Draws on Weber to argue that clear and persistent differences between French and English primary education arise from deeply embedded cultural traditions through which fundamental value orientations are mediated and that these contrasting value orientations represent secularized educational versions of French Catholicism and English Protestantism.…

Results from a comparison of single-sex and coeducational Catholic secondary schools using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 suggest that single-sex Catholic high schools are not especially favorable academic settings, and that any advantages of the schools only benefited boys. Pre-enrollment differences may explain…

Describes the use of Socratic seminars for art education, in which art objects are used as "texts" to explore ideas, moral dilemmas, and cultural traditions. Suggests that seminars fulfill educational goals related to analytic, language, and communication skills. Discusses logistics of the seminar process. (12 citations) (AJL)

Describes the development of the arts program at Sacred Heart/Mt. Carmel School for the Arts, in New York, and its effectiveness in increasing enthusiasm about education. Discusses the integration of art into the curriculum, and suggests using an annual theme to tie together the arts and other subjects. (AJL)

Presents information about Illinois' Father Sweeney School for the Academically Gifted Child. Discusses the school's curriculum, which includes math, French, science, language arts, social studies, and religious education. Indicates that students are taught to become responsible for their own learning. Describes other school activities, including…

Examimes the effects of various measures of social capital on the likelihood of dropping out of school early. Results indicate that specific indicators of social capitol can account for all of the effect of attending a Catholic school, but for only a fraction of the effect of family structure on leaving school early. (Author/RB)

Self-esteem and religious participation were studied in 410 public school and 494 Catholic school students in Canadian schools. Self-esteem was similar in both samples, but a higher level of self-esteem was associated with religious participation regardless of the denomination with which the student was affiliated. (SLD)

Describes the Environmental Issues project at Pennsylvania's Gannon University, designed to provide students at inner-city elementary schools with exposure to environmental issues and to foster their appreciation of nature. Indicates that students learn about local vegetation, water, and animals at a day-long mini-seminar at Camp Galindo, outside…

States that religious practices in the Venezuelan public schools encourage moral development and do not create controversy because these policies have traditionally been an important part of Venezuelan children's education. Contends that values are taught to children not only in school but also by the family and the Roman Catholic church, the…

Reviews new guidelines for school library media centers which present an expanded definition of the role of the media specialist. The main points are discussed, including a mission statement and its challenges; developing increased proficiency in instructional technologies; and forging partnerships with principals, teachers, and students. The…

Describes Holy Angels School in Chicago (Illinois), the largest all-Black preschool through grade 12 Roman Catholic school in the United States. Discusses the roles of administration, parents, faculty, and students in creating the educational environment. (FMW)

"Gay Rights Coalition v. Georgetown University," with its emphasis on social scientific evidence, may be precedent-setting. The case involves not only a university, a religion, and a religious doctrine, but also a protected class that is just emerging as an object of public policy. (MLW)

Results of a study of 298 students (grades 3, 5, and 7) enrolled in Catholic and public schools suggest that school-related curiosity decreases as a function of grade level in both school settings. The grade level effect appeared stronger in the Catholic school. No significant gender effect was noted. (IAH)

Presents a method of teaching liturgical texts, related to the lectionary. Describes Bernard L. Lee's shared homily method based on Hans-Georg Gadamer's hermeneutical movements. Illustrates how Lee's homiletic method can be adapted into a disciplined conversation with the text for use in other religious instruction. (DB)

Describes the two-year systematic process by which the Saskatoon Catholic Board of Education formulated a mission statement. This grassroots policy development, based on principles of naturalistic inquiry and consensus building, comprised four stages: consultations with 70 small discussion groups representing all stakeholders, interpretation of…