A student must learn to read music notation, develop eye-hand-mind coordination, develop keen listening skills, develop team skills for playing in an ensemble, and develop the discipline to practice in music education. This research aims to connect the current research on music education with the lack of exploration and knowledge to create a theme…

Over the past two decades, two heavily funded initiatives of the Federal government of Australia have been founded on two very different and seemingly conflicting (if not antithetical) visions of education. The first, the Australian Values Education Program (AVEP, 2003-2010) enshrines what may be called an 'embedded values' vision of education;…

This groundbreaking study is the first ever to examine the achievement of high-performing students over time "at the individual level". It poses--and seeks to answer--this straightforward question: Do students who outscore their peers on standardized achievement tests remain at the top of the pack year after year? Put differently, how many "high…

In her new book, Yvette Jackson shows educators how to focus on students' strengths to inspire learning and high intellectual performance. Jackson asserts that the myth that the route to increasing achievement by focusing on weaknesses (promoted by policies such as NCLB) has blinded us to the strengths and intellectual potential of urban…

Cosmopolitanism has recently received increased interest and representation in educational discourse and theory. Given the global and international emphases in cosmopolitanism, international schools might provide some clues and illustrations of cosmopolitanism influence in schooling. The way an international school articulates its purpose can…

This study on leadership for second order change and improved student achievement represents interview and observational research with 62 leaders at the district and school levels in 10 states. Seven consistent leader action themes emerged across all participants regardless of demographics of the school, demographics of the leader, or position…

Background: The international science competitions show that students from different countries perform differently in subjects such as mathematics, physics and chemistry. In the literature comparative empirical studies tried to address the reasons for cross-national students' differences in performance from different perspectives such as teaching…

In October 2010, the Council of the Great City Schools released a major report on the academic status of African American males, "A Call for Change: The Social and Educational Factors Contributing to the Outcomes of Black Males in Urban Schools." The report was the first phase of the Council's efforts to recommit the energies of the nation's urban…

In a national education climate where change is the only constant, Norman S. Weir Elementary School has maintained and expanded the reform efforts that have resulted in striking academic achievement and improved school climate. Despite changes in administration and staffing, a highly professional and committed staff has continued the…

This issue includes the following articles: "New Rule Increases Flexibility for Students with Disabilities," which discusses a new provision of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) that will give local school districts greater flexibility in meeting the Act's requirement for educating students with disabilities; "The Three R's for Success.…