One essential fact emerges from these results: contrary to beliefs of proponents of the middle school, pupils in middle schools consistently indicated significantly lower self-perceptions than pupils in traditional settings. (Authors)

A system of categories organized along the three dimensions of behavior, location, and social setting, was developed and used to obtain recordings of the activity of pupils in open-area schools and traditional schools. (Author/JKS)

This review of four schools compares organizational properties to demonstrate that, while methods of control and instruction do vary, pupils are generally fitted to the tempo of the school rather than their own learning speed. (MB)

The 19th-century mutual education for boys and girls was introduced in Britain from France. It is discussed in the context of economic development, social divisions, and historical traditions. (ND)

Assesses the factors that universities need to consider when developing a strategic response to "borderless education," discusses certain instruments which may be used in strategic analysis, and considers some options in the areas of organizational structures, support infrastructure, personnel policy, and quality assurance. (EV)

Compares sixth-graders' math and reading achievement at year-round and traditional schools in the same (Ohio) school district. Uses a randomized, control-group, posttest-only method controlling for the effects of history maturation and pretesting. The statistical and practical results favor the alternative year-round calendar, particularly when…

Four responses to a paper on phonics and whole language approaches to reading instruction in fundamentalist Christian schools examine the home schooling perspective, complexities of different definitions, design of the original research, and need for continued dialog into the bigger picture of traditional education and its staying power in…

Although Jonathan Kozol is well-informed about choice program imperfections, schools of choice are superior to traditional schools. In places like East Harlem, school choice is helping transform youngsters from captive, disenfranchised malcontents to true students involved in their education. The challenge is to make every district school worthy…

Discusses how private schools differ from public schools, noting how private schools create meaning via cultural attributes and suggesting potential pitfalls in eschewing tradition in response to external pressures. Private schools must understand the balance between tradition and innovation to avoid losing their roots or becoming obsolete. (SM)

Researchers used the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to examine the prevalence of health risk behaviors of students attending an alternative high school (AHS) and students attending a regular high school (RHS). More AHS than RHS students engaged in health risk behaviors and initiated risk behaviors at younger ages. (SM)

Examines factors influencing choice of a new school, using data from a large-scale study in Wales. The "domino effect" sometimes covers three generations; decisions made today reflect, but are not identical to, past decisions. Simple reproduction cannot explain this diversity. Consumer nostalgia may lead schools to conservatism and…

Discusses one private school's adoption of a highly rigorous curriculum that emphasizes western civilization, shunning academic fads in favor of the classics. This course of western studies goes from 5th through 9th grade. The morally informed curriculum is guided by Christian faith and moral standards. In many cases, teachers develop their own…

Examined cross-sectional trends and contextual influences in the development of private speech among preschool children in Montessori and traditional classrooms. Found that diminished make-believe play, greater teacher direct involvement, and heightened time spent in transitions largely accounted for a lower incidence of private speech. (JS)