Discusses the importance of creating a large-ensemble handbook to help students, parents, administrators, and staff. Addresses the types of information a director should include in the handbook, such as a program overview, ensemble description, an event calendar, and explanations of policies and procedures. (CMK)

This article highlights the three sets of policy issues that particularly affect students with emotional and behavioral disorders: issues related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; continued concerns with school discipline and safety; and the focus on accountability in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. (Contains references.)…

Highlights of an ongoing forum of educators serving students with special educational needs (SEN) in Great Britain focus on concerns about writing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in light of the revised "SEN Code of Practice." These concerns address time constraints, the importance of students' individual needs, ways of…

Presents a study in which participants of the Virtual Geography Department (VGD) at the University of Texas (Austin) were interviewed in order to learn about the effects the VGD had on their educational practice. Demonstrates that the VGD inspires innovative practice in geography by training faculty members in online instruction. (CMK)

Examines how young children in preschools use the criterion of movement to determine whether an object, in this case plants, is living or non-living. Reports that children presented a conceptual change classifying the plant as alive using explanations including dependence on environment and other functions. Includes references. (CMK)

Details a three-pronged approach to education used in the preschool through secondary level at St. John's School in India: developing students' human resources potential, introducing students to emerging technologies, and making conventional education interesting and meaningful. Describes the use of synergy meetings in which staff learn to know…

Pros and cons of the Regular Education Initiative are presented in terms of legal premises, labeling and classification, funding, effectiveness, teacher competencies, curriculum, and professional barriers. It is concluded that the initiative has achieved much and will achieve more as the debate continues, but debate should be used as a learning…

The ethnographic study of four successful intermediate level resource teachers working with high risk urban children found similarities in their instruction of reading comprehension (e.g., using activities personally meaningful to the child) and changing students' miscue patterns. Significant differences also emerged as well as nonuse of some…

Looks closely at 19 myths about whole language teaching, learning, and assessment. Presents the myths not to criticize teachers but to help all teachers examine their pedagogical assumptions and to learn from the contradictions found. (MG)

Explores the purpose of a university in and for a democracy. Argues that because mass media increase the capacity of dominant groups to impose their beliefs on the populace, teachers must present dissenting views to restore objectivity. Urges colleges to allow courses which focus on how institutions mobilize support for dominant elites of wealth…

Describes student-centered curriculum development for grades 7-12 at the Kickapoo Nation School. Discusses the merger of open education concepts and the Circle of Learning philosophy to provide education consistent with American Indian cultural values, but appropriate to functioning in the modern world. (SV)

Reviews the occupation of English Victorian governess in terms of geographical variations, the bureaucratization of the position, background of candidates, and the inequalities suffered by persons engaging in this profession. Offers case histories of governesses in an effort to characterize those who engaged in this profession. (KO)

Maintains that graduation exercises are developmentally inappropriate for young children. Discusses developmentally appropriate alternative end-of-the-year activities. (BB)

Identified are persistent and recurrent patterns in the history of biology education. Major influences and goals of the last century are stressed. Four major aims identified are knowledge, methods, personal, and social. These aims are used as a framework for the discussion. (CW)

Describes the history and accreditation of Canadian engineering education. Presents statistical data and discusses enrollments by major discipline at undergraduate and graduate levels. Points out four major problems related to engineering education: lack of financial resources; lack of infrastructure support; shortage of well-qualified…