Private and personal literacy practices of reading and writing, which have typically been regarded as less important than the more visible and public literacies used by men, are important in the lives of women because they aid the development and empowerment of the self. Qualitative interviews were conducted with six women of diverse socioeconomic…

Drawing upon extensive theoretical knowledge and decades of empirical research, this book traces changes in the structure and content of self-representations from early childhood through late adolescence. Chapter 1 includes a discussion of the self as subject (I-self) and object (Me-self) and describes the historical roots of contemporary issues…

Recommends using learner-controlled instruction and student sketchbooks in the primary grades as a means of countering institutionalized and standardized expectations of young students' artwork. Maintains that, left to their own devices and gently encouraged, children will produce original, creative, and personal art. Describes examples from a…

Examines the relationship between handwriting and early drawing. Maintains that often the quality of line in drawing becomes more reserved as the acquisition of the skill of writing-as-script becomes more fluid and automatic. Includes exercises that illustrate this process and use handwriting to explore creativity. (MJP)

Encapsulates a series of verbatim statements made by young musicians about the joy music has brought to their lives. The musicians, all students at Black Mountain Middle School in San Diego, California, exhibit a wide range of responses discussing their commitment, hard work, and sense of accomplishment. (MJP)

Describes an eighth grade computer literacy course in which students used spreadsheet programs to illustrate statistics for classroom presentations. Discusses the use of color and animation in graphs, and the value of active participation using technology to increase student motivation, retention, and self-expression. (AEF)

Argues that a major factor for student dropouts is lack of self-esteem, and shows the therapeutic value of art activities. Describes a self-portrait lesson with 15- and 16-year-old juveniles in a detention center. Decries the lack of attention to art in the schools. Suggests allowing students to practice right-brain drawing can improve…

Discusses why art activities are an important part of a child's development. Cites reasons open-ended art activities have a place in early childhood programs, including: children love them; art materials provide hands-on, sensory experiences; art provides an outlet for the innate creativity of children, allowing them opportunities for unique…

Reviews two long-term case studies examining the art produced by two artistically gifted Down Syndrome patients. Their work shows a unique personal style characterized by flat, nonperspective compositions, canonical and mixed profile shapes, and symmetry. Both artists depict androgynous persons in their untutored drawings. Includes drawing samples…

Describes the implementation of a humanities program in the context of a developing Erdkinder program in a Montessori secondary school set on a farm. Describes the curricular approach for the developing Erdkinder learning community in the first 3 years. Discusses adolescents' need to dramatize, fictionalize, and role-play to connect with other…

This paper examines definitions of reflection and the concept of reflective teaching, and then documents attempts to implement a reflective approach taken by second-year undergraduate teaching students at the Australian Catholic University, Queensland Division. Sixteen students completed their first field experience, which included 12 half-day…

Third-grade students generally lack the social skills needed to resolve conflicts. This report describes a program for improving the social skills of third graders attending a middle-class suburban school. The researcher selected a resolution program which would address those problems outlined by a classroom teacher in an incident report, a…

The photographic narrative of O. Henry's classic short story, "The Gift of the Magi," is designed for use in teaching English as a Second Language. It is accompanied by an audiocassette recording (not included here). An introductory section offers teachers suggestions for classroom use of the materials. The story is told in a series of…

The Teachers and Writers Collaborative at Teachers College, Columbia University, was established in 1967 to involve teachers, children, and writers in the creation of an English curriculum stimulating to the students. Three interrelated programs were developed: (1) the presence of professional writers in the public school classrooms, (2)…

Guidelines for a program of instruction with individual teaching for retarded blind children are provided. Areas covered are living skills, handwork, learning through music, reading readiness, recognition of the braille alphabet, mathematics, science, social studies, self expression and creativity, recreation, and suggested poetry and songs. Five…