Argues that the current world situation, marked by violence, inequity, and social upheaval, demands that teachers bring a more enlightened and committed approach to their classes. Advocates implementing education as a tool for empowerment and social change. Includes several diagrams of curricular models. (MJP)

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Making Schools Safer for LGBT Youth: Despite Signs of Progress, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students Say Harassment Persists (Michael Sadowski);…

Schools today are working harder than ever to help ensure that "all" children "can" learn and achieve high standards. Marti Richardson, a recognized leader in professional and curriculum development, delivers an innovative, classroom-tested program with planning tools to customize it for any school or district's data-based needs. Designed around a…

An impediment to teaching that occurs with many students who have severe disabilities is problem behavior during teaching sessions. This paper describes "preference-based teaching", a recently developed means of reducing problem behavior by making teaching programs enjoyable for students. Preference-based teaching begins with actions taken prior…

This guide explains the philosophy of "learner-centered schools." The term holds a variety of meanings for educators, such as the use of learning centers for a theme, topic, or subject area, alternative assessments in which students are evaluated in innovative ways, or continuous progress models with integrated thematic instruction and…

This study focused on the experiences of cooperating teachers beyond their immediate work with student teachers. The study was a major part of a collaborative action research project in which 172 cooperating teachers experienced the new role of "University Associate" as part of the University of California-Irvine Professional Development…

This book on the educaiton of students with disabilities is organized around an interactive teaming model based on the concepts of consultation and collaboration, and includes key elements of total quality efforts, child and adult learning theories, and recognition of the importance of sensitivity to cultural differences. Part 1 provides a…

This study used a computer-assisted cooperative learning approach to teach mathematics to 20 third-grade students, of whom 4 were classified as learning disabled. The team-assisted individualization (TAI) model was used to heterogeneously group students for instruction into four-student teams. Within teams, students were paired. Each team worked…

The use of collaborative case studies is an important tool for promoting teacher development, providing preservice teachers with opportunities to apply what they have learned in a real life context. This paper describes the design and evolution of a unique application of case study methodology by two early childhood/elementary education professors…

This text was written as an outgrowth of 6 years' work with children aged 3-5 in the Child Development Center at Western Oregon State College, Monmouth, Oregon. The children attending this program included typically developing children as well as children with disabilities. A primary purpose of this book is to share the experiences and learnings…

Based on results from research on children's spelling, it has been established that spelling errors produced by ESL students in this study of 6th grade students parallels the errors of native speakers of English in the same classroom. The ESL students are also impacted by cross-linguistic influence of the phonology of their native tongue. This…

Teacher educators have come to appreciate that the teaching of difficult subjects combines knowledge of content and knowledge of generic teaching methods. A study was conducted, therefore, to explore the potential of cases to carry pedagogical content knowledge. A case was developed describing how an expert teacher goes about teaching…

The purpose of this book is to help teacher education students and experienced teachers to develop not only an understanding of the nature of "reflective practice" but also the attitudes and skills that such an approach to teaching requires. Case studies illustrate many difficult experiences teachers encounter; each chapter begins with…

The purpose of the research reported in this paper was the development of a learner-centered instructional model for the teaching of reading and writing skills. Specifically, the 14 APA (American Psychological Association) learner-centered principles were used as the conceptual framework for the development of the model. There are seven iterative…

This Digest of a larger report with the same title examines the application of learning theory to the quality of learning in undergraduate college classrooms. Relevant theories are identified, including theories which address college students' attributions for success or failure, self-efficacy, social constructivism, conscientization, multiple…