Economics teachers at the secondary and postsecondary level are provided with an overview and general recommendations for effective use of games and simulations. Material is divided into two sections. In section 1, a description of card games, board games, activities, and puzzles is followed by a discussion of the advantages of each of these types…

A model that can be used to teach secondary students about economic disparity and its effect on the total economic welfare of the country is presented. The model has three phases. In the first phase of curriculum planning, students' needs are determined, goals and objectives are set, and content is selected. The second phase concerns teaching…

Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act provides local school districts with federal funds to meet the special needs of educationally deprived children in high poverty areas. Because federal regulations provide little guidance for allocating Chapter 1 resources within the districts, distribution formulas vary and so do the…

Noting that education is viewed as the route to success in American society, the paper argues that education has not lived up to this promise. Emphasis on conformity and regimentation, fostering of competition and exclusion behaviors, classism, racism, and a microfocal perspecitive of social problems serve as barriers to full realization of the…

Poverty prevalent in rural areas is associated with unequal representation in gifted programs. Some impediments to equal access include cultural prejudice, family distrust of schools, the stigma of academic success, inappropriate identification practices, and poor funding for rural programs. Five rural states have adopted measures to promote…

Discusses the state of education, social problems, and child welfare. Urges teachers to press government representatives to better the lives of children in the United States by allotting more funds for education, health care, and the fight against poverty. Argues that children need teachers who have faith and confidence in their students. (DK)

Social workers in rural midwestern areas such as Iowa must consider distinctive characteristics of the poor in those areas to help clients within the framework of family and community. Characteristics of rural poor include presence of father in family, residence in small towns with a single industry, presence of high numbers of female elderly,…

This paper addresses the myth of socioeconomic dissonance and its effects on the identification, assessment, placement, and instruction of African-American students with special needs. Socioeconomic status is seen to predetermine the academic success and survival of African-American students. The paper looks at the politics of "poverty,"…

From a sample of 6,000 pupils in a Tennessee school district, this study relates the variables of gender, social class, and number of parents in student households to achievement on a norm-referenced test. Charts presenting data findings comprise three-fourths of the document. Investigation was motivated by studies that connect student learning…

The four papers in this document are centered around several themes in education reform: (1) the need to reimagine and recreate strategies; (2) the need to approach familiar obstacles innovatively; (3) the need to utilize all available resources; and (4) and the need to engage in this work cooperatively and with courage and vision. In the first…