The purpose for this study was to ascertain the perceptions principals of public secondary schools in Minnesota have in relation to the evaluation of their job performance. Responding principals reported that past evaluations have been fair and consistent but have questioned their value with regard to professional growth. When asked if student…

One perspective of cognitive rigor is the extent to which classroom instruction demands students to use critical thinking skills. As schools attempt to increase academic outcomes, one area of interest is the potential for engaging students in learning by increasing the use of critical thinking. The present study analyses the effect of critical…

This article contains an analysis of a component of a large-scale reform effort in an urban school district that entailed placing high school students identified as underperforming in literacy in separate classes aimed at accelerating their learning. The relationship between students academic performance and social backgrounds, school…

This article reports how secondary principals perceive the status of the accountability movement and their professional job responsibilities in the context of accountability. The data were collected from a nationally representative sample of secondary principals during the Schools and Staffing Survey 1999-2000. Respondents reported that there were…

Examines the status of literacy education and the reading program at the secondary-school level. Discusses current problems and possible solutions for those problems. Analyzes results of survey of principals' perceptions of their reading programs in a local school system. Supports analysis with appropriate literature. (Contains 20 references.)…

The Roanoke Valley Governor's School (RVGS) in Virginia designed special spaces for mathematics, drawing directly from current national standards for secondary school mathematics. Tables show how recommendations for facility design were derived from the curriculum-focused standards and guidelines. A summary of the major design features and…

Discusses problems related to block scheduling and suggests three elements for improvement: appropriate subject material, appropriate teaching styles, and appropriate level of cognitive development. (Contains 11 references.) (PKP)

U.S. foreign language education encompasses many languages, cultures, and perspectives. The ACTFL "Proficiency Guidelines" and National Standards/Assessments provide common measures and goals that enhance students' language progress as they enter higher education. NCATE Teacher certification guidelines and organizational communication dilemmas are…

Strategies-based instruction aims to help learners become more responsible for learning and using the target language. In an SBI classroom, teachers describe and model potentially useful strategies; elicit additional examples from students; lead group discussions about strategies; encourage student experimentation; and integrate approaches into…

Educators should combine foreign language study with discovery of another culture. Several postsecondary institutions are adopting Language Across the Curriculum, which allows students to apply their second-language knowledge in various courses or integrate other disciplines into language courses. James Hammers' culture/geography pedagogy is…

As we move from the Industrial Age to the Information Age, foreign language programs are hampered by inadequate curricular emphasis and negligible funding for materials or teachers. Five goals for foreign language learning include communicative competence, cultural awareness, interdisciplinary connections, cross-cultural comparisons, and…

Observing administrators should watch and listen to both teachers and students, noting use of the target language by both groups, prevalence of student-centered activities, instructional strategies that encourage language learning and accommodate varied learning styles, well-integrated lesson plans, and presence of a comfortable classroom climate.…

An accommodation is an adjustment to an activity or setting that equalizes a learning situation for persons with disabilities. Accommodations are required under the anti-discriminatory 1973 Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. An accommodation should not alter an assignment's essential purpose. (MLH)

A curriculum implementation monitoring system should be relatively inexpensive, unburdensome for faculty, and improvement oriented; produce information to guide staff development; and refrain from covertly evaluating teachers. A self-assessment checklist should report teachers' perceptions about degree of implementation, difficulty level, and…

In a nationwide study of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders, most students reported using a computer for schoolwork. About half the students in all 3 grades reported usage of 2 or fewer hours weekly. Girls tend to use computers more than boys, and college-bound students more than noncollege-bound students. (MLH)