The philosophical and educational significance of the present study lies in its attempt to clarify the value and importance of the Socratic legacy for education, in addition to underscoring the difficulty of understanding that legacy. Perspectives on Socrates and his legacy, from Friedrich Nietzsche to contemporary critics, such as Bruce Kimball…

Before the U.S. Civil War, vocational education was relegated to apprenticeship training and a few scattered schools dedicated to the purpose. The Civil War brought widespread death and destruction throughout the South. By the end of the war, half of the land mass and population of the reunited United States of America had been destroyed. A major…

This monograph uses a question-answer format to address issues concerned with meeting the needs of gifted students as Wisconsin schools restructure and change grouping practices as part of raising standards of learning for all students. Among 12 questions considered are the following: (1) Aren't some of the principles of middle level education,…

This book is dedicated to George Polya, who focused on problem solving as the means for teaching and learning mathematics. The first chapter is a reprint of his article "On Learning, Teaching, and Learning Teaching." Then, G. L. Alexanderson paints a portrait of "George Polya, Teacher," including some anecdotes that exemplify…

Derived from the perspective which views teachers and students as rational humans with limited capacity of perception and reasoning, this study describes how teachers differentially treat students and examines what underlies the differential treatment. Three science teachers from an urban middle school in the Midwest participated in the study.…

Focusing on the challenges the future will bring to English teachers, this journal issue contains 24 articles dealing with a variety of philosophical and pedagogical topics. Article titles and authors are (1) "The End of Us: 1986" (R. E. Stratton); (2) "2082: A College Speaking Course" (C. Yetman); (3) "Competing with the Mass Media" (M. Keiffer);…

The monograph addresses, from an Australian perspective, strategies to help disabled youth make the transition from school to work. The first chapter discusses underlying philosophy and principles (normalization, independent living, self-determination, the role of education in the transition process, and the role of work in adult living). Issues…

Humanistic psychology has emerged as a third force alternative to behaviorism and psychoanalysis. It offers a new orientation to psychology, one that incorporates basic existential ideas related to personal choice, freedom, and responsibility, and which also includes central phenomenological themes related to perceptions, personal meanings, and…

The first of two volumes dealing with the effective use of textbooks to teach reading, this booklet describes New Zealand's "Ready to Read" program and how materials are used in the curriculum to accomplish literacy goals. The first part of the booklet provides a general overview of the country and its educational system and of the…

This study was undertaken to determine the value and belief patterns of Catholic elementary school principals and teachers in the context of the school as a faith community. It was believed that some educators, particularly lay teachers, would value secular and noncommunitarian purposes and characteristics more than religious and communitarian…

Throughout its history, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has addressed the question: How can literature be fully revealed to students at all educational levels? In answering this question, NCTE has (1) clarified the rationale and objectives for teaching literature, with a view to reconciling concepts of literature as both an…

The school of communication at Northern Arizona University identified four areas--survey, written, oral, and theory--to be included in the core curriculum for all communication majors. As a follow-up to the deliberation by the school's curriculum committee, a study was undertaken to determine if such central curricula could be found in similar…

To help members of the Portland Public Schools' Board of Education make informed decisions about the school district's role and responsibility for before-school and after-school child care programs, research and evaluation staff gathered information concerning policy, administration, and program issues. Findings, conclusions, and recommendations…

Skill requirements for the economy are changing. Whereas many jobs in industries such as insurance and banking once required high school graduates to do clerical work, computerization has changed the requirements. Job functions are combined, and many jobs now require college graduates to do analytical work. Although these skill changes require…

Vocational education is for all students; however, goals for student attainment should be relevant. Achievement of sequential goals should help each student qualify for a position in the world of work. Stressing communication skills can help prepare students for whatever work they choose. Learning opportunities for students to achieve objectives…