Results-driven education, systems thinking, and constructivism are producing profound changes in schools and the conception and implementation of staff development. The paradigm shift is essential for creating learning communities where teachers and administrators collaborate with peers, researchers, and students to make sense of the…

Current school restructuring challenges passivity and rigidity and provides new openings in experience, which creates good contexts for art education and aesthetic education. The paper discusses how such education opens people to visions of the possible rather than the predictable, thus creating a community of distinctive individuals. (SM)

Examines historical and current conceptions of teaching for understanding, highlighting three sources of dilemmas that get in the way of helping students make sense of the world they live in (teacher preparation, the social organization of schools, and the school system norms and regularities). (SM)

Outdoor adventure-based professionals must take on the challenge of integrating the experiential-learning philosophy and values-clarification component of adventure education into the entire school curriculum. As good role models and good risk takers, adventure-based educators are well suited to push for educational reforms that focus on the…

Claims in "The Bell Curve" that Head Start and other early intervention programs are a failure and a waste of funds depend on a notion of cognitive ability reduced to IQ. They ignore other studies that demonstrate the success of such programs and that, consistent with Piagetian views, recognize the interrelationships of cognitive,…

Fourteen holistic, meaning-based reading and writing activities appropriate for students with learning disabilities are described, along with the theoretical background of the paradigm. As children experiment, approximate, and discover language naturally and socially, their immersion in authentic spoken and written language facilitates learning to…

Discusses the need for a systematic approach to phonology in language teacher training, outlining the deficiencies in the current "atomistic" approach to phonology in English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) instruction and suggesting that a holistic approach will provide teachers with a better understanding of the sound systems of the…

Ph.D. program at California Institute of Integral Studies trains Native Americans and other indigenous peoples to deepen their traditional knowledge and strengthen its environmental impact. A parallel program helps Euro-Americans discover their own indigenous values. Both programs focus on integrating Earth-based knowledge with Western science.…

Describes how parents can help teachers assess student writing. Initially, parents need training workshops and hands-on experience before evaluating student writing. The article presents tips for annual assessment, describes how one Pennsylvania school district scores students' writing, and suggests further uses for parent volunteers. (SM)

Discusses a comprehensive, youth-violence-prevention program in New York City called The Door--A Center of Alternatives. This holistic program addresses the root causes of youth violence such as alienation and lack of empowerment. The Door provides life-skills training and services related to the consequences of poverty, unemployment, low levels…

Presents class activities to help elementary teachers prepare their students for cooperative learning. Phase one involves building team spirit and appreciating differences. Phase two includes strategies for trying substantial cooperative projects. Phase three offers ideas for adding cooperation to basic subject areas all year long. (SM)

Aware of increasing poverty among his students, a Virginia principal enlisted a retired teacher's assistance to provide direct support for underachieving students' families. After developing trust and rapport with identified families, the home-school consultant visited families to establish mutual goals, ranging from obtaining medical care, food,…

Examines the need for the study of architecture and product design in the K-12 curriculum. Describes a model for an integrated design studio that promotes creativity. Recommends ways that people from the community can help in the classroom and suggests ways that art teachers can be trained. (KM)

Many academic fields claim jurisdiction over health research and practice. The paper examines dominant conceptions of health as a personal quality or state of being, noting the market-oriented, competitive relationship among fields. It presents a socioecological conception of health which emphasizes individuals but also includes societal and…

Learning activities that use visual art symbols enhance the creative and artistic potential of gifted and talented students; promote integration of thought and feeling and the development of multiple symbol systems. Proposes combining with Clark's integrative education model to improve the academic success of all American Indian students. (SV)