IN 1970, ability tracking of students at one high school was more strongly associated with political beliefs and participation than was students' socioeconomic background. Participation in an alternative school program in 1979 appeared to have the same effects on political attitudes and behavior than ability tracking did in 1970. (Author/MJL)

Describes a college sociology course on the relationship of language and ethnicity, whose topics include intergroup communication and miscommunication; representation of ethnicity in cultural texts; and the role of ethnicity in socialization, values, religion, and social institutions. Development of the course, choice of instructional materials,…

Offers some examples of integrating character education into curriculum and instruction through service learning and provides a rationale for incorporating service learning throughout the grades. Briefly summarizes educational research supporting service learning and identifies five critical elements of service learning projects. Provides a list…

Analyzed conversations within mother-kindergartner dyads for tendencies to discuss specific categories of child-other relationships, differences in tendencies with gender and ethnicity, and the association between discussed categories and children's perceived peer acceptance. Found that discussion categories varied with gender, ethnicity, and…

Criticizes the national civics standards for emphasizing shared political values over political participation, oversimplifying the relationships among U.S. political values, and relying upon elite statements to identify those values. Characterizes the proposed standards as a symbolic ritual for reinforcing cultural hegemony. (MJP)

Recommends building Russia's educational system into a bulwark against corrupting foreign influences. Maintains that Russian culture and society are under siege from internal tensions and external influences. Advocates a vigorous policy of cultural heritage education coordinated with positive socialization. (MJP)

Formulates a pedagogical position that articulates religious experience as complementary to formal-rational thought. Recent postmodernist criticism has located secular thinking as a coequal position to subjective religious experience on the now-leveled philosophical playing field. Explores what this newfound (academic) respectability means for…

Examines the interplay of social, cultural, and political factors involved in the education of native women in Southern Rhodesia between 1900 and 1934. Although originally conceived as a program stressing domesticity and social control, the women became active participants, transforming themselves into educational leaders. (MJP)

Argues that teachers of English as a Second Language should be cautious in using critical thinking pedagogies in the classroom. Notes that critical thinking is a social practice attracting criticism for being exclusive and that skills related to critical thinking are culturally based and do not seem to transfer beyond a narrow instructional…

Explores the tension felt by young Canadian women between the desire for domesticity and the aspiration for economic independence. This tension is exacerbated by the dual messages sent by societal institutions (primarily school and the media) as well as economic and social change. (MJP)

Evaluated social competence and problem behaviors among 217 Russian preschoolers. Found anxiety-withdrawal, anger-aggression, and social competence factors similar to those found in American, Canadian, French, and Spanish children. Found a mix of universal and culturally specific features that may be connected to gender stereotypes prevailing in…

Validated the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Inventory (SCBE-30) in eight countries. Found in all samples structural equivalence, pattern of gender differences generalized across cultural contexts, and age differences. Established data set to investigate universal and cultural differences in the development of preschool children's…

Contends citizenship education should teach a living U.S. Constitution, rather than a blueprint for government. Stresses teachers' responsibility to instruct students about responsibilities as citizens as well as rights. Argues citizenship education, specifically, and social studies, in general, must teach individuals how to live together with…

Eight papers are presented that describe the daily experience of White American children in grades 5 through 9. Each paper examines a segment of daily activity (e.g., schoolwork, talking, sports) and the associated affective states for 401 participants to provide a picture of the life space of early adolescence. (SLD)

Endorses the movement, popular among parents and teachers, for implementing ethical instruction in the K-12 curriculum. Discusses the needs and benefits of such instruction. Examines the question of "whose values" are to be taught, and arrives at a consensus of core values, including honesty, compassion, self-discipline, and respect.…