From 1923 to 1938, the International Institute of Teachers College, Columbia University, actively exported American democratic education abroad via direct faculty participation in the reform of foreign educational systems and the professional training of foreign students and educational leaders. The institute contributed to the development of…

Change over three years in the competence beliefs and subjective task values in the domains of reading, mathematics, instrumental music, and sports was studied with approximately 615 predominantly white, middle-class elementary school children. There was moderate to strong stability in their beliefs. Exceptions and gender differences are…

The Constitutional Rights Foundation works to determine how service learning can best educate youth for active citizenship. This article traces the evolution of the group's thinking about service learning and citizenship education, and describes their civic participation framework, programs, and program components. (SM)

Discusses how the different conceptions of a "private world" between native English speakers and native Chinese speakers can result in misunderstandings. The study examines the semantic structures of two Chinese categories, "si" (i.e., private, selfish, illegal) and "gong" (i.e., public, unselfish, official). Results…

Analyzes the social and historical reasons for the pervasive resistance among foreign language teachers in three countries to go beyond linguistic training and the anecdotal transmission of cultural facts. The article sketches the principles of a discourse-based pedagogy that views culture as language and language as culture. (36 references)…

Discusses the appropriate bases for using instructional materials for English-as-a-Second-Language classes and points to student writing as a previously overlooked source for teaching materials. The article emphasizes the importance of handling legal and ethical issues properly when using student materials and lists guidelines for editing the…

This keynote address at the 1995 International Division for Early Childhood Conference on Children with Special Needs focuses on the need for early childhood education and society in general to: embrace principles of diversity, put into practice what has been learned from research, foster family-focused programs, encourage inclusiveness in…

Describes the License to Lead program which is designed to increase adolescents' understanding of the ethical decision-making process and how to apply it to daily situations. Proposes that it provides an excellent opportunity for parents, schools, and community organizations to help their young people develop the attributes needed to become better…

Discusses the social construction of adoptive parenting and adopted children as reflected in clinical and adoption triangle research. Although clinicians view adoptive families as second best to biologically related families, a random sample of 150 respondents did not differentiate between the functioning of adoptive and biologically related…

Pays tribute to older women teachers who have survived and thrived over the years as elementary and secondary school teachers. Describes the qualities that have served them well, such as scheduling, attention to detail, commitment, and ability to cope with change. (TB)

Despite the rosy image projected by child-centered reformers, zealots and profiteers are really driving the charter school movement. Charter schools cannot flourish without drastic wage reductions or huge spending increases, nor will they benefit America's poorest children. The market, which has already destroyed kids' neighborhoods and parents'…

A 6-step assessment-based process allows teachers to gather information to make better decisions about curriculum adjustments, program planning, and supporting student needs. Steps include identifying the purpose of the decision, identifying necessary questions, deciding the type of information needed to answer the questions, and determining how…

Presents a comparative study of extra-musical learning in school music classes in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Argues that despite different approaches to western-based musical knowledge in schools, Hong Kong and Taiwan promote a sense of national identity and Confucian moral vales as a central goal of school music education. (CAJ)

The nature of education is to learn to think. Thinking demands the weighing of argument, analyzing and evaluating logic, and judging conclusions. These are God given tools to wrestle with big questions of life. A tolerant, pluralistic, truly democratic school system will create respectful, open forums in the classrooms for the worldviews of…

Investigated Hispanic, black, and white women's conceptions of beauty and perceptions of cultural standards of beauty, noting whether they were engaged in similar social comparison processes (denial of personal disadvantage). Surveys of female college students highlighted major differences in the women's relationships with their bodies and their…