Connecting schools and students to community members is a mutually beneficial effort that can transform education and society. In this article, Josh Schachter, founder of CommunityShare--an innovative nonprofit initiative that catalyzes real-world learning experiences by connecting teachers and students with the wisdom, skills, and lived…

Amaya Garcia of New America talks with Kappan about grow-your-own programs, in which school districts partner with teacher preparation programs to recruit and prepare community members, often current students or school staff, to teach in local schools. A recent 50-state scan shows that there is a great deal of variety in how these programs are…

There are many key players in a functional school-university partnership. The purpose of this article is to provide insight into the establishment of roles within a school-university partnership charged with creating educational reform. Specific details are provided about three key change agents (the Wizard, the Warrior, and the Wagoner) who…

This paper reflects on experiences of working with schools in urban contexts as they have attempted to improve the quality of learning. Set within the context of the English education system during a period of intense national pressure to "raise standards", these experiences have been focused around issues of performance and leadership…

States that the effectiveness of the North Central Association's Commission on Institutions of Higher Education annual meeting programs and this issue of the NCA Quarterly testify to the need for collaborative efforts. Outlines three ways to make educational partnerships successful. Asserts that collaboration depends on sharing recommendations,…

Reviews advantages and disadvantages of four extension delivery methods: partnerships, master volunteer programs, information centers, and regional programs. Concluded that the key is matching individual, community, and emerging needs with the right method. (SK)

Discusses the importance of Head Start programs understanding the changing profile of today's family and meeting the subsequent demands for more services. Points out that Head Start agencies around the country have already formed partnerships to deal with diverse issues such as child abuse, incarcerated parents, and preventive mental health.…

Although a vibrant literature on the social justice advantages of writing service-learning programs has existed for many years, the focus has tended to be on specific projects and courses, often accompanied by an understandable suspicion that entrenched institutions like universities have interests inimical to radical social change. As a result,…

Retaining the professionalism of experienced teachers is important at a time when changing curricula require the integration of new subject knowledge. Through evaluation of Higher Still Physical Education in Scotland, Thorburn and Collins analysed the different ways in which experienced teachers implemented a challenging new curriculum. Only…

This article examines education reform in America, focusing on charter schools. It outlines the current issues in the educational system and details some of the problems that have been identified in recent years, such as lagging test scores. Some of the other difficulties that schools face include discipline problems, wasteful federal…

Discusses the service learning program developed by Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI) that strives to provide opportunities for TVI students to immerse themselves in the middle school world and provide mentorships and learning opportunities for fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Also reports on the planning and…

Interventions at the early childhood stage will reap rich rewards in terms of preparing children for schooling and for life, and early childhood development (ECD) programs provide valuable pointers to the way schooling can be improved. ECD is concerned with learning, and is not a peripheral strategy, but the foundation of and an essential part of…

Educational needs and economic pressures are creating opportunities for colleges and universities to enter into partnerships with business. Through such partnerships, colleges can experience growth, corporations can improve efficient use of training and education dollars, and corporate employees can have a broader, more efficient learning…

This article describes a three-year collaborative affiliation between the Baltimore Theatre Project and the Department of Theatre at Towson State University (Maryland). It discusses initial encounters and connections, reasons for collaboration, difficulties finding and using time, successes, difficulties, and the effects of collaboration. (JB)

Reports on Miami-Dade Community College's experience with service learning and the "America Reads" program, which have proven to be effective and important ways to help fulfill higher education's commitment to community building, scholarship, and civic responsibility. Outlines some of the keys to success in building a successful service…