Personal narratives of 20 middle-class Japanese preschoolers, half of them 4 years old and half 5 years old, and their mothers were analyzed using stanza analysis and high point analysis. The patterning in stanzas yielded the following: (1) with regard to the proportion of three-verse stanzas, there were no differences between the groups of…

This book presents nine case studies describing the experiences of practitioners involved in the first, developmental phase of the Effective Early Learning Research Project, providing a topical discussion of criteria and methodologies for evaluating and improving the quality of learning in a variety of early years settings in the United Kingdom.…

This paper presents journal entries from students at Singapore's National Institute of Education (NIE) during their first practice teaching experience at local elementary schools. The paper suggests that one of the best ways to help preservice teachers come to terms with their school experience is to encourage daily journal writing throughout the…

This book explores the country schoolhouses of Texas' rural past. Sources include interviews with dozens of former country schoolteachers and students and first-person narratives collected from written works. Chapters cover the following topics: (1) history of public education and country schools in Texas; (2) distance travelled by teachers and…

Examines the nature, the task, and the impact of teaching in a maximum security prison for males. Data are presented concerning the curriculum design used in order to create a nonevaluative atmosphere. Inmates' reactions to self-disclosure and open communication in a prison setting are evaluated. (CT)

Used a life history approach to examine the narratives of white, female teachers in racially diverse classrooms who were considered "aware of race and racism." Data from interviews and observations indicated that teachers' perceptions of racial awareness were influenced by: perceived identity as outsiders which enabled them to…

Highlights the recent history of South African education using life histories of two black teachers (one beginning and one experienced) whose careers as students and then teachers evolved against a backdrop of social and political conflict. The article considers ways that selected theories of oppression and resistance explain or fail to explain…

Collaborative biography was used to examine the effects of a school-university partnership on two elementary teachers. The partnership made teachers fully responsible for supervising and evaluating student teachers. The article discusses common and differential effects emerging from apparent interactions with teachers' personalities and career…

Uses autobiographical analysis to understand the implicit beliefs of preservice teachers about teaching and learning. Finds five themes: instruction should be authentic, relevant, meaningful, purposeful, and interesting; students should be actively involved in their learning; reading and writing to learn are important; teachers can influence…

Both content and event analyses were applied to cultural and social knowledge underlying narrative production in three African-American preschoolers. Results suggest that the use of alternative approaches broadens understanding of the repertoire of narrative structures among African Americans. Suggestions are offered for building collaborative…

Euro-Western schooling imposed on Canada Natives was meant to destroy their culture and caused great alienation. This qualitative study of Onyota'a:ka (Oneida) Indians indicates that bilingual, bicultural education is needed to restore a strong Native identity. Education must validate traditional knowledge, values, and skills for Onyota'a:ka…

In this study, the authors combined qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the meaning of quality in students' selection and evaluation of an MBA program. Results of the study indicate that students adopt a holistic approach, placing importance on a wide variety of issues that extend beyond the classroom learning setting. The study…

As curriculum objectives become more "standardized," pedagogical strategies that reach diverse populations become more important, not less as some practitioners might be prone to believe. Through the use of narratives, we have found that students achieve greater understandings of curriculum as well as find culturally relevant ways of applying…

Using fiction writing techniques, such as the creation of composite characters and scenarios gathered from data collection and the author's tacit knowledge, this narrative teacher inquiry illustrates how anti-homophobia education might unfold in an elementary school. The art of yarning or storytelling is explored as an effective tool to confront…

This book reports on a three-part qualitative research study examining multiage classrooms from different perspectives. Part 1 of the book describes the activities of a K-3 multiage classroom, based on 40 days of observation and participation. The four chapters in this part offer a description of a typical day in the observed classroom; a brief…