A year-long qualitative study constructed a "thick" (rich, literal) description and interpretation of the social organization, interactions, and attitudes displayed within one self-contained second-grade classroom during its scholastic language arts activities and instruction to explain how a literacy learning environment can be seen as…

This publication outlines Oklahoma statewide standards and strategies for meeting the educational needs of American Indian students and assuring meaningful participation by Indian parents and communities. The Oklahoma State Department of Education believes that all students must be educated in school environments that fully include them. In an…

In higher education, there has been a return to the education of the student as the focal point instead of traditional research, with the emphasis on improving student learning by developing outcome goals and being able to assess them effectively. Some guidelines for a basic framework, such as those developed for a basic public speaking course at…

Racism has not been eradicated in U.S. schools, even though many educators do not view it as a major deterrent to the learning of minority students. Overt racism among students, racism demonstrated in the ignorance of teachers and administrators, and racism revealed in the internal struggles of students are common in today's schools. This book…

Designed for workshops or college courses focusing on professional development and inservice teacher training, this book presents over 200 reproducibles (including transparencies, brochures, and fact sheets) to help parents and administrators understand how reading and writing flourish in whole language classrooms. The book addresses the need to…

This ERIC Digest asserts that the Japanese education system is one of the most influential agents molding Japanese youth. This influence is especially great due to the large amount of time students spend in schools. Six topics examine aspects of daily high school life: (1) Getting to School; (2) At School; (3) Extracurricular Activities; (4)…

These conference proceedings are the result of a collaborative relationship between The University College of Swansea in Wales and the University of Wisconsin--La Crosse, which have been sister institutions for more than a decade. Education faculties from the two institutions shared knowledge about research and practices in education and…

The large difference in average achievement test scores between white students and black students is exacerbated in Pennsylvania by the fact that 90% of the black students are enrolled in only 9% of the state's 500 school districts. The nature of this achievement gap was examined, focusing on the variation of the gap's size as measured within a…

Student teachers, beginning teachers, and experienced teachers bring with them to the classroom a set of practical theories acquired from many experiences and influences. Because of their nature, practical theories are hard to change. Sets of more permanent practical theories can be considered practical paradigms; they are shared by the school…

The Wayson School Climate and Context Inventory (SCCI) was used in previously reported comparative studies of six good high schools in Tennessee and Kentucky (three in each state). This study added data for three similar high schools in North Carolina to bring the pool of data to nine schools, making possible the determination of similarities and…

Social, cultural, political, and organizational characteristics of urban schools that make them difficult settings for teachers are discussed. It is suggested that, while an emphasis on professional community would be beneficial for all students, it is particularly pressing for urban schools where other resources for school reform are limited.…

This is a report of a 6-month study of race relations in three public schools in the Saint Paul (Minnesota) metropolitan area. The study is intended to be the first phase of an attempt to improve intergroup relations and the social climate in Saint Paul, Roseville, and South St. Paul schools. Based on 154 interviews, 10 focus groups, and a written…

Much Catholic school and church rhetoric suggests that Catholic schools possess distinctive learning environments. However, little empirical evidence has been found to support this assertion. Research has been hampered by the lack of an appropriate assessment instrument. This paper describes the development of a seven-scale instrument to assess…

This guide introduces trainers, managers, and educators to a variety of new multimedia technologies now being used for presentation and training in business, military, and academic settings. The text describes advances in and implementation of technologies that range from wireless local area networks (LANs) and high definition television (HDTV) to…

Schools of choice are fast becoming part of the national debate on educational reform. This study, part of a larger study of schools and families, examined how the work context of teachers and opportunities for parent involvement differ under different choice arrangements, and investigated aspects of the sociobureaucratic context of teachers' work…