Contradictions in the literature abound concerning Franz Cizek's role in fostering creative art. Researchers should turn to student recollections to determine what Franz Cizek's contribution to art education really was. A former Cizek student who today is prominent in design work is interviewed. (RM)

Provided and discussed are examples of children's writing that can be valued aesthetically. Teachers should help children evaluate their own writing processes and products. This self-evaluation will help children develop their own creativity and make them more able to appreciate the writing of others. (RM)

"A Nation At Risk," the report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, lists concerns, findings, and suggestions for solutions to educational problems. Discussed here are the general educational concerns most relevant to music education. Following each concern are suggestions for improvement that can be implemented in music courses.…

Describes a theater in Roxbury, Massachusetts, which portrays collective economic, social, and political issues, and which serves as a model for student-artists to develop their own plays. Examines the process of writing, producing, and performing the plays, and the effect of playmaking on the students' historical and social awareness. (Author/CMG)

Although high school art classes stress creativity, abstracting, analytical and evaluative skills, personal motivation, caring, and commitment to one one's own work, college admissions policies tend to undervalue them. To improve the quality of education, college admissions policies should take art as seriously as other "academic" subjects. (JBM)

This digest paper presents strategies and activities that can be used to encourage gifted students to develop their individual talents in the language arts. Suggestions for exploring poetic language especially free verse, include ideas for creating group poems and catalysts for creating individual poems. Suggestions for exploring the elements of…

This journal issue presents four major articles on cultural diversity issues in the education of gifted students. The first article is "An Alternative Approach to the Identification of Gifted Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners" by Carol S. Lidz and Sheila L. Macrine. It evaluates a dynamic assessment approach to…

This report is part of a series of reports designed to document innovative daytime and supported living practices. It is based on a site visit to Katahdin Friends, Inc. (KFI) in March 1998. Since the mid-1980s, KFI, located in Millinocket, Maine, has transformed its supports for people with developmental disabilities from those that promote…

This guide is intended to help schools and classroom teachers in Alberta provide successful school experiences for gifted and talented students. Section 1 focuses on program administration, including Alberta legislation, policy, and regulations; district administration of programs; and school administration of programs. Section 2 identifies an…

Part of a series for early years teachers in Scotland, this guide focuses on ways to provide creative opportunities that support and enhance child development. The guide discusses how to respect children's creativity while observing and developing their skills and suggests practical and creative alternatives to the mass production of identical…

A workshop program sponsored by the Pasadena Art Museum to help overcome cultural handicaps. Results justify the use of creative art in changing the personality and learning patterns of disadvantaged children. (Author/AP)

Against the background of recent concern for and proposals for the survival and improvement of higher education, it is suggested that each institution must find its own place in the system based on its history, traditions, strengths, weaknesses, creativity, financial viability, leadership, and collaboration. (MSE)

Studies in the role of play in child development are classified in terms of their major correlates or dependent variables: (1) creativity, (2) problem solving, (3) language development, (4) logical skills, and (5) social knowledge. Study designs are critically examined, and internal and external validity problems are noted. (Author/PN)

Reviews research on the effects of Montessori schooling on children. Results are presented in six sections: (1) general verbal intelligence; (2) perceptual, motor, and performance IQ development; (3) academic achievement and school readiness; (4) attention, concentration, resistance to distraction, and impulsiveness; (5) Piagetian conceptual…

Focusing on progressivism, the author attacks the way in which teaching media was seen as an opportunity for students to give vent to their own experiences. Calls for practical work which concentrates on cognitive rather than experiential development. (PD)