Character education specialists seem to know it when they see it, but what it means to call something a character education program remains unclear. One possible source for this uncertainty is the manner in which character education has been defined. By identifying certain features as necessary, existing definitions fail to encompass the universe…

Provides the outdoor adventure educator with a working knowledge of self-esteem to inform practice and allow communication between practitioners. Discusses a practical model of self-esteem, methods of increasing global self-esteem, evidence that adventure increases self-esteem, and relevant guidelines for framing adventure activities. (SV)

School psychologists engaged in ecological assessment need to measure the degree to which children's behaviors fit the demands of the school environment. Although no standardized instruments serve that purpose, rating scales and simulation/role plays can be adapted to measure the person-environment (PE) fit. Although most behavior rating scales…

Discusses various issues related to gay and lesbian students and art education. These include the harassment, intimidation, and alienation experienced by gay and lesbian students. Briefly covers the creation of gay/lesbian teacher and student organizations and their attempts to address these problems. (MJP)

This fifth volume of a six-volume study of a school district code-named "Milford" sketches life histories and careers of the school's original faculty some 15 years after the school was founded. Section I outlines the study's problems and procedures; describes the faculty as a group of true believers initially characterized by humor, inexperience,…

Consistent in its approach to child development and caregiving concepts, this guide for parents and child caregivers explores aspects of family day care in five sections. Section I discusses the design of physically safe environments for children. Section II describes the developing likes and needs of infants, toddlers, preschool children, and…

The manual describes wellness as building a lifestyle based on a conscious commitment to accept responsibility for one's own health and for the way things turn out in one's life, and offers educators several inventory instruments for examining and changing their own lifestyle and the level of support for wellness in the school community. The…

Factors that govern effective student learning and ways to improve the learning environment are analyzed, with specific reference to England. In acknowledging the academic importance of motivation, maturity, and effective study methods, attention is directed to the way that these can be developed and encouraged within the present educational…

Maintains that today's students will be soon be functioning in leadership and service roles, making decisions that shape their personal lives and those of others in a world of rapid change and challenge. Discusses student empowerment and maintains that it should be construed as helping all students. (CFR)

This concept paper prepared for a conference on the theme of "2000 and Beyond: Preparing Quality Leaders for the Schools of Tomorrow," offers some suggestions for how future school leaders should prepare in order to develop pre- and in-service programs for current and future elementary and middle school principals. The paper offers a model of…

The purpose of this manual is to provide school-age child care center staff in Alabama with information about school-age children that facilitates program planning and provides a basis for implementing and evaluating a high quality school-age child care (SACC) program. Sections of the manual discuss: (1) teacher competencies addressed by the…

Explains nondirective or pupil-centered teaching, an alternative to traditional education in the Soviet Union. Uses Vygotsky's area of proximal development to envision teaching methods that anticipate and promote higher development levels. Stresses humanistic approach, involving students and responding to individual needs. Also proposes in-depth…

Provides an insightful examination of the school rituals, pressures, and socialization that contribute to the construction of a male gender identity. Includes a lengthy discussion by three male preservice teachers about their own experiences with socialization and gender identity. (MJP)

Each year more children come to school unprepared to relate appropriately to others and to contribute to a positive school climate. These children seem to have more problems and less ability to cope with the structural environment of the school. Educators tend to agree that many children lack the character traits necessary for healthy, positive…

Discusses the relationship between teaching women's history in the Netherlands (where it is a compulsory secondary education subject) and the self-concept of women students. Examines three levels of women's history content included in the curriculum. Includes verbatim responses to the course from women students. (MJP)