This article describes a pilot program, initiated in 1999 by Smoky Hill High School in Colorado, to help gifted students overcome barriers to their success. The program addresses issues in all components or subsystems of a person's life: emotional/psychological, mental/intellectual, physical, spiritual, social, and family. Tips for parents are…

Dichotomy between students' attitudes and their actions is highlighted in data collected by Cooperative Institutional Research Program that shows students' interest in keeping up with politics is declining just as their participation in volunteerism is rising. Author interviews Paul Rogat Loeb, author of "Soul of the Citizen," about potential…

Describes a course aimed at developing library self-reliance in students that was offered through a predominantly Black outreach program at Evergreen State College. Highlights include the classroom environment and course content, which were constructed collaboratively by students and librarians, and guidelines for similar courses. (CLB)

Eight percent of the population of the People's Republic of China is comprised of ethnic minority people, people with cultures (particularly languages and religions) that are distinct from the majority (or Han) Chinese. Ethnic students in China and elsewhere face considerable obstacles to getting a good education. A tiny percentage of Chinese…

An approach to assessment is described that allows students to understand and help decide the criteria for good work. It is called "negotiable contracting." Negotiable contracting consists of giving students shared ownership in their own learning. The teacher serves as a facilitator of discussion of the assessment process. Students and the…

This ethnographic study was conducted to study students', administrators', and teachers' perceptions of and experiences at a Business Technology and Communications magnet high school in a large urban district that has been under court-ordered desegregation since 1985. Triangulation of data collection included classroom observations over 20 weeks,…

The United States today is a pluralistic society, and a multicultural curriculum is a necessary component of the overall school curriculum. Multicultural education should address the culturally and the linguistically diverse student. This paper considers problems with and strategies for incorporating multicultural curricula into the classroom, and…

This paper argues that service learning and learning communities can be key to student retention. Anderson (1998) argues that service learning reflects the belief that education should develop social responsibility and prepare students to be involved citizens in democratic life. Service learning blends service activities with the academic…

This paper reports research into the effectiveness of cooperative social support groups as a means of empowering students to solve their own personal and social problems. A descriptive study using ethnographic techniques was used in the natural setting of one fifth-grade elementary school classroom. Theoretical framework involves the…

Seventh grade students in three schools in different communities in the Midwest were described by parents and teachers as not exhibiting acceptable responsibility for their own learning and not showing respect or ownership for their learning environments. This paper describes a program designed for improving these students' responsibility for…

Undergraduate and graduate training programs in the helping professions are important sites for professional acculturation of students, reflecting a powerful political process. By giving voice to students' narratives, faculty validate students' cultural perspectives and encourage them to question and challenge professional practices of the…

The introduction of citizenship education as a key cross-curricular focus in Scottish national education guidelines is discussed in relation to New Labor's "Third Way" politics. Data from ongoing qualitative research in 10 Scottish schools provide evidence of pupil and staff participation in school decision-making processes as well as…

Presents four lessons based on three paintings and one woodcut by women artists. Contends that the lessons provide visual imagery that will challenge the imagination of female students and enhance their self-esteem. Includes full-page color reproductions of the art works, student objectives, and instructional strategies. (CFR)

Describes a college service-learning project addressing a crucial need for school-age child care within the community. While creating and implementing the after-school program, students took responsibility for their decisions, cooperated to solve problems and delegate tasks, and developed leadership and self-efficacy. The result was student…

Acknowledges that children with special needs flourish and benefit from early-childhood environments that empower learning. Discusses center learning, which allows children to be actively engaged in self-directed learning based on strength, ability, and interest. Suggests that center learning can enhance aspects related to emergent literacy…