The author believes that pious rhetoric (placing the blame for all problems on public education) must stop, and that we must all pull together in supporting public education. He identifies nine areas of need in public education which, if recognized and addressed, will prevent the depletion of our human resources. (KC)

Discussed are the evolution and problems of the middle school movement. It is suggested that perhaps the middle school is helping to identify what is desirable for all levels of education and the only real difference between levels is the student. (Author/KC)

The author warns that the principles of ecology should not be confused with, nor substituted for, the natural environment. He says that general principles provide a conceptual framework with which to formulate questions; the same principles also limit the questions that can be formulated. (Author/KC)

In this paper the author shares his concerns about minimal competency testing, fearing that the minimum may become the maximum. He discusses this fear based on examples from the English curriculum--Language, Writing, and Literature. (KC)

The author suggests that teaching the skill of writing should be on a school-wide basis. Listed are annotated resources which reflect practical ideas for teaching writing beyond the English classroom. (KC)

A random sample of secondary teachers and administrators were asked to express, on a Likert scale, agreement or disagreement with 20 possible reforms in secondary education. The two groups differed significantly on these issues: community and student involvement in school governance, minimum competencies, student job placement services, and…

Analyzes the attitudes towards vocational education, and how society defines what roles and conditions are prized.'' (Author/SP)

This paper establishes a set of criteria which can be used by a curriculum specialist for accepting or modifying a client's goals, and discusses the possible justification of attempting to replace a client's goals with one's own. (Author/KC)

The authors review some of the literature which discusses the controversy over the value of homework and then offer 11 prescriptions for teachers to follow when making homework assignments. They suggest the need for additional research into the learning processes in children. (KC)

Using comments from students in his high school class, the author illustrates how both home and school can contribute to a child's academic failure and how negative reactions from parents and teachers can lead a child to fear failure rather than cope with it. (SJL)

Describes a method of teaching literature to high school students that employs an opinionnaire that students use to respond to a literary work prior to discussion. Relates personal successful uses of this method. (HB)

The author attempts to clarify the difference between punishment and negative reinforcement and suggests that negative reinforcement should be used only as a last resort as a disciplinary tool. (KC)

The author discusses the utilization of small group teaching strategies which offer a unique opportunity to sensitize students to group skills. He believes that small groups provide an environment where the maximum number of students can learn through practice. (Author/KC)

Appalachians are not necessarily culturally deprived. Rather, they have a culture of their own--different from the mythical middle-America culture. This culture must be understood by teachers working with the "ghetto hillbilly" in order to respond to the needs of an individual child in a society within a society. (Author/KC)