All students should learn the language of art to add meaning to their lives. (Author)

Discusses the process by which the Weston (Massachusetts) Public Schools chose a secondary school core curriculum. Describes six issues the district had to settle, three guidelines it followed in planning its curriculum choice process, and the seven-step process it used to define its core curriculum. (RW)

Describes the International Baccalaureate (IB), a demanding core curriculum with rigorous examinations developed for secondary students in Europe. Discusses the reactions of several U.S. educators who have used the IB and presents sample questions from IB examinations. (RW)

Secondary school students in Pine River, Minnesota, need enough common knowledge to compete with graduates of other schools, but educators must keep in mind--as they move toward a more uniform curriculum--that each community is unique. (Author/RW)

Defends comprehensive high schools against critics, past and present, who advocate specialized high schools or dual or tripartite systems separating college-bound from noncollege-bound students. Argues that comprehensive high schools promote social class integration and democratic values, and notes James B. Conant's role in supporting…

Reports on observations in 34 class periods of six elementary teachers teaching spelling. Notes that much of the time was not devoted to actual instruction. Reviews the methods of spelling instruction that research has found effective and recommends ways that administrators can help improve spelling instruction, including classroom observation.…

In response to the preceding article by Robert L. Hillerich in the same issue of "Educational Leadership," the author argues that Hillerich's recommendations for spelling instruction do not take into account recent research on the cognitive processes involved in learning to spell. (RW)

Describes the "schools-within-a-school" elementary program at Broken Ground School in Concord, New Hampshire, where parents and teachers are involved in choosing the learning environment best suited for each child, either the more formal "Conventional School" or the more individualized "Continuous Progress School." (RW)

A meta-analysis of 52 studies of ability grouping in elementary and secondary schools indicates that, except for high ability students in honors classes, ability grouping has little significant effect on student learning outcomes, self-concept, or attitudes toward school and subject matter. (Author/RW)