Maintains that the movement toward an integrated elementary school curriculum is growing. Describes the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an instructional unit about the Costa Rican rain forests that integrates foreign language and social studies content. Uses the four goal areas from a National Council for the Social Studies model. (CFR)

Examines how divergent values and belief systems operate within educational politics. Reviews five questions (concerning educational quality and equality, schooling's purpose, curriculum decisions, school policy making, and financial responsibility for schools) and their underlying value tensions within the research areas of micropolitics, school…

Examined how children of different cultural backgrounds weigh competing considerations when presented with conflicts between two concerns: Justice-Authority; Justice-Interpersonal; Personal-Interpersonal; Personal-Authority. For each concern, subjects selected the course of action to be followed and weighed alternatives. Found differences between…

Focuses on the importance of developing public appreciation for and association with the law. Argues that positive incentives to abide by the law are consistent with democratic values and supported by learning theories and child development research. Concludes that democracy works best when its citizens act according to their own will. (CFR)

Special education teachers (n=407) were surveyed regarding coverage of 45 controversial or sensitive topics in their instruction of students with learning disabilities, mental retardation, or behavior disorders. Topical issues were addressed only to a very limited extent, but were addressed more with students having behavioral disorders and at the…

Personality characteristics of different generations are discussed as they may affect suicide. Suicide data for 1968-91 are presented for "Boomers" (born 1943-60) and for Americans called "13ers" (13th generation of Americans; born 1961-81). Results indicate that both cohorts are at greater risk than earlier generations, with…

Examines how educators can create a school culture that supports and nurtures the success and accomplishments of all students. Discusses the role of institutional core values; school heroes and leaders representing those values; the school's system of rewards, reinforcement, and punishments; the school's ceremonies and rituals; and how the…

Analyzes both book and film versions of "The Firm" and "Jurassic Park" to explore the rhetorical textures of incivility that contemporary audiences generally appear to share and enjoy as entertainment but abjure and revile as politics. Notes that these postmodern performances celebrate public absence and flight to the private…

Maintains that, if Richard Nixon is to be considered as a significant historical figure, his personality and complexity must be studied. Asserts that Nixon viewed the world as an unremitting struggle and unceasing competition in which an individual could only succeed by his own efforts. (CFR)

This essay considers several issues that impact on children's education, creating communities of learning within schools, and the education of educators. Among the questions considered are what does it mean to know; what knowledge is of most worth; and how and what should teachers know. (35 references) (IAH)

Reports on a study of views of friendship among 20 5- and 6-year-old British students. Finds that boys and girls were able to interpret friendships as transactions. Also finds differences between boys and girls on their understanding of "bad friends." (CFR)

Reports on a study of the apparently paradoxical absence of background socioeconomic status (SES) effects on school continuation by college graduates. Finds results consistent with earlier studies of SES impact on schooling and explains the absence of parental SES effects on schooling beyond college. (CFR)

Maintains that "New York Times v. Sullivan" (1964) was the greatest political libel case ever decided by the Supreme Court. Asserts that it is a monument to the idea that open political discourse is the best guarantee of democratic self-governance. (CFR)

Discusses the schoolbook protest movement, examining common myths and misunderstandings: protesters are primarily concerned with filth, parents have the right to request that books be removed, unilateral action solves problems, protesters play by the rules, public schools preach alien religions, and public schools may not mention the Bible or…

After presenting a history of censorship, the paper examines current censorship arising from people who are frightened of ideas counter to their own. The impact of music and book censorship is discussed, and the realities of political correctness are noted. (SM)