Paolo Freire's technique of "conscientization," the use of politicizing pictures of concrete oppressive situations to raise social consciousness, is adapted to social work education, and guidance on the appropriate construction of these visual aids is offered. Benefits include better reflection and abstraction and increased sensitivity…

Uses Michel Foucault's concepts of disciplinary technology and panopticism to explain educational inequalities. Describes the Panopticon (an architectural prototype for prisons) as a form of disciplinary technology. Considers schools as technologies of power and discipline, with their conformity to this model contributing to today's social…

Describes a communication curriculum of and for the future, which would be independent, integrated, inclusive, and visionary. Includes the mission statement and goals from one such communication program. (SR)

California voters rejected Proposition 174, the "Parental Choice in Education" initiative, by a margin of seven to three. Estimated cost of the campaign, a week before the election, was $20.l million. Despite the defeat, Americans for School Choice, a national organization, has announced plans to launch voucher proposals in 25 states by…

Sympathizes with Iowa universities' decision to withdraw from National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), despite James Sutton's objections in October 1993 issue of "Kappan." Preparation for NCATE accreditation costs too much; the language of the standards is too political. The Iowa presidents were frustrated by…

Parker's rejoinder accuses the author of overlooking the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education's need for improvement, though his original article ("Kappan," October 1993) criticizes the four Iowa university presidents for refusing to participate in the improvement process. NCATE's standards are complicated and…

Communication between parents and teachers is complicated, with attitudes often becoming barriers to effective communication. Factors that affect parent-teacher relationships include childhood memories, professionalization, and bureaucratization. Suggestions for parents to improve communications with teachers include examining their own feelings…

Discusses the recent efforts to expand literary studies into numerous allied fields and the possible effects that such attempts toward interdisciplinarity and internationalism might have. Warns against possible negative consequences of interdisciplinary approaches. Calls for an expanded view of English as a field of study. (HB)

The arts deserve an integral place in schools, since they provide outlets for individuality, enhance thinking and language skills, and possess intrinsic educational value. Arts counter modern society's awesome drive for conformity by offering opportunities for authenticity and spontaneity. Arts offer the last glimmer of warmth and humaneness in a…

Describes how the English department at Roger Williams University set out to revise and revive the English major under difficult circumstances during the 1988-89 school year. Shows how the faculty redesigned the curriculum, recruited new majors, and established support programs. (HB)

Analyzes a policy issue involving British government/mass media effort to ridicule progressive education. The analysis draws on the experience of a primary school portrayed in a current affairs television program as glorifying progressive educational practices. The central government employed the language of myth, via the media, to create a public…

Experiences of a Michigan school district provide a case study for examining the political, economic, and community-relations issues embedded in a decision to privatize. Support can be achieved only if all parties feel they were given adequate attention during deliberations on the issue. (MLF)

The spouse of a former superintendent provides suggestions for minimizing, though never eliminating, harmful repercussions on their mates. Expectations of being a public persona, socializing with board members, sacrificing free time, responding to public criticism, and dealing with boards' private agendas demand creative coping approaches.…

The American Academy for Liberal Education, established in 1992, has gained a reputation for conservatism that is unpopular among the liberal arts professoriate, which is historically liberal, but the Academy insists its only cause is undergraduate education. The Academy recently won approval from the federal government to accredit entire…

Observes that teaching today is a major challenge as teachers attempt to sift through everything that confronts them and as they constantly struggle with conflict while trying to address the complex dilemmas facing them daily in their classrooms. (SR)