To address the professional needs of principals and other middle management supervisors, school boards might consider meet-and-discuss sessions, a middle ground between unilateral board action and collective bargaining. Sessions are nonbinding, produce better decisions, confront root causes of job dissatisfaction, and can strengthen the management…

Describing secondary schools as a nineteenth century environment where students are segregated by test scores, this article discusses changes that are necessary in teaching, administration, curriculum, and teacher student relationships in order to have democratic, viable schools. (MT)

Examines the dynamics involved when preschoolers aged five years attempt to build replicas of Lego models, either by working alone or with another. Results show that collaboration was more conducive to learning than was independent work and that children were able to generalize their skills. (Author/RWB)

A healthy school climate occurs when school personnel work together to create an environment that is productive, nurturing, positive, and supportive. Such an environment promotes social networking, cooperative behavior, and creative and self-enhancing independence within a framework of personal responsibility and accountability. (MT)

Reviews the literature that deals with the political ramifications of weeding material from academic library collections and the need to involve users and other libraries within the institution in the decision process. (14 references) (CLB)

This article outlines the types of school programs that will build on the strengths of educationally disadvantaged students, bring them into the mainstream, and prepare them for economic, political, and social participation. (MT)

The authors state that 50 percent of current participative work groups will dissolve. They focus on some of the actual problems associated with participative work group strategies. They discuss (1) macroorganizational issues, (2) organizational hierarchy, (3) climate of uncertainty, (4) leadership conflicts, and (5) microorganizational issues. (CH)

Teachers harbor extraordinary leadership capabilities--a major untapped rsource for improving U.S. schools. This article explains how principals can share leadership by articulating goals, entrusting and relinquishing authority, involving teachers in decision-making, assigning responsibilities wisely, sharing responsibility for both success and…

Borrowing from Madeline Hunter, school districts should define staff development as school- or district-wide efforts to improve the quality of teacher decision-making. This article outlines a six-step process (including needs assessment, brainstorming, strategic plannning, communicating plans, coaching for effectiveness, and periodic monitoring)…

Both school boards and parent teacher associations should have a systematic program for exchanging information and for involving parents in school policy-making processes. Responsibilities of each group are listed. (CB)

To offset declining enrollments, financial constraints, younger faculties, and high tenure ratios, some institutions are considering early retirement programs to facilitate faculty turnover. A University of Virginia faculty committee reviewed several early retirement options and selected a cost-effective bridging program with ample incentives and…

Discusses the founding of a post-World War I mass circulation periodical, PARENTS' MAGAZINE, aimed at educating parents in new child-rearing practices through research supported by the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial (LSRM) fund program. Also discusses unsuccessful efforts of two chief program officers to maintain control over magazine…

Outlines a participatory approach to social studies education called "skills-in-living." This approach defines schooling and classroom work not as preparation for life, but life itself and emphasizes the application of social science concepts and generalizations to the real life decision-making, participation, communication, interaction skills of…

Argues that administrations might better support teachers if they provided: (1) up-to-date technology, such as Xerox machines; (2) "guilt-free" time for curriculum work or special projects; and (3) more opportunities for teacher participation in school decision making. (KH)

Examines a recent trend in American businesses--workplace democracy--and what it means for education, with specific suggestions for classroom methodology. Discusses democracy in American businesses, education's role in preparing future business employees, and suggestions for business educators. (CT)