Briefly discusses the role that rites of passage play in traditional cultures and considers the possibilities inherent in incorporating this social concept into middle school art projects. Defines middle school as a transitional stage in adolescent development characterized by institutional and personal separation that lends itself to these…

Two studies involving 84 fifth and sixth graders and 77 sixth and seventh graders explored the component orientations of spirituality, affect, and communalism of an Afrocultural social ethos and their connections with psychological functioning among inner-city African American youth. Positive endorsement and moderate correlations among the…

Maintains that, counter to popular opinion, guns played no significant role in U.S. frontier life until the Civil War era. Evidence from probate and militia records reveal a consistent lack of gun ownership while magazine articles painted unflattering portraits of gun ownership and hunting. Discusses reasons for the change. (MJP)

Contends that open societies that lack official ideologies may find it difficult to determine educational objectives. Maintains that new trends in educational policy formation include deinstitutionalization of the educational system, efficiency expectations, multiculturalism, choice, and participation. (CFR)

Maintains that most attempts to depict American Indians contain at least two fatal flaws: (1) they portray the 19th century as the best period for Native American culture; and (2) they show Indians only in conjunction with non-Indian aggressions. Provides an overview of efforts by Indians to develop multitribal cultural activities. (CFR)

Investigates the underlying reasons for the development of a negative self-concept in Canadian Native children attending public elementary schools. Maintains that a child-centered curriculum and instructional strategies will provide the learning environment necessary to foster positive attitudes. (CFR)

Argues that the integration of mainstream literacy into social studies instruction is necessary to ensure that students in urban middle school classrooms learn content. Also argues for instruction from a "multiple literacies" approach in order to validate and engage disinterested students. (CFR)

Increased use of English in Singapore, a multiracial, multilingual country, especially its use for cultural purposes, has met with some controversy. This article traces the historical development of Singaporean literature in English and the sociocultural and political problems such literature faces in a country where the official languages and…

Discusses how Cold War ideological models provide a way to examine the U.S. role in world affairs. Discusses and compares on the writings of Paul Gagnon and Noam Chomsky on this topic. Concludes that students should stand outside both models to develop a meaningful perspective on the U.S. role during the Cold War. (CFR)

Maintains that schools must help children become adults in the most violent nation in the industrialized world. Discusses four types of youth violence: (1) situational; (2) relationship; (3) predatory; and (4) psychopathological. Concludes that schoolwide prevention programs are essential. (CFR)

Asserts that, in the urban classrooms of the early 20th century, women teachers faced two contradictory images: (1) the idealized view of the gentle, nurturing teacher; and (2) the reality of the harsh working conditions in city schools. Concludes that administrators were content to let classroom teachers deal with disciplinary issues. (CFR)

Asserts that, in the fields of the arts and education, the United States faces an intersection of opportunities to bring the arts into education with more depth. Maintains that the arts are essential for effective living today. Discusses Hannah Arendt's three forms of human activity--labor, work, and action--and relates the role of the arts to…

Maintains that, while geographers have been using films for some time, it is only recently that the full power of this medium has been recognized. Argues that teachers should be aware of subtexts within films that mark significant cultural and political biases. Discusses a list of films used in a college introductory geography course. (CFR)

Argues that nonmainstream (nonwhite and nonmiddle class) students do not perform as well in school as do mainstream students because they are not equitably served by the educational system. Equity issues in the literacy education of minorities are explored, examining student characteristics, sociocultural factors, language issues, and…

Discusses the ideology contained in Caribbean literature as influenced by Marxism, feminism, politics, and the fragmented sociopolitical history of the region. Examines the short story "Isolda's Mirror" as it relates to the new socioeconomic system in Puerto Rico caused by industrialization and the resulting political and economic…