Provides biographical sketches of two Revolutionary War soldiers from New England, Joseph Plumb Martin and Seth Bullard. Emphasizes methods that explain how the war was fought and make the struggles real rather than mythical. Recommends using local sources and records and discusses recreated Revolutionary War units. Includes excerpts from Martin's…

Examines the use of life histories as a method for explaining successful aging patterns. Describes a life-history research project in which undergraduates personalize material learned in social gerontology courses, integrating the life experience and theories. Sensitizes students to the impact of social forces on successful aging. Argues this…

Autobiography has generally been recognized for its literary and artistic aspects, and as a result has been largely overlooked as an instructional method in adult and continuing education. This paper argues for a wider use of autobiography in adult and continuing education programs, proposing that autobiography actually encompasses not only the…

This case study aims to investigate the role of teachers' personal practical knowledge in interactive decision making for three pre-service non-native ESL teachers. The research question is: What role does pre-service ESL teachers' personal practical knowledge (operationalized as teaching maxims in this study) play in their interactive decisions…

The themes of adult learning, cross-cultural learning, and transformative learning are common to many continuing educators working at universities across Canada. In this essay, I narrate my experiences as a mature, adult learner returning to university. Following a literature review and discussion of methodology, I begin this autobiographical…

Three students in an autobiography class--an African-American, a woman, and a gay man struggling to come out--used their writing to both affirm their places in the world and envision another place. Having reviewed her early educational experiences as an African-American, Holly focused her essay back to her present college days and her attempts to…

Students in the two-year English education program at Trenton State College are asked to develop sourcebooks that contain their original writings, as well as "found" pieces about teaching and learning. The sourcebooks encourage students' on-going exploration of their past school experiences, the reasons for their decision to become…

"Indian Boyhood," by Charles Eastman; "Kaibah: Recollections of a Navajo Girlhood," by Kay Bennett and "The Education of Little Tree," by Forrest Carter are autobiographies that offer unique opportunities for upper elementary and junior high school students to understand the lifestyles and values of native Americans.…

This bibliography and supplement on American ethnic writing provide extensive listings of materials by or about Afro-Americans, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, and Orientals. The areas covered are novels, biography, autobiography, poetry, drama, art, folklore, music, films, records, periodicals, anthologies, bibliographies, criticism,…

This annotated bibliography contains references to materials which emphasize the strengths and accomplishments of women. It is intended for high school teachers and students who want inexpensive supplementary readings by and about women. The referenced materials are about both well-known and unknown women who have struggled for physical or…

This book is designed to help teen girls discover what a job is really like from women doing what they love. Part 1 features stories of 22 women. From who they are and how they got there to why they love what they do, the real-life stories are intended to provide girls, age 11 and up, with inside information, inspiration, and goal-tracking tips to…

This book argues for the importance of addressing the role of culture in the lives of student teachers. It explains how passionate dialogue in small groups about multicultural literature and autobiography can transform teachers' lives and practice, arguing for a broad and intellectual, yet practical and concrete, vision of teacher development in…

This paper reports on a study that examined the effects of formative experiences on the attitudes of preservice elementary teachers towards science and science teaching. Students in the science sequence of an elementary teacher preparation program wrote autobiographical essays about their experiences in science. These essays (n=56) were analyzed…

The development and contributions of Professor Ruth Eckert are presented in this autobiographical essay. Focus is on higher education as a field of graduate study and changes in higher education throughout this century. The author's experiences are set in the context of wider happenings in higher education. (Author/JMD)

This essay is the third in a series on innovators in the teaching of elementary-school science. Palmer's ideas and work on nature study and their relevance to children's education are described. His resume and a list of his publications are also included. (HM)