Independent schools--and their teachers and administrators--are, as the name suggests, fiercely independent. So when the Common Core State Standards hit the national stage in March 2010 and became the center of the national conversation on education, it was no surprise that the majority of independent schools dismissed the standards as another…

"Character," "creativity," "real-world problem solving," "communication skills," "teaming," and "leadership" are some of the skills and values that will be expected of graduates. In the conversation about what constitutes a high-quality 21st century school, however, the more complex question is about the varied paths schools might take to achieve…

A random walk through the mission statements of independent schools shows an admirable determination to educate students for an unknowable future, for creativity and problem solving, for responsible citizenship, for resiliency. Nevertheless, many of these same schools are constrained to work towards their mission-central goals in time stolen from…

Recognizing and celebrating diversity while building an inclusive sense of classroom or school community is a challenging endeavor. A successful model encompasses four basic principles: cultural validation and acceptance are inseparable; each school needs its own plan; sophisticated skills are essential; and curriculum sources and communication…

Many dyslexic children are unusually capable in subjects that do not depend on language, and they may have leadership qualities that other children admire. Preparatory schools can, at minimal cost, make alterations in coursework requirements to accommodate the different thinking and learning patterns of dyslexic children. (Author/SJL)

The author summarizes some of Piaget's beliefs, and states that the curriculum in today's schools must be changed in order to put into practice some of these beliefs, and to prepare students to reason together and work cooperatively to solve common world problems. (KC)

Schools teach much more than the traditional curriculum. They also teach a "hidden curriculum"--those unstated norms, values, and beliefs promoting hierarchic and authoritarian social relations that are transmitted to students through the underlying educational structure. Discusses the effects of the "hidden curriculum" on the student and how…

Discussing the role of independent schools in education today, this article touches on problems facing independent schools, their steady growth, finance sources, and changes in structure, climate, teacher roles, and curriculum. (DS)

Some ingredients that help promote private school climate favorable to moral development include: moral education as a school goal; faculty discussions of school and personal values; a working honor principle; ethics included in curriculum; attention to classroom group relations; teachers used as role models; and student involvement in school…

Decries teachers' dependence on textbooks and "canned" materials, tracing this dependence to pressures to quantify student performance and noting the effects of this pressure on private schools' policymakers, parents, faculty, and students. Urges that textbooks be used as only a part of elementary and secondary school curricula. (RW)

Sexuality education presents biological facts in broad human terms, with emphasis on helping students to learn how, not what, to think about situations and issues involving sexual values and behavior standards. (Author/MLF)

Highlights the data collected from some 70 teachers and administrators, several hundred parents, and approximately 3,500 students involved in a family life curriculum project in 13 California public schools. Students reported that decision making, factual information, and self-esteem were the most important things they learned from the course.…

Through law-related education, students learn how society faces the need for legal structure. The law-related curricula of many schools share certain aims: to provide knowledge and a positive attitude toward the law, to improve analytical thinking, and to examine the fundamental values of our society. (Author/MLF)

Curriculum review committees, trapped by schools' departmental structure, can only reaffirm existing academic requirements and departments and can make changes only by adding to the curriculum. Curriculum change is needed, however. Schools should create curricula reflecting today's realities and needs, not the demands of colleges. (RW)

Global studies programs are needed to help students grasp the world's complexities. A 1980 survey showed college students are ignorant about the world. Schools should review available global education resources, examine what is being done elsewhere, and choose how to start a program. Resource organizations and materials are listed. (Author/RW)