Provides a list of materials from the ERIC database, along with directions for obtaining these documents, that include both teaching materials and general background information on the Progressive Era; topics range from melodrama and women in the Progressive Era to the Muckrakers and the World War I draft. (CMK)

America's leading historian of education recounts a lifetime in the cause of responsible school reform. Diane Ravitch's blow-by-blow description of run-ins with Afrocentrist firebrand Leonard Jeffries, misguided feminists at the AAUW, the language sensitivity police, and others offers a fascinating perspective on how the education establishment…

Describing what cultural studies or what pedagogy is all about is very complex, because there are many contradictory perspectives and paradigms in both disciplines. There is no single object of study, no unified body of theory, no one-and-only methodology that defines cultural studies or pedagogy completely. In this article, the authors focus on…

This essay proposes instances of how Anglophone popular culture can offer a place for nurturing critical encounters in the context of learning English. It delineates the theoretical bases that reveal popular culture as a fundamental indicator of society and, using Anglophone movies and stories, analyzes the pedagogical possibilities for…

Adult illiteracy is a worldwide problem. Illiterate adults are the most difficult to teach and to reach because illiteracy is characterized by embarrassment and low self-esteem. Given that radio is heavily used by lower income and less educated people, literacy projects utilizing radio were attempted in 40 countries between 1960 and 1974. The main…

This project was commissioned to investigate ways in which schools can include the cultural activities and symbols of young people--musical interests in particular--in the design and implementation of a music curriculum. The resulting report is divided into three sections. First is a literature review that focuses on the musical interests of youth…

Popular culture genres of the mid-nineteenth century--the anti-slavery almanac, dime novel, panorama, and propaganda play--provide secondary school teachers with an historical medium to help students understand the conditions of slavery. Following an introduction to the uses of these genres in teaching, separate sections contain historical…

Because the field of popular music has produced rich resources of social commentary on women, it offers ample instructional materials for the critical examination of women's life styles in a pluralistic society. Additionally, by adding a "voice" to the traditional classroom content, this medium arouses student enthusiasm and interest which many…

Discusses the failure of Joe Bob Briggs' parody of "We Are the World" in terms of the development of the communal sense that creates a set of group norms, which in turn create "phantom constraints" of which the parody's author may not be aware.(NKA)

A study examined how the family structure has changed over time in contemporary realistic children's literature for middle readers. There is an ongoing debate in this country about what defines a family and whether it is in transformation or becoming extinct. Since 1960 there is evidence that the family structure has changed. The books selected in…

This series is designed and written for young readers, aged 9 and above. The volumes cover individuals that young readers want to know most about, including entertainers, athletes, writers, illustrators, cartoonists, and political leaders. Each issue contains numerous sketches arranged alphabetically. Each entry provides at least one picture of…

This document is the eighth volume of a series designed and written for the young reader aged 9 and above. It contains three issues and covers individuals whom young people want to know about most: entertainers, athletes, writers, illustrators, cartoonists, and political leaders. The publication was created to appeal to young readers in a format…

Changing economic realities, coupled with children's access to information about the adult world, have drastically changed the social construction of childhood. Noting that education takes place in a variety of social sites including but not limited to school, this book examines the influence of commercial concerns on this cultural pedagogy and…

Argues that the concerns and reactions of young girls to popular culture often are deemed superficial and irrelevant in social studies. Recalls an incident where a 13-year-old's journal entry regarding her fascination with horror films was poorly graded. Includes transcripts of the girl talking about films. (MJP)

Provides a succinct introduction to the history and classroom use of labor folk songs. Presents the lyrics to "John Henry,""Miner's Lifeguard," and "Talking Union," along with some background on each song. Includes a bibliography of books, articles, song collections, labor resources, organizations, and periodicals.…