In Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning: What does the Research Say? Zins and his colleagues presented a new way to conceptualize the impact of social and emotional learning programs on students' school success by broadening the concept to include students' attitudes, behaviors, and performance. To build on Zins' ideas, we…

Charts trends in public opinion about the quality of education in public schools, the perception of educational leadership, and the "net support index" for spending to improve education. (SK)

Upon visiting her own elementary school, the author reflects on school life today as opposed to that of 30 years ago. In contrast to the author's experience of "playing dead" when performing on stage, these children celebrated life, an indication of a positive attitude lacked by the author. (Author/LHW)

Presented is the second phase of a program conducted by Brothers of the Sacred Heart in their five schools in Louisiana and Mississippi, designed to gain insight into the opinions of students, parents, and teachers. This phase surveys parent opinions. Phases one and three survey teacher and student opinions, respectively. (KC)

This paper is a keynote speech delivered at the National Symposium of Early Childhood Education) held by the Ministry of Education, December 16-19, 2004. In this paper, Jiang Jin first analyzed the difficulties and challenges that China faced in the development of early childhood education (ECE), including the partially dissolved ECE system,…

Describes 20 ways in which secondary schools can enhance their learning climates, using time and effort in a more businesslike, productive way to increase orderliness and predictability; improve recognition of the value of time; emphasize excellence; and create a sense of purpose, openness, and optimism regarding learning and living. (Author/PGD)

When the Rincon Valley School District realized that a sixth-grade teacher's lengthening absences were due to Acquired Immune Deficiency Disease, the district and the teacher chose to handle the case in the open. The experience with the school, students, families, and the community has been positive while providing a supportive environment for the…

Discusses the differences between institutionalized and personalized learning in adult education. Suggests that all human learning is a game and that personalized learning might lead to an improved normal society. (CH)

Discusses factors involved in the current West German crises of confidence in the value and relevance of higher education. The author suggests ways that staff development programs can contribute to the solution of these problems. (AM)

Schools seeking to sharpen their academic skills programs should consider defining their academic goals; organizing the school's resources and modifying the schedule, curricula, and instructional techniques to meet the goals; and developing an evaluation program that effectively measures progress toward the goals. (PGD)

Argues that quality children's literature depicting positive and negative aspects of school can be an important resource in helping children adjust to new experiences in the classroom. Contains a list of American books dealing with the school experience.(FL)

Describes a model for planned change in schools that proposes four phases of change: (1) institutional commitment; (2) alteration in policy and practices; (3) alteration in roles and actions of staff; and (4) student learning activities. (JOW)

After visiting an elementary school, a secondary teacher comments on the classroom organization, language arts activities, and school attitudes and values. (HOD)

The school as a social system is examined as it is and as it ought to be. The author argues for more concern with the process of being and becoming rather than with outcomes in the accumulation of knowledge. (JMF)

Notes that some children's literature echoes many criticisms of the U.S. educational system and presents school as a place to be avoided. Suggests that such books have a place at all levels of the curriculum, for young readers as well as would-be teachers, because such criticism is part of a dialectic that keeps organisms healthy. (RS)