Asserts that bringing politics into the classroom can help students to become critical thinkers and effective communicators. Argues that, as students begin to desire and even create their own Camelots by improving themselves and then their governments, they learn what the world needs teaching. Describes the process used to bring politics into the…

Describes how a ninth grade teacher uses film, fiction, and composition to teach civic literacy. States that peer-response and peer-editing groups were also used. (PRA)

Describes how Charles Dickens'"Christmas Carol" provided a sense of community and helped to shape civic identity in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students. (PRA)

Describes a three-week project using cooperative learning groups where students address the question of the future of their Arizona community. Demonstrates how groups discussed, argued, and tried to come to consensus for developing a comprehensive community land-use proposal. (PRA)

Lists four ideas for gaining help from administrators in dealing with alienated remedial students. Suggests and demonstrates choosing materials that appeal to the students rather than to the teachers, and creating activities that engage and challenge the students. (PRA)

Answers and rebuts an article by Larry Johannessen (in the same issue of the journal) that offers ways for teachers to deal with and help alienated remedial students. Addresses the issues of administrative help, the effect of the interests and enthusiasm of the teacher, and the inner resources of teachers in despair. (PRA)

Contains 12 responses from secondary school teachers to the question: "What practices have you found most useful in inducting student teachers and beginning teachers into the profession?" (PRA)

Reviews 11 books that were selected by teenagers as their favorites. Notes that most of the titles selected represent rite-of-passage stories about young women. States that all of the books are well within the interests and reading abilities of junior high and early senior high school students. (PRA)

Asserts that drama is one of the most popular genres among adolescent students. States that it mobilizes their energies, exercises their imaginations, and rewards them for social interaction. Reviews four anthologies of plays for classroom reading in secondary school. (PRA)

Describes a class activity in which students research one work by Nancy Willard, a contemporary novelist, and then meet Willard to discuss the work. Notes that the students engaged in lively discussions with the novelist. (RS)

Argues that Christa Wolf's novel "Patterns of Childhood" provides opportunities for students to consider the adolescent dilemmas of the protagonist Nelly and to reflect on how they themselves are coming to terms with the world. Notes that the novel forces students to see Nazi Germany with new eyes. (RS)

Argues that literature teachers should select poetry that represents all ethnic groups, not only groups represented within the class anthology. Discusses the voice, theme, rhyme, rhythm, tone, and imagination of several gifted Black poets. Concludes that teachers must be aware of these voices and use the poetry of gifted Black poets to model the…

Argues that it is useful to broaden students' horizons by exposing them to the rich folk heritage of many ethnic groups. Discusses resources and class activities which encompass Native American, Black American, and Asian mythology and folktales. (RS)

Describes how a tenth-grade English teacher changed her role from that of a leader always on center stage to that of a prober, guide, problem poser, resource person, and strategist. Advises teachers to help students find, shape, and revise their own questions and then explore and evaluate responses to these questions. (RS)

Describes an individualized instructional unit on Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" that focused on students' responses to the novel's plot, character, theme, and structure. Reports that students wrote good quality essays, performed well on a test of the novel, and engaged in serious discussion of the novel during student oral…