Opportunity to learn reflects the quality of resources, school conditions, and curriculum necessary to enable students to achieve. It has long been recognized that such opportunities differ significantly for low-income students compared to their middle-income peers and contribute powerfully to education inequities across our country. This article…

Researchers have found that middle school students undergo developmental changes that require unique educational structures and support. As a result, experts have suggested a number of specific strategies for organizing middle schools in order to best meet students' needs. This Information Capsule summarizes middle school redesign initiatives that…

This study examined the impact of a service-learning program on college students in an inclusive camp environment. Participants in the study completed a pre-post questionnaire to determine the impact of service-learning on the students' self concept, personal growth, and understanding of diversity as it relates to working with children with…

To succeed in college, career and life in the 21st century, students must be supported in mastering both content and skills. This Implementation Guide presents state leaders, policymakers and/or district and school leaders with assessment tactics and examples to assist in statewide 21st century skills initiatives. The Partnership for 21st Century…

At first glance, architectural design principles would seem to hold little in common with organizing a curriculum or a college student experience. What does designing physical space have to do with creating in-class and out-of-class learning opportunities? The authors believe the answer is "Quite a bit" if you spend any time with universal…

Describes a values education program developed in the city of Hamilton, Ontario. Advocates removing values education from the realm of the hidden curriculum as found in the traditional school model of knowledge of facts, mastery of technical skills, and awareness of attitudes. Emphasizes the importance of continual interaction between school and…

According to Wellesley A. Foshay, in order to achieve a humane curriculum subject matter and each experience must be responsive to the human condition in the context of all pedagogical intentions of the teacher. Six classes of experience--intellectual, emotional, social, physical, aesthetic, and spiritual--make up the human existence. Teachers may…

Each year staff members in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Division of School Improvement, conduct onsite visits to each of the most improved schools, K-12, as identified by the ABCs of Public Education. Using a structured-interview process, staff members talk with administrators and teachers to determine what strategies…

In recent years, political and social studies have been under revision in the individual states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Many states have issued framework guidelines for the various school branches and levels to provide teachers with orientation aids. Progressive educators see the goal of political and social studies as being more than…

This guide, in workbook format, is intended to assist staff at British residential colleges and schools in developing individualized programs to meet the learning needs of students with disabilities or other special learning needs. Emphasis is on integration of educational and residential programs in an extended curriculum involving continual…

Today is an opportune time for school administrators to exercise leadership in curriculum development for school achievement. Effective schools research has found a school's culture and its strategies and tactics to be foundational to an excellent school. These are explored in this article. (DCS)

In many school districts, student services and instructional programs designed to address youth risk behaviors have tended to operate in isolation due to their being organized around categorical funding and professional disciplines. The framework outlined here is a multistrategy approach which seeks to organize schools' efforts to address the…

Examines questions related to the identification of gifted children, and the special activities and accommodations that should be provided for them. Suggests that young gifted children have advanced understanding and/or performance in a variety of areas, which requires the development of a challenging curriculum and appropriate educational…

Three papers by the same author address: (1) educational methods for gifted children in the regular classroom; (2) principles of enriching the gifted child's development in the home; and (3) modifying lessons to optimally challenge gifted students. The first paper is titled, "Classrooms with Growing Room." It stresses the need for gifted children…

Defines multicultural education and its goals. Matches multicultural learning options with related areas of the affective and cognitive instructional environment. Identifies educational structures and processes that need modification in order to achieve the goals of multicultural education (e.g., institutional philosophy/norms; staff…