Discusses the need to change and improve the special education system, looking at the growth of special education; rising special education costs; and the dangers of training students for a lifetime of entitlement and to believe they are immune to discipline. Describes the three distinct populations served by special education. Concludes by…

Reviews the social sciences literature and reports on the interventions used by professionals and policymakers to reduce school violence, in addition to the effectiveness of the interventions. Recommendations consistent with social work principles are made for social workers concerned with school violence. (JPS)

Instead of relegating their assistant principal to discipline and attendance, the Frankfurt (West Germany) American High School restructured the AP role to focus on instructional leadership, employee supervision, collegiality, training, and positive student interactions. Conflict resolution, lunchtime intramurals, town hall meetings, and a…

This discussion of child abuse in children with disabilities focuses on teachers' rights and responsibilities for reporting abuse and the need to overcome barriers to reporting abuse. Recommendations to protect teachers from unwarranted allegations of abuse are also given, including creating an open classroom environment, distinguishing between…

Uses data on the oral communication of elementary school learning groups (459 Canadian students in 63 learning groups) to show how experience transcends subject-matter planning, and the paradoxical nature of planning for authentic experiences in education. Presents a framework for semiotic research into disciplinary didactics as a prototype…

Studied disciplinary differences and their impacts on preferred leadership patterns in four disciplines (history, sociology, biology, and physics) in 2 Finnish universities through 56 main interviews with faculty members. Results support the hypothesis that diverse disciplinary perspectives seem to be consistent with certain preferences concerning…

Examines 17 national standards documents from 12 key subject areas, to identify six critical thinking and reasoning skill areas that cut across core subject areas. Discusses to what extent different subject areas place different emphasis on the various thinking and reasoning skills. Discusses how thinking and reasoning should be taught. (SR)

Discusses U.S. student rights under the First Amendment, explaining that many teachers lack understanding of the First Amendment, and many schools isolate civics to the classroom and do not practice what they teach. The First Amendment Schools Project seeks to develop schools that model and teach the rights and responsibilities undergirding the…

A case study of San Jose State University examined how changes in what counts as knowledge are reflected in universities' academic structure. Found that the multidimensionality of academic structure, with bureaucratic (departmental) structure relatively fixed and programmatic (degree program) structure relatively open, enables universities to…

Describes 6th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in "Cockrel v. Schelby County School District," involving a fifth-grade teacher's claim that she was unlawfully terminated for teaching a unit on the industrial use of hemp, thus violating her First Amendment right of free speech. (PKP)

Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth was used to assess whether maternal emotional support of a child moderates the relation between spanking and behavior problems. For each group (European Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans), spanking predicted an increase in the level of problem behavior over time. Maternal emotional…

Argues against corporal punishment in schools; rebuts claims in earlier article regarding level of public approval for corporal punishment, number of times imposed, and its use and acceptance by states and school districts. Uses social-science research and case law to illustrate negative impact of corporal punishment and policymakers' decreasing…

In 1999, a coalition of child advocacy groups, the Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth, and the Law, challenged Section 43 of Canada's criminal code, which permits "reasonable force" in disciplining children. The heavily debated issue turns on judges' varied interpretations. A court decision is expected by year's end. (MLH)

Reviews literature pertaining to the preparation of music student-teaching experiences. Identifies issues that will enhance the student-teaching experience, such as developing student competencies and addressing the emotional needs of student teachers. Discusses the role and expectations for the cooperating teacher because of the influence they…

Explores the term "applied linguistics" and discusses the role of language testing within this discipline, the relationship between testing and teaching, and the relationship between testing and assessment (Author/VWL)