There is no hiding the underlying assumptions of Anglo cultural superiority in our school systems. Educators must come to see things from the points of view of students, recognizing the importance of parent participation, the reality of minority underrepresentation, and the necessity of minority teacher recruitment and retention. (SLD)

Describes the experiences of one high school class as they attempted to sort out the conflicting representations of Christopher Columbus. The students examined several textbooks and other histories. They then conducted a mock trial to determine if Columbus should be considered a criminal, a hero, or both. (MJP)

In order for local Native American cultures to be included in the curricula of the lower grades of public schools, Indian parents and community members must represent their community to the school board and establish a presence in the wider school community. Presents assertive, persistent, and well-informed strategies to build positive…

A graduate-level distance-learning course used a "class page" on the World Wide Web to increase student interaction and access to Web resources. Student surveys and interviews focused on student reactions, stresses, and coping strategies related to communication issues and anxieties, computer involvement, computer and Internet access,…

Presents an overview of areas related to preparing educators for diversity that have particular significance or unique implications for special education. Issues addressed include special-education eligibility determination, instructional methodology, parental involvement, culturally diverse special educators, and educational equity. (CR)

Schools' course structures and policies allow some families to garner the best educational resources. To treat all students fairly, schools must recognize privileged parents' racial/class motivations, infuse academic talk into informal networks, acknowledge "invisible" parents' aspirations, demolish communication barriers, and encourage…

Discusses strategies that support student self-determination in transition planning, including: holding high expectations for students, preparing students for transition meetings, allowing students to make important decisions, encouraging students to attend transition fairs, and providing opportunities for students to explore their communities and…

Develops and tests a model for predicting student intentions to continue in a high school band program. Structural equation modeling indicates that socioeconomic level and teacher evaluations predict intentions both directly and indirectly through students' outside musical activities and support for the program by parents, band teachers, and…

Five schools and districts recognized by the United States Department of Education for excellence in professional development used student needs to guide staff learning. This paper describes each model, noting common key practices (e.g., plans are based on student achievement, community support is crucial, site-based decision making is used, local…

Describes a peer-led sexually transmitted disease (STD)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) intervention for students in a dropout prevention program. Trained peer counselors/educators led schoolwide activities and classroom sessions. Teachers and students rated peer counselors' effectiveness. Pre- and postintervention surveys indicated an increase…

Analysis of National Educational Longitudinal Study data examined measures of parent/student involvement (parent/child discussion, involvement in parent/teacher organization, monitoring adolescent behavior, educational-support strategies) and their effects on achievement, truancy, and dropping out. Parental involvement generally explained…

For schools to be peaceful places offering quality education, conflicts must be managed constructively, without verbal or physical violence. Understanding stress is the first step toward managing it. Theory must inform reality to arm teachers with knowledge-based solutions. This paper examines stress and conflict, conflict and anger, managing…

A 1998 National Science Foundation report says minorities and women are still underrepresented in science and technology fields. "Saturday Science," an enrichment program designed by the School Board of Broward County (Florida) and Broward Community College, substantially increased racial/gender participation and GPAs in nonintroductory…

The culture of fear in sanction-oriented schools hinders collaboration across differences in race, color, and culture. Strategies for encouraging active parent involvement include listening, supporting teacher leadership, inviting parents to help teachers develop coherent education goals, focusing on curriculum and instruction, and acknowledging…

This article provides some basic foundation of family systems concepts for school professionals who work with students with disabilities. It addresses communication skills and psychological issues that can result in barriers to implementation of family systems concepts and describes a five-step process leading to conflict resolution. (Contains…