This response to Tozer's position paper on the social foundations of education (SFE) suggests that, to realize SFE's distinctive contribution to effective teaching, social foundations educators need a common discourse. SFE is a distinctive field of study within education that utilizes a distinctive methodology and emphasizes a distinctive content.…

Suggests that Tozer's draft position paper on the social foundations of education could be improved by asserting more directly the substantive values that professional organizations wish to forward. The article recommends forwarding standards informed by educators' own scholarship that are theoretically tenable. (SM)

A qualitative study explored eight elementary principals' conceptions about leadership and management constructs; beliefs about the role of their personal philosophies; and language used to describe themselves, their work, and their schools. Principals identified four issues: conflicting roles, being there, evolving as leaders, and balancing…

The literature profiles few schools that have determined to democratize their existing, primarily authoritarian structures. This article discusses reasons for democratization and summarizes participant responses in two schools in England and South Africa that have attempted such changes. Both studies explore the role of pupil participation in…

People leading renewing lives typically recognize and break out of ruts; engage in self-inquiry; view education as a lifelong process; embrace failure as a learning experience; and pursue mutually respectful, caring relationships--a complex process. Reformers often ignore organizational complexities in pursuit of outdated accountability notions.…

Discusses disciplinary actions against the principal of a small, suburban elementary school in Westchester County, New York, from several vantage points: the legal story, the whole-language story, the leadership story, and the school in the community story. Discusses the struggle of public schools both to constitute and to relate to the policies…

Presents a lesson plan for grades 9 through 12 that examines the making of foreign policy based on human-rights concerns. Helps students to understand the complexities of international relations and to clarify the beliefs and values about the appropriate role of human rights when making foreign policy. Provides two handouts. (CMK)

Explores why universities are an appropriate and central partner in the effort to develop and sustain better schools and communities, and what can be done by government, foundations, and higher education to create and sustain comprehensive, strongly symbiotic, mutually beneficial school-community-university partnerships based on the American…

Investigates the five factors that affect teachers' use of discussion as a means to promote more frequent use of that strategy. Shows that teachers' perceptions of their students influence their teaching techniques. Concludes that familiarizing future teachers about discussion as a teaching strategy could encourage its use in the classroom. (CMK)

Discusses the importance of democratic citizenship education in Korea. Highlights the forces enhancing democratic citizenship education especially the role of the nongovernmental organizations and the Korean Educational Developmental Institute. Considers the various forces inhibiting democratic citizenship education, such as corruption in the…

Today's students need countless opportunities to turn information into knowledge that helps them understand themselves, others, and the world. Emergent teacher leadership will help students practice democracy. Principals must partner with teachers to create time for staff to converse, learn together, and convert schools to learning centers. (MLH)

In France, the democratization of access to higher education has allowed young people from various social classes to attend college. However, institutions of higher learning have had to make financial, organizational, and pedagogical adaptations to mass schooling. Students have varied living conditions and must tackle autonomy and initiative…

Evaluates professionalism in contemporary context and suggests ways to enhance educational institutions' learning capability. The new professionalism stresses use of democratic collaboration to confront bureaucratic constraints and disciplinary power in an uncertain age. New professionals must self-consciously create and recreate collaborative…

Describes how one first-grade teacher makes democracy happen in her classroom. Describes the teacher's role in setting up and supporting a democratic classroom where students and teacher work together to make decisions about the learning that goes on in the class, and in determining a supportive physical environment with materials available to all…

Neo-liberal and neo-conservative groups have become allies committed to redefining our ideas about democracy, equality, and the common good. This article examines how moral and biological arguments are being used to justify conservative policies in education and the larger society. Alternative progressive models are advocated. (26 references) (MLH)