and a discussion of how this process informed the artwork. Includes photographs of artworks produced during this period. (MJP)

This paper, in presenting a view of curriculum as praxis, contends that empowerment is neither allowed nor given. Rather, it emerges as curriculum practitioners engage in a process which consciously seeks to be empowering. The view of curriculum as praxis develops from reflections of curriculum studies taught in higher education programs, and from…

A longitudinal study was conducted to examine how a person's concept of learning, teaching, and self as teacher and learner changes over the years, and to understand the factors which contribute to the development of teachers. This paper presents the stories of two teachers who participated in the study--Beth who taught middle school science…

Rural graduate students in early intervention used case-study and ethnographic methods to record family-focused field experiences, thereby developing an understanding of family perspectives and personal theories about early intervention in rural settings. These personnel preparation processes help students engage in a lifelong process of…

Examines Sarason's (1995) political principle, "if you are going to be affected, directly or indirectly, by a policy, you should stand in some relationship to the decision-making process." Uses ethnographic research to explore face-to-face interactions of day care workers within the larger highly asymmetric and regulated relational day…

Presents a class project in which students were divided into groups, each of which produced a letter as though written by a resident of prerevolutionary Texas. Provides suggested characters, review exercises, suggestions, and evaluation advice. Discusses the project's benefits as a Texas state history review and language arts lesson. (DK)