When teachers prepare their own curriculum outlines, crucial issues come to the surface, promoting examination of what teachers believe about themselves, about children, and about teaching. (Author/MLF)

Via an imaginary job interview between John Dewey and a curriculum administrator seeking an ideal citizenship education coordinator, this article defines good citizenship as steadfast pursuit of the public interest, not the interests of power wielders fostering uncritical patriotism. Curricula should encourage student responsibility and focus on…

Individualization of instruction represents a conscious effort to reach desired goals for students. (Author/MLF)

A flexible approach to curriculum development begins with staff development, uses curriculum mapping, and results in a loose-leaf notebook useful to teachers. (Author)

Presents some ideas about concept learning and teaching strategies through which the learner can be guided. Characteristics of curriculum materials that promote concept development are discussed. (Author/MLF)

The problem of undefined content in career/consumer/economic education is not new. A way to sort out the relationships is to identify important concepts in each area. (Author/MLF)

Walla Walla Schools (Washington) designed a demonstration project using the Marzano thinking skills model, which emphasizes learning preparation, content thinking, and basic reasoning skills. Placing selected thinking skills within specific curriculum areas and grade levels proved so successful that teachers then collaborated on a content-free…

To improve basic skills in a New Jersey school district, Outcome-Based Education was introduced. Six years later, students' basic skills scores have risen above the national norms. (MD)

Citizenship education remains the central focus of the social studies curriculum. A number of organizations are taking steps to promote social studies in elementary and secondary education and to increase its global content. (MLF)

Provides ways for teachers to make ninth-grade general mathematics courses more pleasant and productive. (MD)

John Goodlad suggests that individual schools should be encouraged to establish their own priorities for improvement and should be supported by their districts and by networks of schools with similar concerns. He further suggests that subject area teaching should concentrate on broad concepts rather than on unlimited, discrete topics. (PGD)

The crucial objective of the transitional curriculum is to make only a small intended change at a time, uncomplicated by other considerations. To illustrate, an elementary science curriculum is presented that features an inquiry approach with the pupils handling materials. (Author/MLF)

Energy education is being added to the curriculum in many schools. Although not well defined, it is a growing and important area, and good materials are available. (Author/JM)

Across the country the arts are blending into other parts of the curriculum, as well as being valued on their own, with help from government, foundations, corporations, and community art enthusiasts. (Author)

Overviews a section in the same "Educational Leadership" issue on improving teaching productivity. Highlights Harold Stevenson's article comparing mathematics education in the U.S., China, and Japan and Bruce Joyce's summary and analysis of the research literature on effective instructional strategies. (MLH)