During the second half of the 20th century, a new pedagogical movement emerged, which centered around the concept of "critical thinking." While the movement soon became a significant player in the pedagogical field, its proponents continued to develop the theoretical and practical aspects of critical thinking, aiming to transform it into…

Describes the Child Development Project in California, which holds that academic and character education are equally important goals for schools. The project has been established to produce long-lasting effects on children's "prosocial" development. (MD)

Peer relations contribute substantially to both social and cognitive development. The essentials of friendship are reciprocity and commitment between individuals who see themselves more or less as equals. Affiliation and common interests, the main themes in friendship relations, are first understood in early childhood. Friends serve as emotional…

The article discusses the impact of cultural pluralism (the degree of cultural differences which are fostered and encouraged by society) on teacher training and advocates a broader, empirically based approach to teacher training in the area of multicultural special education. (DLS)

References are often made in art education literature about how art can enhance individuals' self-concepts. This document discusses the work of authors, Manuel Barkan, George Herbert Mead, and Sigmund Freud, who support this concept. Barkan's theory concerning how an individual's personality develops and changes by interacting socially is…

Educators today have a renewed perspective: when schools attend systematically to students' social and emotional skills, the academic achievement of children increases, the incidence of problem behaviors decreases, the quality of the relationships surrounding each child improves. The challenge of raising knowledgeable, responsible, and caring…

"Schools of Hope" seeks to resurrect the historic, liberally educating vision of arete, or all-around human excellence, as the only proper and realistic goal for preparing today's students for their future. It is based on the assertion that only students who can think creatively will grow, mature mentally, and adapt. From this perspective, schools…

The Ohio State Department of Education has identified 10 basic values for which students are to strive. These individual character traits are compassion, courtesy, tolerance, honesty, self-discipline, diligence, responsibility, self-respect, courage, and integrity. This guide provides sample strategies for educators to help them to develop these…

This paper reviews the research and theories on ethnic identity development, and draws some implications from these ideas for improving curriculum design for, and instructional effectiveness with, ethnically different students, especially Black Americans. The paradigm of "the developmental stages of ethnic identity transformation"…

This research review adopts a developmental perspective to the problem of gifted underachievement. It covers affective development characteristics, focusing on self-concept, locus of control, and personality and temperament; environmental influences such as family and school; and strategies for holistic development through a combination of direct…

Similarities and differences between Erik H. Erikson's and Jean Piaget's theories concerning social development and the process of identification are explored in this report. The first part of the report is a synthesis of Erikson's concept of the developmental processes of personal growth and societal development. The second part integrates…

The follow-up study evaluated 37 girls and 12 boys (aged 5-19 years) who had been sexually abused an average of 2.6 years previously. Results found that, compared to control children, abused children had less confidence, fewer friends, more aggression, increased sexual awareness, and more behavior and academic problems. (Author/JDD)

This paper discussed a stage theory of childhood, preadolescent, and adolescent concepts of role-relationships and social reasoning in friendship. It was hypothesized that these concepts develop through levels of perspective-taking, within which individuals view and structure interpersonal relationships. At level one, relationships are based on…

Intimacy as experienced in best friendships was studied with respect to sex differences and sex roles, the development of components of intimacy in childhood and adolescence, and the possible interrelationship of intimacy and ego identity. Instruments included items from: (1) The Self-Perception Inventory; (2) The Gender-Role Assignment Scale; (3)…

The subject of objectives in character education was discussed in a report of progress to the National Education Association, July, 1924. While this topic is not treated separately in this report, the general point of view of the 1924 report is maintained in Chapter 1, The Processes of Character Education, and is restated briefly and discussed at…