Madeline Hunter replies to the criticism in the previous article. She feels that the current teacher decision-making model is effective. (MD)

Michigan's Wayne State University developed a six-step process in which a university-provided facilitator helps the teaching staff at an individual elementary or secondary school assess its development needs and plan and implement a process for addressing those needs. Two schools' experiences illustrate successful applications of the process. (PGD)

To handle unforeseen crises, Albuquerque Public Schools established a critical-incident response team with a simple, understandable chain of command. The group aims to ensure maximum safety and people' well-being, develop a districtwide crisis-response-management plan, coordinate necessary training, and collaborate with community agencies…

As the staff and students of Littleton (Colorado) High School have found, talking about restructured educational programs is easier than implementing them. Participants redesigning graduation requirements encountered seven realities, namely the need for sacrifice, adequate funding, discussion time, outside perspectives, ways to dispel fear and…

Describes a Massachusetts language arts teacher's experiences with diagnosing seventh and eighth graders' learning styles and designing activity stations geared to a particular type. Students progress from one station to another, trying to figure out which activity goes with each style by experiencing each one individually. (MLH)

Outlines the new movement to teach conflict resolution in schools nationwide. It teaches students how to resolve their differences peaceably in an increasingly violent world. Includes a sidebar with a resource listing. (MD)

The structural approach to cooperative learning is based on the creation, analysis, and systematic application of content-free ways to organize classroom interactions. Structures (outlined in a table) have differing uses in the academic, cognitive, and social domains, such as team building, communication building, mastery, and concept development.…

Given the importance of educating for democratic citizenship, the involvement of individual business people with policymaking bodies and task forces is highly desirable. However, schools should limit business involvement to civic-minded contributions free of marketing or advertising hype. To do otherwise betrays the spirit of educational…

"Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics" conferences in Berkeley, California, are designed to nurture girls' interest in science and math courses and encourage them to consider nontraditional career options. (TE)

The Personal Responsibility Education Process (PREP) is a grass-roots approach to character education that seeks to strengthen student responsibility. Instead of promoting one set of values, it helps schools rediscover their own values and reinforce them. A sampling of several Missouri school districts illustrates the diversity of the process and…

University of Chicago School Mathematics Project shares some insights about using new technology, incorporating real-world data and applications into mainstream mathematics, improving student performance, and changing mathematics curriculum. Calculators are easily implemented, particularly high schools. Virtually all students can learn to apply…

An elementary teacher planning to teach a multiage class decided to make monthly phone calls to parents to discuss student problems and progress. She called one-quarter of her class's parents every Saturday afternoon, sometimes leaving messages. The process had its drawbacks but kept the teacher up-to-date on her students' lives. (MLH)

A language arts teacher at a California middle school describes an exercise he developed to help students understand disabilities through virtual, firsthand experience. As students simulate being blind, unable to walk, they learn how to adjust, innovate, compensate, cooperate, and empathize with one another. (MLH)

Although not reknown for democratic organization, schools must provide experiences that teach what Alexis de Tocqueville called the "habits of the heart," or the sensibilities of democratic responsibility. Citizenship education must engage students in activities demanding both high self-regard and recognition of each person's…

Describes the student mediator program developed at the William E. Ferron Elementary School (Nevada). Since the program began, the number of discipline problems referred to the principal has declined. Includes a sidebar outlining the steps used for orientation of mediators. (MD)