Contemporary societies use schools and schooling to socialize their young and only by deliberate attention to the aesthetic quality of the experiences of learning will learning actually occur. Following the introductory chapter, chapter 2 describes how aesthetic quality in learning experience is dependent on establishing democratic social…

The concept of active learning is analyzed in terms of its place in the democratic school. Defined is the meaning of an effective democracy and active learning. The relationship of participation to democracy is analyzed in terms of effectiveness. Ownership and empowerment are the keys to participatory democracy. Several educators' philosophies are…

The booklet discusses the concept of moral education as both a complex and composite phenomenon and as an important aspect of the student's education in Catholic schools. The aim of the discussion reveals a universal expectation that the Catholic school will be and must be an instrument of moral education. Relying mostly upon Kohlberg's work in…

Outlines Bleich's theory of subjective criticism and traces its roots in the work of the psychoanalytic critic Norman N. Holland. Suggests that the subjective criticism approach to literature can help elicit student response in the classroom and initiate discussions of value questions which literature inevitably raises. (RBW)

The values that are the foundations of the democratic system should be defined, taught, learned, and then put into action in the classroom. The issues associated with teaching values are so complex and controversial that many schools avoid dealing with them. These issues include: (1) teaching about religion; (2) teaching about citizenship and…

Addresses the question of providing an adequate education about the meaning and purpose of human sexuality in a way that respects the primary role of parents, the natural innocence of each child, and the obligation of the church to teach in Christ's name. Proposes ten steps for establishing a creative educational partnership between the church,…

This paper argues that punishment and moral education are compatible; that punishment can assist moral education by providing the necessary pre-conditions for its success, and can on occasion actually teach the child morally relevant information. (Author/JDH)

As teachers, we want to motivate our students to learn during a unit and to continue learning about the topic after the unit ends. This article describes about a hundred methods we use to help motivate students to learn. The methods form 12 categories: (1) making content relevant to student values and goals; (2) helping students achieve their…

Discusses issues related to ethical instruction in relation to cultural pluralism. Asserts that increased understanding may serve to intensify differences and that toleration may slide into indifference. Provides a background for teaching about cultural differences and concludes that it is possible to be moral and multicultural at the same time.…

Addresses the problems of how moral character is developed and what moral character consists of. Emphasizes the development of democratic, ethical dispositions and focuses on two features of an educational environment that are especially important: respect for students as persons and the democratic organization of the groups in which the young…

Discusses the increasing need for inquiry and inductive-learning teaching techniques in the social studies. Encourages the use of values clarification, moral education techniques, and experiential learning to assist students in clarifying and constructing a positive belief system. Challenges social studies teachers to actively work toward…

Explains how Town Hall meetings with high school students and California legislators-- the LegiSchool Project--provided the kinds of experiences that enabled the author to examine three essential conditions of democratic citizenship: student interest, respect, and appreciation. Illuminates what these three conditions consist of and how many…

Contends that institutional education, concerned with standards and consistency of evaluation, should be balanced by the importance of raising awareness about environmental issues. Advocates experiential learning to give meaning to life which can help students adjust their behavior. Encourages teachers to model learning behavior with students,…

Advocates inclusion of moral issues as part of curriculum planning. Argues that children need encounters with moral issues as part of their schooling experiences. Presents four metacognitive strategies for promoting moral thinking about children's literature in language arts and beyond schooling. Includes recommendations for classroom…

Looks at the notion made popular in the 1960's by Paul Hirst and Richard Peters that knowledge is intrinsic to the educational enterprise. Suggests that the acquisition of knowledge remains the primary justification for educational experiences, and proposes a concept of knowledge as "rationality's database". (Contains 16 references.) (NB)