This paper discusses a series of questions that state policymakers can use to assess the systemic nature of their education reform efforts. Suggestions are offered for identifying the evidence of scope, coherence, and balance of reform. To assess the scope of reform, a first step is to determine if the performance-based standards provide the…

Independent schools have traditionally held the view that education must address the whole person, not only the intellectual, artistic, and physical dimensions of life but also the fourth dimension, the spiritual or religious dimension. The spiritual dimension has a place in school life, and character development or moral education is primarily…

Engineering is the science, art, and business of designing and getting things done; engineers are required to make things happen through interpersonal relationships. At Monash University (Australia), a new course, Management for Engineers, was set up in 1990 to encourage a more holistic approach to the process of engineering. The course included…

This book presents a case for the development of classrooms based on constructivist pedagogy, which seeks to: (1) pose problems of emerging relevance to learners; (2) structure learning around "big ideas" or primary concepts; (3) seek and value students' points of view; (4) adapt curriculum to address students' suppositions; and (5) assess student…

This book presents an analysis and critique of the historical context and forces that have shaped and still continue to influence contemporary mainstream American education. Its central argument is that the nation itself, not the schools, has entered into a decline, and that the education of youth for the sake of national economic superiority is a…

A holistic training program for rural teachers of mainstreamed special-needs students and other students at risk sought to improve teacher knowledge about and attitudes toward high-risk students. The graduate-level course was delivered in 6 full days of instruction and included components covering innovative instructional methods, abuse and…

A course was created at Pennsylvania State University to support graduate students in the field of education as they struggle with integrating the many fragmented perspectives developed over the course of graduate study into an integrative perspective that thoughtfully informs their qualitative dissertation research inquiry. The course presents…

A study used the Reading Retelling Profile to examine the effectiveness of the holistic instructional approach called "reading workshop," which involves increased time for sustained silent reading, authentic literature in the reading program, a choice of books to read, written response journals, group discussions, and a supportive…

Diverse philosophies are in evidence in teaching writing. Approaches used in teaching writing should assist students to achieve optimally as well as provide for individual differences, help them attain meaning and understanding of subject matter written, develop students' interest in communicating written content, establish purpose and reasons for…

Through cooperative education, not only do students gain exposure to instruction related to their vocational goal in the classroom and laboratory, but are also exposed to vocationally relevant instruction in the practical world of work. However, this combination of work and school can be very demanding and stressful, and students are often lacking…

The Feeling Words Curriculum, a curriculum that integrates the cognitive and affective domains in one course of study, is described in this paper. The opening sections explain how "feeling words," key vocabulary terms, are used to provide the missing link from one person's life to another's. Stressing the importance of helping students…

Ideas and suggestions are presented on how to develop student thinking skills in the performing arts. Performing arts include music, dance and movement, drama and theater. The examples of arts focusing on performance given in this monograph are intended to be merely representative, and teachers are encouraged to apply the concepts to their own…

This study identifies philosophical and instructional values implicit in the educational thought of Maria Montessori and compares those values with Shapiro's (1986, 1987) set of humanistic value principles. Shapiro's 16 value principles, which are derived from an analysis of 100 works of 89 well-known writers who have been publicly associated with…

Maurice Merleau-Ponty's philosophy offers an existential phenomenological interpretation of subjectivity and the shared world. He offers a perceptually based philosophy which can be mined for implications and interpretations for a new style of teaching relevant to the contemporary social and educational scene. This paper analyzes Merleau-Ponty's…

Conation is a domain of behavior or mental processes associated with goal directed action. Wholistic education stresses an integrated approach to an individual's learning process; thus, consideration of the integration of the four domains (cognitive, affective, psychomotor and conative) can find a receptive niche among educators who seek to…