This article suggests that secondary schools offer upperclassmen the opportunity to inquire objectively into the language and structure of morality. (Editor)

Based on a literature review, class observations, and interviews with teachers and students, this article offers a conception of higher order thinking (as signifying challenge and expanded use of the mind), discusses reasons for the difficulty of promoting it in high schools, and suggests ways principals can help. (MLH)

Although 1980s school reform efforts focused on improving student achievement, they overemphasized content coverage and testing for content retention. Future secondary reforms must transcend student "production" to reach all students consistently, emphasize application of curricular content, model critical thinking and decision-making, and foster…

Presents a detailed conceptual model for developing a thinking skills currriculum. Discusses whether it should be done through separate courses or integrated into subject matter courses. Includes four figures (MD)

Middle-level teachers can avoid passive seatwork and encourage students to think using a "guided thinking" approach, designed to help adolescents develop more sophisticated thinking and reasoning skills. Essential elements of guided thinking are described, along with an implementation strategy and the principal's role in fostering…

Outlines leadership capabilities that effective principals can exert to improve the teaching of higher level thinking skills to students. An important initial step is to make the development of student thinking skills a building priority at the school. (MD)

"What one school or community sees as educationally effective, another might denounce as tasteless or unnecessarily abrasive or just too novel." If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a caught on the publisher's side of censorship in schools, read this article. (Editor)

In a September 1988 "NASSP Bulletin" article, the author challenged readers to construct a question analysis matrix for curriculum evaluation in relation to critical thinking and problem solving. The author's solution, featuring various "domains" or components categorized according to planning, implementation, and outcome stages, comprises this…

Discusses a program developed by the Century III Foundation, which attempts to interject value analysis in the educational process. Includes a diagrammatic presentation of a Moral Valuing Paradigm. (MD)

Many school discipline problems would never occur, says this author, if an individual curriculum were developed for each student which would successfully teach respect, excellence, receptivity, efficiency in learning, critical thinking, accurate observation, and creativity--in short, self-actualization. (Editor)

Author Challenges the vociferous critics that he feels have grossly exaggerated the causes for concern in the American school system. (Editor)

If this article expresses questions you have asked on the meaning of the high school diploma, you will want to follow up by reading two recent NASSP monographs: This We Believe...and Graduation Requirements. (Editor)

All academic disciplines must accept the responsibility of training students in the basic higher-order thinking skills that will provide them with the cognitive processes to cope with the rapidly changing world of the future. Describes developing a program for thinking across the curriculum. (MLF)

Values education is a controversial topic in many schools today. A study designed to determine the effect of values-oriented courses on student attitudes revealed that students' values showed no significant change as a consequence of the course, and that adolescents' values largely reflect those of their parents. (TE)

Reports on nine issues that the National Society for the Study of Education agreed were crucial to education today and should be included in their yearbook on secondary education. Some of the conclusions of the yearbooks authors were also presented. (Editor/RK)