The history curriculum in the United States, particularly in the elementary grades, has long been in need of a revamp, argues Kevin Krahenbuhl. The predominant model of history education, expanding horizons (EH), which begins with students' local communities and expands outward, is built on incorrect assumptions about what young people are able to…

In the United States, 48 states have recognized the educational importance of the early years by awarding stand-alone early childhood education (ECE) licenses that require specialized training in teaching young children. Yet, at the same time, teachers with elementary education (ELED) licenses are allowed to teach kindergarten in 34 states and 1st…

If schools are to prepare students to participate more productively in civic life, schools will need to ensure that they have opportunities to practice the skills of civic reasoning, argues Carol Lee. Yet schools are challenged by the limits in the curriculum and the difficulty of addressing the different types of prior knowledge that students…

Discusses the concept of school readiness and the process of making the transition to school. Reviews early signs of successful school transitions and identifies some fundamentals of young children's early learning environments. Almost all children are eager to learn and show remarkable progress when they are in school environments that tailor…

True educational reform will come about only when we replace the reigning psychometric educational psychology with a developmentally appropriate one. The developmental approach is superior regarding its conception of the learner, the learning process, the information to be acquired, and educational goals. Includes 14 references. (MLH)

Although some small liberal arts colleges feature developmentally appropriate programs, most postsecondary institutions are more like factories that process students. This article describes limitations of the current college-admissions model and discusses the need to create common expectations and develop performance-based admission standards…

Some advocates of "all children can learn" downplay the need for adequate resources and child-friendly public policy. Educators' heroic efforts alone are insufficient. Other destructive fallacies include the principal as sole instructional leader and exception-based, uniform standards. The effective-schools movement has become too…

In the past decade, testing of young children has been excessive and inappropriate. Leftover IQ tests have been used to track children into ineffective programs or to deny them school entry. Prereading tests held over from the 1930s have encouraged the teaching of decontextualized skills. Assessment advocates must clearly demonstrate testing's…