Two groups of children, 12 to 30 months (N=14) and 31 to 78 months (N=12), showing increased lead burden were compared to a sample matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status but evincing no increased lead burden. For the younger children, significant deficits in maternal IQ and quality of the caregiving environment were associated with…

A qualitative evaluation of the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA) as implemented in a Colorado public school system is presented. The evaluation relies heavily on perceptions of participating administrators, and is very positive. (JKS)

In the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Public Schools, thousands of gifted children are tackling challenging, real-world problems correlated with curricular expectations. This gifted program fuses three philosophies: multiple-intelligences theory, problem-centered learning, and a thoughtful atmosphere to foster critical and creative…

Discusses the false assumptions that indicate students are less intelligent than in the past. Topics include a historical perspective of college student problems; standards that kept all but the elite out of education; S.A.T. (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores; social influences; the complexity of today's economy; and the importance of reading.…

Examines the notion that heredity plays a powerful role in criminal behavior, including genetic evidence that can allow for antisocial behavior. Reviews suggestions for reversing rising crime rates in light of the hereditary connection, policy development, family cohesion, and child raising. (GR)

The eight articles of this special issue explore the retrenchment that has seriously constrained the education of African Americans in California, as in much of the nation. Economic downsizing, genetic theories of racial inferiority, and right-wing attitudes have contributed to undermining the political gains of the 1960s and 1970s. (SLD)

A study accessed the outcomes achieved by preschoolers with both severe mental retardation and autistic features who received intensive Lovass (O Ivar) behavioral treatment (n=11) and those who received minimal treatment (n=10). Results found that the intensively treated children obtained a higher mean IQ and evinced more expressive speech.…

Argues that meritocracy's erosion of democracy is well underway in this country. Focusing on "The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life" and "The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy," the essay examines the concept of the cognitive elite, explains how the new meritocracy arose, and…

This article argues that, if creativity is measured by outcomes, then basic forms of reasoning (deduction, induction, abduction, specialization/generalization, and elementary memory associations) can be considered mildly creative. The claim is backed by references to computer programs that have generated creative outcomes. Limitations of this…

Comparison of 27 school-aged impoverished children of mothers with mild mental retardation and 25 children of mothers without mental retardation found the children whose mothers had mental retardation had lower IQs, lower academic achievement, and more behavior problems. Boys were affected more severely than girls. Not one child with a mother who…

Eleven seventh-grade students with mild disabilities in a general language arts classroom participated in a study that examined the effects of an instructional approach based on Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Results found the students were more engaged in classroom activities and that eight of the students demonstrated more…

A 10-year longitudinal study investigated whether 37 children identified as academically gifted at preschool but who received no specific support would be identifiably different from their peers after 10 years of Finnish comprehensive school. The gifted group scored significantly higher than controls for final school grades and scholastic…

Aboriginal literacy programs in Canada are using literacy as a means of reclaiming Aboriginal languages and a positive cultural identity. The Rainbow/Holistic Approach to Aboriginal literacy uses seven ways of knowing, each corresponding to a color. The approach recognizes that spirit, heart, mind, and body equally contribute to a life of balance,…

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI) allows teachers to tap into the strengths of each student and to develop capabilities in novel ways. By weaving together technology, MI, and curriculum, the Hemenway public elementary school (Framingham, Massachusetts) helps students work in their own "magical learning environment" and accomplish the…

Examines the progress of problem-based learning in the University of Colorado (Denver)'s educational administration program, stressing the roles of multiple design innovations, multiple intelligences, and constructivist approaches. Program developers learned five major lessons: clarifying roles, linking assessments with standards, defining the…