Examines the role of public schools in promoting social and economic progress and discusses the future costs of inadequate investments in public education. Research shows that education reduces racial and ethnic prejudice and that literacy increases worker productivity. Inadequate education is directly related to increased unemployment, welfare…

First grade teacher Susie Jablinske talks about her teaching experience in this interview. The conversation covers her background, the role of teacher militancy on educational quality, teaching conditions in her school, and her teaching methods. (AM)

Describes a research project which taught social skills to children who did not have friends in school. (RM)

Describes an English teacher's experiences when one of his ninth grade classes studying language in advertising was filmed for national television. He found that he and his students all enjoyed their celebrity status, but the glamor surrounding the medium itself obscured the intent of the lesson. (AM)

Presents an interview with Alvin Toffler on the role of education in the future. The discussion covers the effects of socio-economic, political and technological changes upon the educational system. Toffler argues that education must prepare students to cope with the increasing cultural diversity and interdependence of future societies. (AM)

Describes units on women's history used in second grade classes in honor of "Women's History Week." Students read about famous women in history, interview older female relatives, meet women working in nontraditional jobs, and discuss sex roles and bias. Ideas for women's history activities for upper elementary classes are included. (AM)

Describes the development and implementation of a week-long "Women's History Week" program in a California high school. Using extracurricular workshops and traditional classroom activities, the program was designed to raise student and faculty awareness of sexism. The author describes ways they overcame logistical problems and administrative…

Describes an American teacher's experiences working with students at the Foreign Languages Institute in China. The author found that students were highly motivated to learn about the United States, its language and culture. He found that his efforts to teach about it, however, were impeded by government intervention and cultural differences. (AM)

Describes an eighth grade class history project in which students researched, wrote, and published a history of their town based on interviews with residents. The project increased personal interest in history and improved the school's relationship with the community. Suggestions for project organization and interviewing techniques are included.…

Teaching strategies to involve students in discovering practical applications of the First Amendment are described. Activities include opinion surveys, court simulation, and role playing. (KC)

Lists books, audiovisual materials, and organizations relevant to the First Amendment freedoms: freedom of speech and press, and censorship. (KC)

Suggests curriculum changes in the social studies to prepare students for responsible and effective participation in a global age. Teachers should emphasize that the United States plays a large role in world affairs, introduce new issues in world politics, and address the issues of world peace and human rights. (Author/KC)

Discusses reasons for declining interest in world history courses and suggests guidelines for reversing the decline. World history must concentrate on main themes and problems, be real to students, and be organized from a global perspective. Students should be encouraged to empathize with the history of their fellow human beings. (Author/KC)

Describes student benefits of vocational education for the handicapped in terms of motivation, direction, self-confidence, pace of classes, and accessibility of courses. (KC)

Answers are provided to questions received by the New Jersey Education Association concerning placement of handicapped students in vocational classes. Questions involve the wording of the Education for All Handicapped Students Act, class size, and proper training for teaching the handicapped. (KC)