Discussion of problems presented by the introduction of preschool children into an elementary school setting focuses on implications for school librarians. Topics discussed include educational backgrounds of preschool teachers and school librarians; cooperation between teachers, librarians, and parents; characteristics of preschool children; and…

Presents a discussion illustrating student reasoning while using LOGO to draw tilted squares and rectangles. Suggests that teachers recognize that many students use visual imagery to reason and discuss visual reasoning with students. Gives examples of tasks to promote discussion. (MDH)

A longitudinal study followed Brian from grade five through grade seven to examine his representation and development of mathematical knowledge. Some observations over the four years were that Brian liked to figure things out, responded poorly to suggestions not fitting the representation he constructed, and changed attitudes from purposeful and…

It is hypocritical to oppose black immersion schools (BISs) as resegregationist. BISs are a solution to urban school problems proposed in areas where integration has failed. BISs are a reaction to that failure, not a cause of it. To succeed, BISs must address issues of social and economic justice. (SLD)

A fifth-grade teacher describes her investigation of direct teaching of collaborative skills, explaining how she taught explicit cooperative skills and documented her findings. The teacher describes patterns of higher-quality journal entries, improved collaborative skills, increased self-esteem, transfer of collaborative skills to new contexts,…

Presented are activities that focus on gathering, using, and interpreting data about fingerprints as a basis for integrating mathematics and science. Patterns, classification, logical reasoning, and mathematical relationships are explored by making graphs, classifying fingerprints, and matching identical fingerprints. A parent-involvement activity…

Teaching about refugees and having refugees as students requires examining ethical questions concerning responsibilities of U.S. citizens and providing refuge for oppressed peoples. Suggests that, through teaching historical understanding of these issues, one builds community in multi-ethnic classrooms and helps to combat hostility toward newly…

Outlines global social problems that educational systems will face in the foreseeable future. Focuses on developmental priorities of Soviet education, emphasizing the importance of educating students to meet social production needs while fostering individual development. Imagines features of the school of the twenty-first century, stressing the…

To make educational assessments and comparisons meaningful, dropout data must be collected according to the same definitions, by the same procedures, and over the same time periods. A 31-state pilot project represents an effort by the National Center for Education Statistics to standardize data collection about high school completion. (SLD)

Social and governmental policies have attempted to improve the lives of children in poverty, but negative outcomes continue for African-American youth. Policy and programs for youth must be sensitive to developmental processes, racial and ethnic affiliation, and the environmental structures that put students at risk. (SLD)

Critiques the Bush Administration's "America 2000" education initiative, in particular the call for national testing as a major tool for student assessment and education reform. Discusses the difficulty of designing accurate instruments, the drain on resources for other needs, and the ineffectiveness of testing as an agent for reform.…

Challenges to civil rights and affirmative action in the 1990s are identified. Five cases of racial, sex, ethnic, and reverse discrimination behind the Civil Rights bills of 1990 and 1991 are discussed. The ultimate challenge is to demonstrate that if civil rights litigants win, others need not lose. (SLD)

This paper outlines the changes that occur in family systems when a child is diagnosed with special needs and examines the structure of dysfunctional families in which there is a child with physical disabilities, including chronic illness; behavior disorders, including social maladjustment; learning disabilities; or mental retardation. (JDD)

Comparison of results of a 1980 survey of schools of education with a 1989-90 survey of 321 departments of elementary education indicates that little progress is being made in infusing multicultural education into teacher training programs. Failing to train teachers in multicultural education will have lasting detrimental effects. (SLD)

Argues that white, upper-middle-class adolescents are particularly vulnerable to depression, suicide, alcohol/substance abuse, date rape, anxiety, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. Discusses lack of parental involvement and the difficulties wealthy youth have in developing inner resources. Recommends involving students in service projects and…