Based on Montessori's ideas about children's innate capabilities and potential, this book encourages restructuring the home environment to provide children, especially preschool children, with opportunities for self-directed activities and personal autonomy. In each of the chapters, a different room is examined as to how it could be redesigned to…

The impact that high school and college experiences and activities have on students' musical independence (MI) was investigated. MI is related to the actual production and performance of music, as opposed to musical achievement or the mastery of any academic skill related to music. Colwell's Musical Achievement Test 3, Musical Achievement Test 4,…

This booklet contains four articles, from the perspective of both parents and teachers, concerned with learning in the early grades. "From Kindergarten to Grade One: Making the Transition" (J. Ward), is a teacher's narrative on the importance of creating a child-centered classroom and an integrated, play-based curriculum. This article…

The 31 papers in this book ar grouped into 5 sections, of which the first consists of an introductory essay by A. Ciofalo, "What Every Professor and Worksite Supervisor Should Know about Internships." Section 2, on learning from experience, contains "Perspectives on Learning in Internships" (D. T. Moore); "Integrating the Traditions of…

Teachers and students at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks developed an interactive Macintosh-videodisc program that features the exhibits of the Yugtarvik Yup'ik Eskimo Museum in Bethel, Alaska. The exhibits teach people about many aspects of traditional Alaska Native culture. The videodisc program carries both Yup'ik and English audiotracks,…

This directory lists organizations actively involved in outdoor experiential education. Outdoor experiential education includes some or all of the following elements: (1) active involvement in solving outdoor problems; (2) verbal reflection following the experience; (3) introduction of a level of stress or challenge in completing the outdoor…

In the most recent wave of school reform, educators are beginning to move past learning about American Indian culture, to learning from Indian cultural ways and using them to improve their instructional practice. Recent developments in federal educational policy, such as the Improving America's School Act and Goals 2000 have opened the door to…

This book offers alternative approaches for local hiking events, such as creating extensive science, math or art projects, in order to energize a group of children. Chapter 1, "Getting Started," provides details on planning a hike, including getting supports, managing materials, setting the tone, questioning techniques, basic ecological…

Adults can encourage young children to assimilate and use information through inventing, creating, experimenting, and other activities. This guide, part of the "Seeds for Success" series, provides ideas for parents on being their children's first and most important teacher by means of nearly 100 simple activity ideas designed for use with 3- to…

The Brief Intervention Program (BIP) is a mental health day program in Melbourne (Australia) for adolescents with severe mental health problems who are at risk for suicide. The 10-week program serves closed groups of 6-8 adolescents aged 13-18 years and has 3 phases: engagement and orientation (week 1), treatment (weeks 2-9), and integration (week…

Out Doors Inc. is a community-managed mental health organization in Victoria (Australia) that provides psychosocial rehabilitation to adults with mental health needs through outdoor adventure and other recreation experiences. This paper focuses on Out Door Inc.'s Going Places Program. The program, which ranges from 1 day to 4 months, is based on…

Indigenous peoples throughout the world have sustained their unique world views and associated knowledge systems for millennia. Many core values, beliefs, and practices associated with those world views have an adaptive integrity that is as valid today as in the past. However, traditional educational processes to transmit indigenous beliefs and…

This book is intended to serve as a resource and stimulant for professionals involved in recreational and educational programs serving elementary-school-age learners, although many of the activities also work well with adolescents and adults. The setting for the 40 activities which are described is the out-of-doors. Instructions on how to use the…

This paper presents an experientially oriented approach to learning in preschool and describes a research project designed to: (1) develop a theoretically and scientifically based curriculum; (2) systematically describe what happens in the groups where this curriculum is applied; (3) evaluate children's development in preschool in regards to the…

This report discusses key components of the Wilderness Personal Growth Model that was designed to help practitioners attain maximum benefits through short-term wilderness programs accommodating large groups of students. The first component involves the successful transition of the students from their known and accepted everyday-life reality to the…