Presents a teacher-initiated model for reaching class consensus on the meaning of confusing or interchangeable concepts in social studies classrooms. Illustrates the model by delineating terrorism. Shows procedural steps that involve students in self and small group interviews where definitions are clarified until consensus is reached. Suggests…

Examines democracy as a social and political system. Defines democracy as an evolving process that moves toward consensus whereby citizens exercise their sovereignty in government based on values and laws. Identifies two cornerstones of democracy: sovereignty of the people and individual rights. Explores the guardianship role of education in…

This discussion of funding for assistive technology devices for children with disabilities addresses how to locate community funding sources, set priorities, increase peoples' awareness of technological applications, and encourage parental involvement. An annotated bibliography lists seven items on funding, and a chart shows an example of an…

This speech calls for an end to prolonged debate about integration of preschool children in early intervention programs, discusses what is known from research on integration, describes quality indicators of early intervention programs, and makes suggestions for institutionalizing quality early intervention services. (JDD)

Reviews the concerns and expectations of parents and state legislators, two groups who are likely to have the greatest impact on shaping the structure and operation of public preschools in the years ahead. (BB)

Discusses how New York librarians and early childhood educators work together to get preschool children off to the right start in language and literacy. Describes how programs through libraries and involving parents, teachers and librarians can give children a better chance to grow up literate and love books. (MG)

Discusses how teachers can involve parents in reading development by convincing them that they are at the center of their children's educational world. (MG)

Argues that the "social capital" provided to schools by parent and community involvement has been eroded in rural areas by school consolidation, centralization, and urban models, placing all rural students at risk. Traces this erosion in one rural West Virginia school district. Contains 19 references. (SV)

Proposes that teachers and principals play key roles in helping parents learn to foster their children's literacy. Provides suggestions that teachers and principals can use to help parents help their children at home. (BB)

Describes the development and implementation of EL Paso Community College's model Intergenerational Literacy Project, which brings Spanish-speaking parents and their children together in the classroom in an effort to improve the two groups' literacy skills in English and Spanish. (BB)

Describes how an elementary classroom teacher discovers and explores the power of aesthetic experience in an educational context. Discusses how the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh helps an exceptionally difficult class of 11-year-old female students in suburban Dublin, Ireland, become interested in their education. (KM)

The turn-allocation procedure for whole-group lessons is analyzed and compared for third grade classrooms in North America and Puerto Rico. Significant differences in classroom participation and discourse have roots in differing social interaction patterns in the two cultures and have implications for Puerto Rican students in mainland classrooms.…

Reports how the prolonged 1978 Levittown (New York) teachers strike initially depleted resources and created problems but proved to be the impetus for development of an effective school system. Reviews sources of conflict that led to the strike, reactions of community and teachers, and reforms focused on teacher empowerment. (FMW)

Investigated attention-to-task and its relation to instructional context among 24 mainstreamed children with learning disabilities. Observation of students in regular class and resource room revealed significant differences in rate of engagement for classroom setting, type of instruction, and level of peer involvement, indicating that degree of…

Offers alternatives to conventional modes of instruction by making practical applications of collaborative learning theory. Describes strategies to de-center the classroom by journaling, workshopping, and linking reading with writing. Suggests that with this approach students exhibit less writing apprehension, increased fluency, as well as changed…