This study explored the effect of community background on the development of adolescent ambition, using longitudinal interviews to probe subjects' own definitions and evaluations of progress toward the "good life." Sixty high ability working class youths from three New England towns varying in size, urban proximity, and social class…

Described is a project intended to help junior high school students gain understanding and experience in political decision making. The hypothesis is that students will show an increase in political efficacy, interest, trust, and social integration when they become involved in the political functioning of their schools. This hypothesis is in…

This study focuses on a formerly all-black high school, which formed one-half of the dual school system in North Carolina, in order to assess both the direct and indirect functions that the school may have performed in developing leadership skills, apprenticeship opportunities, and the total development of the black community. Seven reasons…

This book discusses schools--the effects of curriculum change and the reasons why some children are successful in school and others are not. Its purpose is to present evidence of the contribution of contemporary research in the sociology of education to the understanding of education and of society. The collection of research studies represents…

A multivariate "school process" model is evaluated to explore the antecendents and consequences of curriculum enrollment. Selected characteristics of peer associates, measures of academic achievement, and three subjective outcome variables--educational plans, self-conceptions of academic competence, and intellectual orientations--are…

Guidelines for designing and implementing ethnic studies programs and for integrating curriculum with ethnic content are presented in this position statement of the National Council for the Social Studies. The main purposes of the guidelines are to specify proper goals of school reform efforts and to designate the relationship which should exist…

This paper reviews the current status of Asian Americans in the U.S. schools from perspectives of textbook content and teaching methods. The author points out that findings of a survey of the 1950s and early 1960s textbooks reveal limited inclusion of references to anything Asian. This lack of interest can be seen, also, in American society, as…

This year's Schoolhouse Commercialism Trends report finds that schools continue to be a prime target of a wide variety of corporate advertising efforts and criticism of marketing to children in schools is mounting. Most of this criticism is directed at marketing activities that are thought to have a negative impact on children's health. Public…

Veteran teacher Julie Landsman leads the reader through a day of teaching and reflection about her work with high school students who are from a variety of cultures. She speaks honestly about issues of race, poverty, institutional responsibility, and white privilege by engaging the reader in the experiences of a day in the classroom with some of…

Based on the experiences of a participant observer (weekly playground volunteer) over the course of one school year, this paper recounts the experiences of first through third graders during recess and discusses the importance of outdoor play for providing children an opportunity to speak and act unfettered by adult expectations, thereby promoting…

This book presents guidance for educators on recognizing and responding to different forms of child maltreatment as well as ideas on the formation of a school reporting protocol and a Child Protection Team. The 11 chapters are: (1) "Why Are Educators So Important in the Lives of Abused and Neglected Children?"; (2) "How Can We…

This publication combines three papers on rural and urban youth issues. "Key Issues Facing Rural Youth" (Daniel F. Perkins) notes that rural adolescents share the same concerns and exhibit the same problem behaviors as their urban counterparts. But in addition, geographic isolation presents problems unique to rural areas. A framework is proposed…

The mobile lifestyle and fragmented education of migrant secondary students creates a need for innovative solutions that will enable them to graduate from high school. This handbook was developed to assist Texas school district operations and state and interstate educators in the coordination and delivery of instructional and support services for…

This digest examines community college transfer and articulation and presents suggestions for more effectively meeting the needs of students. Community colleges should provide a base of education, vocational or general, which enables students to transfer successfully to a four-year institution, reenter the workforce, and/or advance their careers.…

The promotion of academic success has been linked to children's social and emotional wellness, reduction in risky behaviors, and promotion of social and emotional competence. This chapter briefly summarizes the evidence regarding the link between academic performance and health risk behaviors, including substance abuse, delinquency, teen sexual…