The nature of education is to learn to think. Thinking demands the weighing of argument, analyzing and evaluating logic, and judging conclusions. These are God given tools to wrestle with big questions of life. A tolerant, pluralistic, truly democratic school system will create respectful, open forums in the classrooms for the worldviews of…

This articles presents ways to incorporate constructive play in the early childhood classroom, focusing on building a "learning through play" environment. Three key areas are considered: the teacher's philosophy about children and learning, the physical environment created for learning, and the type and range of play-based activities…

John Holt was a key figure in the free school movement. His belief that school procedures worked against children's natural ways of learning came from his own experiences. Recognizing that genuine democracy can only happen within a genuine community, he felt that social institutions, particularly education, must nourish experiences of belonging,…

Discusses how child-centered educational philosophies, including Montessori, share positions differing radically from those of the educational standards movement. Focuses on adult-set goals and standards, social promotion, external motivators, demands for more challenging work, and standardized tests. Reports that children in child-centered…

This introductory article to the special issue addresses the school restructuring movement, with its increasing emphasis on inclusion and school unification, and recent efforts to localize and integrate various categorical health and social services programs affecting children and families. The movement's philosophical premise is examined and…

Argues that Americanization has not been a successful goal for educational programs in the United States that contain culturally and linguistically diverse students. Explains that there is a need to go beyond multiculturalism, developing forms of education that allow all children to participate in meaning making. Discusses educational equity and…

Addresses similarities and differences in educational philosophy and practice among alternative schools such as the Free School (Albany, New York) and Summerhill (England). Discusses philosophies of Summerhill's founder A. S. Neill and his belief that children should be loved and accepted and allowed to participate within the school's power…

Ernest Boyer traced the cause of many of higher education's problems to the fragmented nature of the college experience. Boyer's concept of the New American College had three priorities, all rooted in American higher education traditions: clarifying the curriculum; connecting to the world beyond the classroom; and creating a campus community.…

Provides a way to introduce students to the philosophical roots of psychology by surveying their assumptions on the nature of mind, emotions, and behavior. Describes and gives examples of a 50-item Likert-scale questionnaire concerning positions of the philosophers, biologists, and psychologists discussed in the class. (MJP)

Argues that some elements of European education systems could be particularly useful in the United States. These elements include making material more relevant to the learner, increasing focus on career-development activities, and enhancing student self-concept by focusing on student competence. Highlights implications for school counselors and…

Describes Kodaly-based music programs. Focuses on three problems with this instruction method: (1) when one or more beliefs are focused upon to the detriment of the program as a whole; (2) the Kodaly program was created in a different culture and time; and (3) the program's emphasis on specific musical skills is limiting. (CMK)

Instrumental aims in vocational education pose a genuine threat to democratic citizenship by undermining student critique of prevailing social circumstances. By employing a broadened Aristotelian framework, career education can combine work-related subject matter with critical learning objectives, but that would require significant reform in…

Describes the educational system within the country of Ghana. Focuses on music education. Discusses the visual arts that constitute vocational skills within education. Addresses the need to move toward a systematic philosophy of arts education in Ghana. (CMK)

Presents fundamental concepts of the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early childhood education, focusing on the importance of "research" as a learning strategy for constructing knowledge for both children and adults. Describes the pertinent image of the child, the school, learning, and knowledge. Details components of a pedagogy of…

Discusses techniques for managing toddler circles. Notes that flexible transitions reduce frustration, suggests the importance of flexible and reasonable expectations, and considers the value of instruction grounded in child experience. Recommends materials that can be safely manipulated by toddlers and emphasizes that activity transitions must be…