This chapter is part of a book that recounts the year's work at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. Rather than an "elitist" laboratory school for the children of university faculty, the dual-language ECDC is a collaboration between the Corpus Christi Independent School District and…

This document provides a framework by which Oklahoma local school districts can develop their curriculum for physical education. Designed for grades K-12, it offers a foundation for appropriate physical education practices linked to the Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS) national standards and benchmarks for each of three goals: motor skill…

Maintains that the debate over the social studies curriculum has been heavily influenced by a small group of conservative foundations, academics, and the federal government. These groups work toward creating an ideological consensus that promotes a national identity and strives to preserve European American dominant culture. (MJP)

Criticizes the very notion of national standards for history. Maintains that the interpretative nature of historical study does not lend itself to the establishment of a single set of curricular standards. Argues that the most effective means of improving history instruction is to improve education for history teachers. (MJP)

Asserts that the current focus on voluntary national standards has catapulted arts education into a new prominence. Discusses the background and tactics of current educational reform efforts. Concludes that, without empirical research and assessment, the proposed curricular standards will remain an educational fad. (CFR)

Recognizes the leadership role played by professional and educational organizations, most notably the National Geographic Society (NGS), in promoting geography education. The NGS and other organizations established standards and guidelines concerning content and instruction. Includes brief descriptions of activities and their sponsoring…

Issues and trends currently affecting the enterprise of education are identified, particularly as they relate to continuing education. To date, the national education reform agenda has featured the major components of national standards, a national curriculum, national tests, improved teacher training, and teacher empowerment combined with…

In the wake of repeated reports on the condition of the nation's schools, a specific agenda for renewal is outlined by the National Consortium for Educational Excellence. It is urged that, in undertaking this renewal, greater emphasis be placed on developmental rather than regulatory reform. An agenda consisting of 31 items is detailed in…

In this book, the 11 members of the Koret Task Force on K-12 Education provide a broad overview of the U.S. education system, examining its structure and operation, identifying key problems that hinder its performance, and offering perspectives on the requirements of genuine reform. The 11 chapters include: (1) "American Traditions of Education"…

Social studies is concerned with developing reflective, democratic citizenship within a global context, and includes the disciplines typically classified as belonging to the social and behavioral sciences as well as history, geography, and content selected from law, philosophy, and the humanities. It also includes those topics that focus on social…

Providing guidance to Connecticut schools and districts that are developing curriculum, this book presents curriculum frameworks in 10 disciplines for thinking about the knowledge, skills, and understandings that students should have. The 10 disciplines addressed in the book are: (1) the Arts; (2) Health and Safety Education; (3) Language Arts;…

This manual explains how to foster contextual learning and curriculum integration. There are 12 sections: "Contextual Learning"; "Connecting Academic Standards with Contextual Learning"; "Using Career Development to Add Context and Relevancy to the Classroom"; "Curriculum Integration"; "Guidelines for…

The purpose of this document is to assist teachers in aligning their present foreign language curriculum with the national standards for student learning. This guide will enable teachers to identify which aspects of their current curriculum fit with the standards and how these can be extended and adapted to address the new dimensions of the…

Proposes recommendations for balancing middle school students' academic, personal, and social needs by addressing personal development through curriculum and instruction, instructional program components, and a culture of assessment. Argues that academic achievement enhances self-esteem, concluding that students' academic achievement and personal…

Britain's Further Education Unit (FEU) has been working with numerous individuals and organizations in the further education (FE) sector to develop a common framework for post-14 education and training throughout the nation for the 21st century. The framework proposed by FEU provides for all achievement and awards in FE programs to be described in…