Describes contraints on reading instruction, such as basal readers, assessment methods, and academic competition in the classroom. Presents a motivational agenda for improving reading instruction that removes the focus on ego and extrinsic goals and stresses self-appraisal and development of positive attitudes. Includes 45 references. (MLH)

Describes the development of reciprocal teaching--an instructional procedure originally designed to improve poor readers' text comprehension--and its application in Springfield, Illinois, schools. Research is clustered into three types of studies: effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility. Program implementation, evaluation, and success factors…

Describes a Long Island, New York, school district's staff development project designed to improve student learning and thinking strategies by applying interactive and constructive learning theory. The three-year project focused on bettering reading instruction across the curriculum and used teacher-selected materials and demonstration lessons to…

Despite the growing popularity of Madeline Hunter's Program for Effective Teaching staff development model, there is little evidence that student achievement increases after such a program has been implemented. A recent study of South Carolina achievement test data corroborates this assertion. Coaching length and quality may be key factors in…

Charges that the Mandeville and Rivers article in the same "Educational Leadership" issue is seriously flawed for failing to address whether teachers actually used Hunter's Program for Effective Teaching techniques as intended. Only careful observation of the 25 participating teachers with two years' experience using the ideas could "prove" that…

Commends Mandeville and Rivers' article in the same "Educational Leadership" issue for demonstrating familiarity with the Hunter staff development model and acknowledging the importance of proper implementation strategies. Presents evidence showing that abbreviated training periods and insufficient coaching are to blame for the model's failure in…

Students are often served up a "simplistic stew" that reinforces news media and political pronouncements about the Soviet Union. It's time to remove the "enemy" label and build positively on American and Soviet shared humanity by providing accurate information about both countries. Includes one reference. (MLH)

Mikhail Gorbachev's "glasnost" seeks to transform a large, multiethnic nation ruled for decades by an aging, entrenched, and stagnant bureaucracy. Educators will be challenged to provide students with accurate, objective information about the Soviet Union and to emphasize U.S.-U.S.S.R. similarities without minimizing differences. Includes a…

The conventional U.S. picture traces the Cold War to Soviet violation of wartime agreements, while the U.S.S.R. defends its actions as responses to American violations and foreign adventurism. An understanding of how ideology is shaped by national self-interest will help students see beyond propaganda and myth in interpreting past and current…

Using U.S. and Soviet political cartoons over the past century, this article argues that lasting peace is a more likely byproduct of education than of politics and conformity-instilling propaganda. The key is our ability and willingness to examine our perceptions and those of others. (MLH)

Describes a cooperative Educators for Social Responsibility Project to develop materials enabling American and Soviet teachers to teach about each others' countries and U.S.-Soviet relations in a realistic manner. Some major challenges are differing vocabularies and concepts, lack of Soviet educators' experience with critical or independent…

Soviet education's purpose is to improve its population's skills and technical ability in order to strengthen the country's economic and military power. Soviet teachers enjoy higher status than their U.S. counterparts, but are paid less than the average skilled worker. Despite "glasnost," educational "perestroika" (restructuring) is not imminent.…

Provides a resource list of 15 organizations, projects, programs, and curriculum materials for use by American schools to encourage better U.S. and Soviet relations. Organizations include Educators for Social Responsibility, the Ground Zero Pairing Project, and the Samantha Smith Foundation. (MLH)

Today private-sector partnerships and business involvement aimed at improving the educational system operate at several levels: (1) policy; (2) systemic educational improvements; (3) management assistance; (4) teacher training and development; and (5) classroom programs. Early intervention for the future work force is the motivating factor.…

Describes Project Teach, a program to place volunteers in classrooms. Volunteers from more than 80 area businesses worked to fill hundreds of three-hour teaching slots so that elementary teachers could receive released-time computer training that the district could not have afforded otherwise. (MLH)