In Alex Haley's "Autobiography of Malcolm X" (1965), Haley recounts the life of an historical personage of enduring controversy. Whether one reveres or reviles Malcolm, "X", Little, his is a fascinating story of lifelong learning. Rather than conforming to one theory, Malcolm's learning is well explained by certain theorists at certain times in…

Using published research studies, writings of experts in the literacy field, and anecdotes from the author's own experiences, this article examines the reading motivation and disposition of preservice teachers and suggests ways that children's literature courses positively affect both. Ideas of social modeling, constructivist course design, and…

Social work, like other disciplines, has long used case studies as a (1) methodological approach to communicating a body of knowledge, and (2) as a tangible means to acquaint students with archetypical applications of realistic conditions. In social work, one required course sequence enhanced by case study assessments is Human Behavior and the…

This author, a teacher of American Indian and Alaskan Native literature at an all-native school, contends that suppression of Indigenous literary texts is an aspect of colonization, and that reclamation of Indigenous American literature is a critical component of cultural sovereignty. In her classes, she emphasizes the hybrid nature of…

This collection of essays blends autobiography and literary criticism to examine conflicts currently raging around feminism, multiculturalism, and political correctness, both on college campuses and on the larger American scene. The collection begins by probing key experiences of "growing up white and female" in the 50s and 60s and then…

An extensive body of knowledge is showing that the links between how teachers think and feel about themselves affects their performance. One coordinator of a new teacher program, comprised of teachers from preschool to high school, asks her new teachers to reflect by writing biography poetry. The coordinator used the poem framework at the…

For two working-class academics/editors, the book they co-edited, "This Fine Place So Far from Home: Voices of Academics from the Working Class," is a working-class book masquerading as a traditional scholarly work. Over 100 submissions were received for the collection, and most were autobiographical and did not resemble scholarly essays…

Prepared by experienced classroom teachers from all levels, the articles in this book explain how to use biography and autobiography as a basis for the thorough study of a topic in literature, history, the social sciences, or other subject areas. The nine articles in the first section of the book use Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird…

The goal of this research project was to design a personality test which would help select, guide, and place prospective teachers into situations where they would be happiest and most effective. A Developmental Self and Child Concept Scales (DSCCS) test was developed and administered to 81 women attending a graduate teacher training program. In…

This study describes a workshop course for high school students interested in writing articles, biographies, and humorous essays. Emphasis is on form and content, with special attention to the development of individual styles. Course objectives for the student include: (1) imitating various sentence structures, paragraph constructions, and unique…

While practicing medicine in the Harney Valley of southeastern Oregon, Dr. W. L. Marsden became interested in the language of the Northern Paiute Indians. From 1891 until his death in 1913, he collected linguistic material. His principal informant and teacher was "Patotzi", known as Captain Louey or Captain Louey Crook. A member of the…

These eight booster units have been designed to provide extra, targeted support for pupils in Year 6. Each unit is based on teaching objectives from the National Literacy Strategy Framework but also focuses on Target Statements for Writing (spelling, sentence construction, language effects, punctuation, purpose and organization, and process). Each…

This book describes one writing a teacher's personal story of working in a Wyoming public high school for 30 years. The book provides answers to questions intrinsic to the life of teaching, addresses a teacher's role in school reform and a students' role in a crowded public high school, while presenting a teacher's autobiography in the form of…

Uses autobiographical narratives by authors and student collaborators to construct a criticism of retention programs and these programs' promotion of institutional racism. Examines historical deculturization, the objectification of students of color, and the power-knowledge nexus. Concludes with suggestions for establishing the credibility of…