Presents an excerpt from and a review of Theodore Sizer's "Horace's School: Redesigning the American High School," which shows educators that coalition principles and coalition schools are possible. The excerpt explores the importance of engaging students in using their minds and doing the work themselves. (SM)

Compares school, classroom, and student level data for matched pairs of high- and low-achieving rural schools and matched pairs of urban schools. Finds that organizational and interpersonal processes sustaining effective schools vary by rural/urban context. Includes three longitudinal case studies of rural schools. Contains 26 references. (SV)

Presents results of a survey of high school history teachers which shows that advanced placement teachers are more likely to have a master's degree. Reports that such teachers are more academically demanding than general enrollment history teachers. Emphasizes the importance of adequate history preparation in teacher accreditation programs. (DK)

Describes an effective dropout prevention program at an Orlando, Florida, middle school. Staff identified 90 at-risk seventh graders, assigning 45 to 3 seventh-grade teaching teams and the remaining 45 to an experimental student team (the Dragons) promising to deliver a traditional curriculum in a nontraditional, nonremedial way. Shadow study of…

Emotional issues impacting the lives of gifted students are discussed, including peer pressure, competition, perfectionism, independence, expectations of self or others, and economic disadvantage. Teaching suggestions and poems by gifted students are provided. (DB)

Describes novice biology teachers' strategies to exert sociolinguistic control over conversations when teaching unfamiliar science content; illustrates discourse control strategies used in one teacher's lessons. Findings suggest that teacher knowledge influences how teachers begin instruction, structure turns at talk, question students, evaluate…

Using Halpern's 1997 psychosocial model of cognitive development, this article evaluates and extends the literature demonstrating that gender differences on standardized tests of quantitative reasoning may reflect underlying differences in cognitive processing that may be explained in part by socialization patterns inherent in American culture.…

Explores two contrasting educational perspectives of high school students with significant disabilities and mental retardation, providing examples from qualitative data on educators' competence- and deficit-oriented perspectives and on students' academic engagement. Competence-oriented teachers believed in and expected more from the students.…

The National Association of Secondary School Principals and the American School Counselor Association concur that a school-counseling program's success requires capitalizing on counselors' training, expertise, and ability to deliver a program that contributes significantly to the school's mission and supports expectations of new standards and…

Appalled by his junior-high students' low morale and underachievement, a spiritually grounded African-American teacher realized that self-worth and achievement must grow together. He attacked problem attitudes affectively by building students' self-esteem and cognitively by building their linguistic skills. He raised performance expectations and…

The impact of ability grouping on the lives of school children (N=1922) is examined. Its roots in the history of education and the rationale for tracking are reviewed. Adverse effects of various practices associated with tracking are reported, and a reconsideration of tracking policies is encouraged. (EMK)

Reports on a study comparing attitudes of Russian and Estonian students at Estonia's Tartu University. The study documented the students expectations of future success and stability for upcoming stages of their life. Correlates these attitudes with the personal and demographic information provided by the students. (MJP)

According to the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1997), education of disabled children should produce outcomes akin to those expected of "regular" students, and disabled students should be educated with other kids. Implementing inclusive programs will require visionary leadership, educator collaboration,…

A principal intern enrolled at UNC-Charlotte describes "life in the trenches" at a small-town middle school. Schools should integrate interns into school operations, develop a program vision, gradually increase the intern's responsibilities, provide time for continuous evaluation, and rely on university supervisors when problems arise.…

Homework is a battleground for many families. Increasingly, parents are asking their school boards to reconsider the amounts of homework assigned, and administrators are questioning homework quality. A New Jersey district has imposed strict limitations, allowing students more downtime and reading/informal learning opportunities. (MLH)