Asserts that the Russian educational system is facing a crisis of confidence among its teachers and students regarding employment opportunities after leaving secondary education. Calls for educational reform in curriculum and instructional methods that can provide periodic retraining as economic changes occur. (CFR)

Maintains that, over the past 25 years, Native Americans in Canada have managed to gain control of their own educational systems. Contends that, with the current political structure, achieving and maintaining continuity and stability is difficult but not impossible. (CFR)

Reports on an analysis of history textbooks used in Canadian schools during the 1930s. Presents a set of six criteria used by the evaluators. Concludes that the textbook study is a reminder of the period when the social studies curriculum was the subject of political criticism from the left. (CFR)

Reviews educational reform efforts in Israel. Identifies mechanisms that constrain reform in a centralized educational system. Contends that successful reform implementation requires responding to client needs and efforts to unite both political interest groups in support of reform policies. (CFR)

Maintains that struggle has been part of Vietnamese history. Asserts that a new social studies curriculum focuses on the context of historical struggle against foreign domination combined with contemporary socialism and communism. Describes the Vietnamese educational system with particular focus on secondary social studies. (CFR)

The national socialization of children through public schooling involves "dumbing children down" so they are unable to use democratic machinery and traditions to defend themselves against a managed society. This practice also eliminates local control of educational goals and practices, allowing families to be replaced by the hired voices…

Asserts that the 1994 National Geography Standards provide a new and valuable resource for teachers who want to improve geography instruction. Presents a sampler of additional geography instructional materials developed during this same period of educational reform. (CFR)

A documentary on the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in Industry shows how educators challenged social inequality, offering an overview relevant to teacher and administrator preparation programs. The article examines issues of participation, transformation, and political consciousness as related to the documentary, discussing educational…

The University of Houston's master's degree program in social work with concentration in political social work is described. The debates surrounding political social work education, which is a social-change-oriented curriculum, the importance of political actors and context in development of the program, and the nature of the program's integrated…

This workshop section includes six articles on the celebration of holidays in day-care centers: (1) "Going One Step Further: No Traditional Holidays"; (2) "A Questionnaire for Families about Celebrations"; (3) "Celebrations, Festivals, Holidays: What Should We Be Doing?"; (4) "Ideas for Celebrations"; (5)…

Reports on the responses of headteachers and teachers in 570 primary schools in England and Wales to the introduction of the national curriculum in art. Finds that a significant majority of the respondents welcomed the national curriculum. (CFR)

Derailed superintendencies are a colossal waste of talent and resources. Major causes include interpersonal-relationship problems, conflict with district staff, micromanagement, and failure to make strategic decisions during transitional times. Superintendents should establish rapport with principals, build trust throughout the organization, and…

Examines opportunity-to-learn (OTL) standards, which define conditions that schools, districts, and states must meet to ensure students an equal education. Offers an explanation of the states' historical inability to influence equal education, and proposes principles for designing new state policies. Includes recommendations to the states for…

When seeking to maintain autonomy, universities must be aware of three temptations: politicization, through both involvement in external political conflicts and imposing political orthodoxy internally; diversion of faculty energy from teaching and research toward excessive external consulting; and emphasis on commercial activity for its own sake…

Discusses how to prevent discouragement in disadvantaged students. Because systems cause at-risk students to feel inadequate, the article suggests only systemic change can repair the problem. Too many students lose in the present reward-and-punishment evaluation system. Effective schools must make students believe they have equal educational…