Presents 10 major issues parents need to address effectively in order to advocate for their children's education (safety, discipline, practices and policies, grading, labels, bias, curriculum and schedules, standardized tests, homework, and subject anxiety). The article suggests appropriate questions to ask the schools. (SM)

The effects of gender and behavior as perceived by teachers on their judgments of the academic skills of their students were studied for 794 students in kindergarten through grade 2 in public and parochial schools. Results show that teacher perceptions are a significant part of their scholastic judgments. (SLD)

Classroom assessment of writing is considered from an anthropological perspective as practitioners' tool use. Pan Canadian data from a 2002 English teacher questionnaire (N = 4070) about self-reported assessment practices were analyzed in terms of tool choice and use by secondary teachers of different experience and qualification levels. Four…

This book for college faculty provides a resource for developing, using, and grading classroom exams. The first chapter addresses ways to determine what content should be included on an exam. The second chapter identifies testing considerations such as number of exams, difficulty level of items, and test length. Chapters 3 and 4 provide guidelines…

This annual serial volume contains 22 articles offering practical pedagogical ideas from faculty at New Hampshire technical colleges. Section I, "Learners Conversing," includes "'Cheering': A Prelude to a Street Dweller," by Thomas Gorka; "Illusions of Fear: Unleashing My Writing," by Bruce Maville; and "Claremont's Writing Workshop," a transcript…

Policies and practices related to grading at 14 colleges and universities (8 public and 6 private) and how they have changed between 1980 and 1990 were studied along with the grading orientations and practices of over 500 faculty members. Changes between 1980 and 1990 that may have affected grades include greater prescription of the curriculum,…

Rather than providing an anthology of tests and assessment techniques, this book focuses on academic success and its maintenance and the role of testing. The discussion opens with a consideration of the relationship between assessment and curriculum. It is important to consider carefully what it is we want to teach, and it is equally important to…

A statewide survey of 536 randomly selected Virginia secondary school teachers of academic subjects explored practices and opinions concerning various aspects of classroom testing and grading. The main focus was on the use of preestablished percentage scales as a basis for evaluating students. The responses suggested that large proportions of…

This report explores some of the complexities involved in setting, maintaining, and judging standards in higher education, and examines the interactive effects that the standards of schools and colleges have on each other, with special emphasis on the implications of selective college admission practices. Focus is on whether current standards are…

Ethical dilemmas faced by many academicians in the course of their work activities and role demands are described in eight articles and 24 case illustrations. Article titles and authors are as follows: "The Academician as Good Citizen" (Bruce H. Charnov); "Fundamental Means to Ethical Teaching" (Gordon A. Walter, Mary Ann Von Glinow); "Concern for…

Designed to acquaint new instructors at the Community College of Vermont (CCV) with the workings of the college and to offer all instructors some thoughts and tips to enhance their teaching experience, this handbook presents a mix of information on theory and practice of teaching and learning and on practical administrative matters. Following…

Designed specifically for graduate assistants teaching composition at Michigan State University (MSU), this handbook provides a general information base for teaching assistants, offering practical advice and discussing various aspects of course design, classroom practice, and the logistics of teaching at a large public university. A section on…

A longitudinal study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC), in Illinois, to observe the performance and achievement of students entering the college each fall from 1967 through 1986. Academic and personal data from transcripts were analyzed for randomly selected samples of 200 full- and 200 part-time students from each fall's…

This update is designed to provide information on the conversion in the Atlanta public school system from a quarter to a semester plan. The major tasks, the semester schedule, and the recommended grading system are all outlined. A section on kindergarten provides material on proposed curriculum and support materials, the suggested weekly block of…

The educational system of Ghana is described, and placement recommendations concerning Ghanian students who want to study in the United States are presented. The country's old educational structure and the one in place since 1974 are briefly considered. For the West African School Certificate and the General Certificate of Education, information…