This paper aims to inspire art educators to become advocates of change by dismantling oppressive structures and discriminatory practices that negatively impact the learning outcomes of students with dis/abilities in school. I reflect on my high school teaching experience in an inclusive art classroom in Ghana, where the curriculum, the human-built…

Current motivation theory and research face serious theoretical, methodological, and practical challenges. One central challenge is the fact that research has focused mainly on motivation for traditional achievement tasks such as graded assignments and normative educational trajectories. Arguably, current motivation theory and research may be…

Stanley Park High School, Carshalton, was designated a Building Schools for the Future "One School Pathfinder" in 2006 and charged with being innovative in all aspects of schooling. At a time of increasing compliance in schools, with an unwillingness to deviate from centrally controlled orthodoxy for fear of falling foul of…

Emphasizing the deficiencies of standardized assessments in measuring what counts for learners, the author highlights the complexity of assessment as well as the significance of the teacher-student relationship in learning.

If a district head or state superintendent wanted to intensify the focus of his curriculum on 21st century skills, he would do well to pay a visit to Tucson's Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD). There on the Arizona city's northeastern edge, educators and administrators have decided to go all in on 21st century skills, and in so doing have…

Along with the need to make their curriculum more comprehensive and reflective of the national and state standards, one school district also searched for ways to make students more passionate about learning science. As a result, they developed a new integrated science course that is centered around the environmental and Earth sciences with an…

This chapter discusses alternatives beyond traditional standardized tests or curriculum standards consisting of naive checklists of low-level facts and skills to operationally define educational goals in ways that provide direction for both instruction and accountability. Suggestions are drawn from physical and social sciences as well as from…

Needs assessment has been regarded as a critical stage in the curriculum development process. However, theoretical efforts aiming at proper formulation of this stage are disappointingly rare in the curriculum literature. This article is based on the recognition of this fact and proposes a multilevel conception of needs assessment in the curriculum…

This booklet describes a school district's evolution from a neatly compartmentalized language arts curriculum to a curriculum integrated around broad topics and themes of study. Sections of the booklet discuss the mounting tensions in the school district's language arts program; committee work that formed the foundation for change; the 5 target…

Describes a Saint Louis elementary school's successful application of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory. What began as a discussion of the nature of intelligence has resulted in a revised curriculum, varied instructional techniques, alternative assessment (using a combination of portfolios, progress reports, profiles, demonstrations…

Describes strategies for designing learning outcomes and performance assessments in religious instruction at Catholic schools. Discusses steps: developing a shared vision, establishing ground rules, defining outcomes and assessments, and designing outcomes and assessments for religion. Includes definitions of outcomes and performance assessments.…

At Mundelein (Illinois) High School, alternative assessments of student learning (portfolios, debates, learning logs, interviews, mock trials, and research reports) are replacing traditional testing practices. Alternative assessment bumped into everything else, necessitating changes in master scheduling, records management, curriculum, and teacher…

Parents and PTA members are actively involved at every level at the Applied Learning Academy in Fort Worth, Texas. This year-round public middle school is driven by applied learning. Parents are involved in school planning and design and actively participate in student assessments. (SM)

This new edition updates and expands the previous volume and continues to reflect the concepts and the reasons behind learning and behavior problems of low achieving and disadvantaged students. Through the chapters, the author describes instructional levels and independent levels, emphasizing that success is produced by finding the place on the…

Student diversity and inclusion presents a unique set of challenges to foreign language teachers. In fact, it has long been recognized that children with learning disabilities, especially those whose difficulties are language-based, will be challenged by foreign language education. Including children with disabilities in a foreign language class…