Argues that the artists workshop, a parallel approach to readers-writers workshop, empowers children to express inner thoughts and feelings and helps students and teachers form a classroom community of learners. Describes routines of the workshop, the ways in which writing and literature connect to art, and the climate that encourages children to…

Discusses what multicultural empowerment means and why it should play a major role in educating middle-school students; how elements of multicultural empowerment can be incorporated into middle-school social studies; and how drama pedagogy can be used to integrate middle-school multicultural education and social studies, outlining a progression of…

A case study of health reform in British Columbia followed four health-planning groups' efforts to foster community participation by developing local community health plans. Findings from the case study can inform the theory and practice of community development. (JOW)

Parents must help their children understand the meaning of good decision making. Children who are accustomed to making all the decisions grow up with no understanding of legitimate authority. Understanding appropriate ways to handle issues of empowerment, authority, and age-appropriate decision making are relevant to children of all ages. A…

Advocates abolishing school custodians and training school students to clean up their own messes. Personal responsibility has two philosophical bases: pragmatism and "educational reconstructionism," holding that schools must not only transmit the culture, but transform it. Other countries, such as Japan, stress student maintenance of a…

Presents a new client-centered typology of the information professions with special emphasis given to the empowering professions, including librarianship, which enable clients to use knowledge to take control of their lives. Topics include increasing self-efficacy; reducing self-blame; developing group consciousness; and assuming responsibility…

Discusses ways to create partnerships between volunteers and child care programs. Focuses on recruitment and screening, empowering volunteers, and creating a positive climate by facilitating a team spirit. (KB)

Describes a teaching framework that allows instructors to become facilitators rather than the knowledge source; it also encourages social construction of knowledge and independence. Cites the seven stages of EMPOWER: elicit, monitor, pose, organize, web, engage, and reflect. Notes that these stages take students through a prereading strategy, a…

An expert panel and consensus workshops identified eight general hallmarks and 23 related indicators of person-centered approaches in planning and providing services and supports to individuals with mental retardation. The applicability of person-centered features and indicators to improving services and supports is discussed. (Contains…

This abstract describes a session that planned to feature participants of the International OAI (Open Archives Initiative) forums, discussing digital libraries and their role in knowledge dissemination and creation, global strategies for interoperability, author self-archiving issues, empowering users, and technology and user processes. (LRW)

Describes a planned session that addressed information policies in the global community that impact information professionals and users worldwide. Highlights include case studies, the European Union's Database Directive on anti-piracy, empowerment of disadvantaged communities, and the development of information policy in Israel. Presentations…

The success of empowerment in a European Union program to promote social inclusion through education, training, and employment was evaluated with responses from 104 participants. More than half said they acquired supportive relationships and confidence; many increased knowledge and skills. Ways to measure empowerment as a process were addressed.…

The National Writing Project's professional development approach reflects a shift from the tradition of theory dictating practice, maintaining that engaging teachers in teaching teachers empowers them to meet the challenges of increasing student diversity. By providing support in risk-free settings, teachers can collaborate as educational leaders,…

EDUFAIM (Educating Families to Achieve Independence in Montana) was designed to integrate state efforts to help welfare recipients attain self-sufficiency through education in nutrition, health, family development, resource management, and housing. Evaluation of 34 participants showed changes in locus of control, depression, anxiety, knowledge,…

Discusses creating an empowering multicultural curriculum, emphasizing that the curriculum a teacher teaches is as good as the teacher's understanding of what is being taught. Beliefs about what is worth teaching and about diverse people, society, students, and academic disciplines have much to do with the substance of the curriculum (SLD)