A teacher's journal reflects her experience of designing and teaching writing courses at a Massachusetts alternative high school for high-risk students, her experience of using writing for personal healing, and the resistance she encountered when encouraging students to use writing as a means for personal growth and overcoming trauma. (LP)

Reviews a teaching exercise that highlights ethical and ecological issues through the systematic critical analysis of a technical land reclamation project. Students are encouraged to examine their own motivation for advocating particular solutions, to consider the value systems implicit in solutions, and to examine environmental actions in…

A year-long study followed two bilingual (English/Spanish) middle school teachers as training helped them to develop a new way of interacting with students during content teaching. To enhance student comprehension, the teachers moved away from concurrent translation and made efforts to distribute language usage so that they spent equal amounts of…

Defines guided composition as composing music with as many prescribed parameters as a young composer needs. Although the melody should never be proscribed, instructional "controls" can be built into the rhythm, length (and repeats), scale, and clef. Includes excerpts from three K-4 compositions using this technique. (MJP)

Advocates and outlines an instructional strategy for developing critical-thinking skills in sociology classes. The "panning-for-gold" strategy requires students to interact continually with the material through questioning and evaluation. Includes a template of suggestions for critically evaluating material. Test results showed…

Recommends a combination of video and lecture material for an undergraduate unit on antisemitism. Divides the unit into three topics: (1) "Jews as the Other"; (2)"Stereotypes and Conspiracy Theories"; and (3) "Jewish Identity." Includes a pretest and posttest questionnaire on students' attitudes and knowledge regarding Jews and Judaism. (MJP)

Maori pedagogical and research principles provide a foundation for an alternative model of Maori schooling that emphasizes empowerment, student-teacher co-construction of knowledge, and the critical importance of cultural recognition. Principles include self-determination, uniqueness of each child, reciprocal learning, home-school relationship,…

The impact of the international donor-supported District Primary Education Programme on the thinking and actions of 234 primary school teachers in South India was influenced by four cultural constructs: "openness to regulation,""sense of duty," and views on social hierarchy and knowledge acquisition. Teachers were receptive to…

Presents the IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, and Conclusion) method used to analyze and judge legal cases. Stresses this method's applicability for social studies instruction, stating it helps students assess facts and apply rules to reach and defend conclusions. Provides examples for using the IRAC method in U.S. government and U.S. history units.…

Develops a "living map" project that introduces the topology and climate of the Florida Keys through the use of creative, dramatic movement. Explains that gifted second and third grade students become parts of the environment on a large, topographical floor map. Describes materials, objectives, and procedures. (DB)

The theme of these six articles is the recruitment of minority and nontraditional students into vocational education. It includes success stories regarding schools recruiting Black and Hispanic youth; methods for teaching nontraditional students; a discussion of the history of the land grant university program; magnet schools; cooperative…

Presented are practical activities relevant to teaching mathematics in the American Indian culture that can be used in the non-Indian classroom. Discussed are tessellations, exercises that allow for artistic creativity and geometric exploration. The use of Pascal's triangle is included. (KR)

Delineates the need to make rural education more relevant to rural students in developing nations, stressing limitations in traditional Western approaches. Advocates rural pedagogy that encourages lifelong learning and develops community resources. Provides a case study of a rural pedagogy program in Sri Lanka. (CH)

Explores implications of Vygotskian developmental model for teaching number concepts to children with communication difficulties. Postulates these children develop individualized learning strategies that reflect the context of their condition. Discusses a study involving number conservation among children with communication difficulties. Advocates…

Reviews research on elementary school students' capacity for historical understanding. Suggests Piagetian theory is not applicable to historical thinking. Considers teaching approaches for developing elementary history instruction, including (1) embedding history in meaningful context; (2) use of narrative; (3) linking past and present; and (4)…