Explores the destructive effects of student drug use on students, teachers, and the learning environment of public schools. Discusses healthy child development and the historical background of illegal drug use, and suggests strategies to produce a drug- and alcohol-free school environment with firm, clear institutional policies. (MLH)

This paper declares war against the miseducation of young children, who learn best through direct encounters rather than through formalized inculcation of symbolic rules. A variety of socioeconomic forces (including the civil rights and women's movements) are forcing preschoolers into learning environments originally designed for school-age…

As social promotion gives way to grade promotion based on mastery and as the education reform movement brings new, higher standards, vast numbers of students unable to meet the new standards are needing remedial instruction. This is proving to be a difficult and costly challenge. (DCS)

Discusses multiple uses of the word processor as a writing tool. Following a description of the various parts of a word processing system, the author addresses concerns of the novice user, concluding that word processors may serve "both in the professional writing of educators and in the teaching of writing." (JBM)

Highlights are offered of one district's 7 years of experience with a Walkabout program. Steps found to accelerate individual effectiveness among adolescents include building confidence, responsibility, attitude, and skills. These steps have also been appled to adults in seminars for teachers and administrators, a school improvement process, and…

This future-oriented position paper provides a wide-ranging discussion of nine crucial issues identified by Phi Delta Kappa chapters and some guideposts for educators who must deal with these issues in coming decades. (Author/JH)

Article based on a lecture given before a student symposium at the University of Hawaii, Spring, 1969.

Reviews current literature on sex education and concludes that adequate community support and proven methods exist for establishing much-needed sex education programs in schools. Asserts that preservice and inservice programs for teachers and educators' willingness to address the social and human problems associated with teenage sexuality are also…

By the time many poor children enter school, the best educators can do is prepare them for nonexistent unskilled jobs. Remedial programs cannot compensate for deficiencies in early intellectual development. A study involving 42 families showed that well-educated mothers spoke more to their 3-year-olds, did more explaining, asked more questions,…

The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future concluded that reforming education hinges on restructuring the teaching profession. Major barriers include inadequate teacher education, slipshod recruitment, haphazard hiring and induction, inadequate professional development and recognition, and failure-prone schools. The commission…

Working with the National Council of Teachers of English, South Carolina has taken the bold step of focusing professional development in reading on teachers, rather than programs. The state created the South Carolina Reading Initiative (SCRI), a multi-year, research-based professional development model. (MLF)

Argues that current efforts to close achievement gap in mathematics between underrepresented minority students and white students are inadequate. Suggests that to close achievement gap greater effort must be made to train and hire quality teachers with pedagogical content knowledge. (Contains 14 references.) (PKP)

Presents major conclusions from a 1990 report "Unusually Effective Schools: A Review and Analysis of Research and Practice." Guidelines for multischool improvement projects include providing substantial staff development time and technical assistance, focusing on instructional improvement, avoiding faculty overload and overreliance on bureaucratic…

Describes Boston's efforts to abandon adversarial bargaining in favor of a reform-oriented contract establishing a shared decision-making model of school-based management. The model includes significant parent involvement, a mentoring program for new teachers, a voluntary peer-assistance program for veteran teachers, and collaborative…

When 128 students were queried regarding the values, beliefs, or moral imperatives underlying their teacher education program, most were speechless at first. Students either indicated their unawareness of any underlying philosophy or responded in generalities akin to moral relativism. Includes 19 references. (MLH)