In recent years, the curriculum programs have been changed dramatically in Turkey, as part of a comprehensive reform initiative. The history curriculum for secondary schools was subjected to this transformation as well. This study examines the curriculum reform in terms of teacher autonomy, a key-concept for the comprehension and improvement of…

Considers what happens to teachers and the curriculum when the philosophical and theoretical bases of subjects to which they are committed undergo significant change. Explores patterns of text choice for 9 teachers across 3 years. Finds all teachers were challenged into rethinking their views of literature. (SC)

Describes books and other materials a teacher can select from in developing a unit on Chicano literature. (MM)

Recent research demonstrates that one in five school districts is under pressure to purge objectionable books from its libraries and classrooms. This paper briefly summarizes literature and court decisions dealing with censorship in the schools and describes a study of censorship in Illinois schools. In the study, a 68-item questionnaire asked 200…

As a result of a joint concern over the issues of book selection and censorhip, the National Council of Teachers of English and the American Association of School Librarians distributed a questionnaire in the spring of 1964 to 1,600 secondary schools, half going to chairpersons of English departments and half to school librarians. Approximately…

An argument is presented in this booklet for the formal study of controversial issues and materials in public secondary schools. The democratic ideal of freedom of discussion is cited as justification for this stance. Included in the examination of issues are discussions of: (1) the democratic point of view as it relates to educational goals, (2)…

To provide learners with the most reliable information, individuals and committees responsible for text selection examine texts for classroom use in steps. Since very few people have the specialized knowledge of all the technical fields like drafting, electronics, or graphics that make up the field of Industrial Arts, a committee is required to…

The seven articles in this focused journal issue are concerned with choosing books for teaching and the various constraints on those choices. The first article, by Richard Lederer, discusses George Orwell's "1984" and the principles of Newspeak. His article sets the tone for the next two articles: "Beware the Misuse of…

Contends that teacher's decisions regarding textbook use can be understood through public choice theory. This theory claims decisions are made balancing competing interests of scarcity, time, costs, benefits, and incentives. Teachers use textbooks because of their efficacy in organizing and providing instructional material. (MJP)