The mother of an exceptionally gifted six-year-old boy describes her frustrating experiences attempting to obtain appropriate education for her son. Minnesota's failure to commit resources to support gifted students is criticized, and the boy's problems with self-esteem, a different learning style, and distractibility are examined. (JDD)

The personal perspectives and reflections of individuals with learning disabilities are presented, showing how these individuals were affected by educational and community systems and subsequently helped and/or hindered in their development. The observations provide insight into childhood influences, individual characteristics, and coping…

A pharmacist chronicles his 50 years in the study and practice of pharmacy, recounting significant events of the undergraduate and graduate experiences and the evolution of a career in the emerging field of biopharmaceutical research, clinical practice, and academic pharmacy. A 68-item bibliography is included. (MSE)

Presents and discusses the comments of graduate students in varied disciplines on their personal journeys through graduate school, as they work toward their professional goals as scholars. Key issues include the need to adapt to new values, confusion about mixed messages, need for support, and lack of knowledge about faculty life. Implications for…

The author's experiences as a non-Native student in a graduate program in Native studies are reflective of his experiences within Native communities. In this article, the author shares a story that speaks almost entirely about welcoming, acceptance, inclusion, and support. The author is a PhD candidate in the Department of Native Studies at Trent…

Each fall, thousands of high school graduates launch into the next phase of their academic careers: college. They arrive on campuses across the United States full of hope and optimism, trepidation and anxiety. All intensely feel both the eagerness to excel and the fear of failure. The author shares his experience of dealing with college first-year…

A teacher of gifted elementary school students reflects on her experiences using the Foxfire approach and on its value in involving students in experiential learning and facilitating higher level critical and creative thinking skills. Seven of her sixth grade students describe the projects they've completed over the years. (SV)

Four young men who had participated in the national competition of the Future Problem Solving (FPS) Program 10 years earlier offer reflections about their FPS experience. Their coach concludes that the program equips young people with the vision and skills needed to anticipate and solve problems and build better tomorrows. (JDD)

The author reminisces about his educational experience at a small school in Maine during the late 1930s, revealing the respect he extended toward his teachers, what it was like to grow up during this time period, and his feelings upon returning to the now vacant school. (LP)

In this article, the author talks about his experience in moving to Perspectives, a small charter school catering for grades 6-12 located near Chicago's Chinatown. He shares how he felt about transferring in the midst of his final year at elementary school. Compared to his old school, he learned some things that are different about Perspectives…

The themes of adult learning, cross-cultural learning, and transformative learning are common to many continuing educators working at universities across Canada. In this essay, I narrate my experiences as a mature, adult learner returning to university. Following a literature review and discussion of methodology, I begin this autobiographical…

Research shows that those who are incarcerated, as a whole, have come from difficult past environments. This leads to having a different way of learning than most others who have had successful educational experiences. Because of this, my research project focused on exploring storytelling/narrative, as a teaching strategy, and how it influences…

Portfolio assessment has become a standard mechanism for the evaluation of prior learning for experienced students. An informal survey of portfolio narratives receiving faculty approval for credit at various postsecondary institutions indicates a wide range of declarative, analytical, and interpretive assertions recognized as "learning" in these…

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…

Reviews literature on freewriting, personal writing, and the at-risk secondary student. Argues that personal writing, imaginative writing, and freewriting are vehicles for self-expression, discovery, and evaluation of at-risk students' lives. (RS)