This article emphasizes the importance of understanding local contexts to provide appropriate education for teachers about literacy instruction. The author reviews general problems that follow from extrapolating from unrepresentative research samples and the errors and deficit conceptions that follow from assuming that all cognition takes place…

In this article, the author relates his experiences preparing Mexican teachers wishing to enter bilingual classrooms in Texas. The author, who was about to teach U.S. history, envisioned to teach his class with Howard Zinn's "A People's History." However, during his briefing, he was instructed by his program director to use a book called…

This article rescues a series of texts produced by schoolteachers between 1820 and 1890 in order to comply with the ruling educational authority's request for the elaboration of reports on their institutions. These documents are located in the General Public Instruction collection of the Archivo Historico del Distrito Federal. The schoolteachers'…

Studies have shown that the amount of time students spend engaged in learning tasks is related to learning outcomes. However, schools often offer to the students only a fraction of the time that governments pay for, and schools in lower-income areas often offer less time than governments plan for students. Instructional time ought to be an…

Describes three innovative courses, focused on Mexican cultural performances, developed to help raise college students' knowledge and understanding of other cultures and help students gain critical insights into their own cultures and themselves through comparative reflection. Student assessments suggested that students had positive reactions to…

Critiques an article that examined the teaching of anthropology through intercultural performance in college classrooms, noting the benefits of this creative alternative approach to teaching and reflection and highlighting potential dangers in intercultural performance (e.g., promoting cultural stereotypes). (SM)

This essay presents background information and suggests teaching stragegies to aid community and junior college classroom teachers of history and civilization as they develop and implement educational programs on Latin American music. It is based on the premise that Latin American music can best be understood as a reflection of other historical…

Suggests need to relate national foreign-language standards to students' and teacher lives. Concept of teacher as learner is developed within study-abroad context, and outcomes of this experience consistent with goals of standards are described. Specific changes in teaching practice are discussed that occurred as result of one teacher's…