In this article, the author describes the development and implementation of a partnership between York University, the Canadian Education Association, and three Canadian high schools, in which drama students were given the opportunity to reenact their personal stories in an effort to communicate the need for change in their schools. The themes of…

The personal reminiscences of a teacher educator ready to retire touch on changing attitudes toward education and the consequences of those attitudes: the shifting character of the bitter criticism teacher educators must endure whatever the current educational fashion. (PGD)

A teacher discusses her transition to a new school and an innovative program based on Foxfire practices. Journal entries reflect the frustrations, self-doubts, and personal growth that resulted from her teaching experience. She attributes her personal growth to reflective journal writing, a core practice of Foxfire. (LP)

Teachers in the southern Maine teachers' network comment on dilemmas they have faced when implementing the Foxfire approach, including realizing their own strengths and weaknesses, achieving a balance between content and process, appropriate teacher intervention, developing student decision-making skills, applicable assessment and evaluation,…

This article focuses on the construction and development of cross-cultural analysis tools for students in Colombian universities. Primarily, it is a reflective piece of research which shows how ethnographically based constructs when combined with appropriate curricular platforms can constitute valuable tools in the acquisition of complex concepts…

Students in Mr. Shaw's classes used to be free to discover the joy of reading books of their own choosing. But that kind of spontaneity is vanishing under No Child Left Behind. This article describes the classroom library Mr. Shaw has built throughout the years and the joy it has brought to his students and their learning.

Religious sentiment served as one of the driving forces behind the progressive movement in education. Indeed, many progressives pursued their theories and reform agendas as a missionary endeavor. Perhaps the primary task in life is growing up, or, put another way, to create a consistent personal narrative to explain people's selves to themselves.…

This paper describes how poststructuralist thought informed one educator's thinking about teaching and the relevance of poststructuralism to teaching, especially through the educator's experience at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT). NCCAT was created to reward outstanding North Carolina teachers for their service…

This booklet contains the reflections of a lifelong educator. It examines American education over the last 35 years and focuses on those conditions that have most influenced education in the United States. The text opens with an analysis of the family, followed by a discussion of various legislative initiatives that were intended to nurture all…

Offers a personal account of how one philosophy professor was lured into the use of the new communication technologies in his teaching. (EV)

Anita Woolfolk, author of a best-selling educational psychology textbook, discusses format and important concepts in her text; application of educational psychology to teacher education; role of research in teacher education; her research in school climate and teacher efficacy; and her personal lifestyle. (KS)

Uses an ethnographic research process called Appreciative Inquiry to identify aspects of one urban high school's culture that contributed to its effectiveness, as well as any negative dimensions that may need to be addressed. Describes the Appreciative Inquiry process, explains how it was used, reviews selected results from this high school, and…

The purpose of this study is to capture "insider" perspectives of professors in the forefront of transforming university leadership preparation programs. From interviews, we constructed first person narratives and developed "story threads" demonstrating related sequences of their thought and action in reform work. After developing themes based on…

Since the late 1970s, the central government in China has focused on education reform as one of the key components to achieve the goal of the four modernizations: (1) agriculture; (2) industry; (3) science and technology; and (4) defense. Reform outlines and government mandates have significantly affected education in China at all levels. A brief…

Two teachers discuss their experiences implementing Foxfire practices in an alternative high school. One teacher was apprehensive about changing from the "traditional" approach to "student-initiated learning." The other teacher also experienced moments of doubt, but both teachers realized the benefits of the Foxfire approach…