Argues that effective history instruction requires students to think about content rather than merely reproduce it. Contends that this can be achieved best through peer interaction based on student research papers that require students to state opinions or positions. Provides an assignment example and a evaluation handout. (CFR)

A peer nomination assessment of 5 domains of children's competence was administered to 1,249 elementary school students. Factor analysis revealed two positive and two negative factors. Results indicate the structure of peer's perceptions of children's competence, and justify use of the measure to complement other methods of evaluation. (SLD)

Interpersonal and intrapersonal risk for substance use were investigated for 1,170 Caucasian and Hispanic American sixth and seventh graders, equally divided by gender. Mean use levels did not differ for ethnic groups. Across both gender and ethnicity, susceptibility to peer pressure and peer alcohol use were the best predictors of substance use.…

Researchers studied elementary teachers and students from bilingual Spanish/English classrooms, examining successful literacy practices for incorporation into bilingual teacher education programs. The paper investigates the impact of talking about literacy, learning about the code and other skills, writing/reading and meaning making, the social…

Reviews the educational system and developments in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union since World War II. Contends that reforms that brought intellectual freedom and pluralistic thinking have led to demands for autonomy from government control. Concludes that education is still linked to socio-economic, cultural, and political struggles…

Reports on a study of 77 journal articles to determine whether common characteristics of effective elementary social studies instruction could be discerned. Concludes that many of these instructional methods are not supported by research on effective instruction. (CFR)

A college teacher can anticipate discomfort when topics such as human sexuality are in the course syllabus and can take creative steps to promote open and civil discourse. One teacher's experiences have resulted in incorporation of a sensitive-issues statement in the course syllabus, advance preparation for special events and visitors, and…

Interviews with 39 rural North Carolina students with, or at risk for, behavioral disorders found that they responded to social isolation by creating their own school subculture that reinforced their marginalization and negatively affected academic competence. Educators must consider the relationship between social interaction and learning.…

Provides marriage and family therapists with an overview of issues related to the treatment of clients of American-Indian descent. Discusses a rationale for studying the American-Indian population, presents concerns that therapists are likely to encounter, and identifies considerations when engaging in a therapeutic relationship with an…

Examined contributions of different risk factors to predicting children's psychological and academic outcomes at end of first grade. Found that each analysis level contributed to prediction of most outcomes; 18 to 29% of outcome variance was predicted; a common set of predictors predicted numerous outcomes; ethnicity showed little unique…

Discusses Art Costa's 14 Intelligent Behavior Characteristics and gives examples of picture books that apply to each characteristic, including persistence, decreasing impulsivity, listening, cooperative thinking, flexibility, metacognition, accuracy and precision, sense of humor, questioning, using past knowledge, risk taking, using all senses,…

For urban schools, concerns over curriculum standards come second. First must come a plan to stop teaching values that reinforce a curriculum for unemployment. This paper presents three methods to counteract the impact of anti-work curricula: teacher development, student development (via a school-to-work curriculum), and shaping a curriculum that…

Investigates which students most benefit from electronically assisted instruction by looking at how students choose to learn when given a variety of traditional and electronic options in an Introductory Psychology course. Finds that young, White males and Native American students were more likely to choose the electronic options. Contains 15…

A survey of 188 general education teachers' attitudes toward including students with disabilities identified hostility/receptivity and anxiety/calmness dimensions. Teacher attributes and beliefs, student characteristics, and school climate were related to both dimensions. Receptivity toward inclusion was associated with higher teacher efficacy,…

In a longitudinal study of the effects of early childhood maltreatment, 92 adolescent parents were studied. Variables of preschool and school-age physical abuse, neglect, low self-esteem, sexual abuse, high school dropout, assaultive behavior, and drug use were examined in relationship to teenage parenthood. Implications of findings are discussed.…