There is an evolving paradigm shift in the field of rural education away from emulating urban schools and toward a pedagogy of place. This shift is influenced by the following trends: 1) the rediscovery of the unique features of rural and small schools as strengths to be nurtured, not problems to be solved; 2) the recognition that centralized,…

A detailed report of a demonstration and research project that has established a unified preschool-elementary-day care complex in one setting. (CS)

Community education, a process-oriented, community-based concept, should help bridge the gap between the school and the community. The linkage should prove that the schools belong to the people and that community resources need to be harnessed to serve the educational, social, and recreational needs of the people. Community education makes full…

Black English is adequate for speakers within the black community: adding a second dialect, standard English, opens new roles with the larger society. The teacher can encourage or discourage such change depending on his relations with students and the community. (JM)

Based on experience in developing an information referral and data management system for tenants' rights organizations, suggests ways in which academic communities can redress inequities in the availability of politically useful information by making it more accessible to organizations serving working and lower class populations. (Author/GC)

In the University of Toledo/Springfield Local Schools Project, school districts, community councils, and teacher education institutions collaborated to assess school improvement needs and design personnel development programs. Results of this Teacher Corps program are described. (PP)

Professional literature about managing conflicts associated with declining enrollments indicates the existing tension in this area. A research study shows that, while upper-middle class districts may succeed using a rational approach to decision making, lower class districts, for various reasons, may not. Special problems of urban districts are…

Describes the benefits of community-based career education and offers suggestions on setting up a program. Discusses locating and recruiting community resources, placement of students in the community site, follow-up interviews and other liaison activities which help students apply academic knowledge, test the feasibility of plans and develop…

A neighborhood vacant lot can be a vehicle for teaching children about architecture and community planning. A Portland, Oregon, teacher explains how studying the lot can involve exploring neighborhood history, gathering data on local needs, and designing an appropriate building. (PP)

School administrators can make changes in schools that will help students learn more effectively. Among these changes are improvements in landscaping, teaching spaces, and storage space. In addition, provisions for a community lounge and spaces for volunteers and the custodial crew will increase the quality of the school environment. (MLF)

Presents the social indicators approach (which infers needs from currently existing descriptive data) and the key informants technique (which secures information from individuals with insight into community needs) as alternatives to the community needs assessment survey. Considers both approaches more cost-effective and successful for diagnosing…

Outlines specific counselor roles and functions considered critical for improving the quality of education for Black children. Considers important counselor functions related to the concerns of school personnel and the educational interests of the Black community. Presents a model for school counseling curriculum development. (RC)

In this series of six articles, authors discuss training part-time technical teachers who have no teaching background, substitute teachers, obtaining up-to-date equipment at no cost, volunteer programs, keeping in touch with the community, and citizenship education. (JOW)