Outlines key elements of a core of common learning for the elementary and secondary curriculum, including the study of literature, as a means of addressing basic human questions and dilemmas, and of history, focusing on key figures, events, and issues; Western and non-Western studies; and religion. (DMM)

"Rethinking Popular Culture and Media" is a provocative collection of articles that begins with the idea that the "popular" in classrooms and in the everyday lives of teachers and students is fundamentally political. This anthology includes outstanding articles by elementary and secondary public school teachers, scholars, and activists who…

The consideration of questions of morality and ethics, of right and wrong is not confined to churches and mosques and synagogues; it also exists outside religious frameworks, notably in the schools and in teaching. In this article, the author extends the exploration of ethics into the classroom where virtually all acts of writing, language, and…

Learning difficult literary concepts (such as point of view, symbolism, or internal monologue) while reading difficult and often unfamiliar content prematurely places too many demands upon middle school and high school students. Young adult literature allows students to address the demands of a new concept while reading more familiar content. One…

The question of the place of books in a classroom using computers appears to be simple, yet it is one of vital concern to teachers. The availability of programs (few of which focus on literary appreciation), the mesmerizing qualities of the computer, its distortion of time, the increasing power of computers over teacher time, and the computer's…

Vocabulary acquisition is one of the most complex aspects of both theory and practice of foreign language teaching and learning. A content-based approach to curricular development is advocated that incorporates four elements: starter (brainstorming), treatment, "good language learner" awareness training, and critical analysis. (Contains…

This paper considers how well today's young adolescents are prepared for their future roles as citizens, noting that the public schools have a unique opportunity to positively affect their students' civic knowledge, values, and behaviors. The paper contends that recent research suggests that the next generation of citizens may lack the knowledge,…

Students enrolled in cooperative occupational education (COE) should achieve optimal development. To ensure this, instructors should use criteria from the psychology of education. They must strive to see that learning opportunities for COE students are meaningful; interesting; centered upon providing for individual differences; balanced among…

As a teacher educator, the author believes that he must prepare teachers to go forth into schools with a deep understanding of the subjects they will teach, an appreciation for how students learn, and a repertoire of instructional strategies that will help them make learning come alive for their students. As they develop these skills, they must…

Considers the unique cognitive and intellectual factors that influence the learning and education of older adults. Reviews research on patterns of intellectual and cognitive aging and the implications of patterns in attention, memory, information retrieval, and tolerance for interference in the development of cognitive training programs for older…

In this article, the author offers guidelines to teachers on shaping pedagogy and classrooms in ways that include and value the experiences and learning of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) students. In order for teachers to create a context in which gender trouble can happen without violent consequences, they need to…

In this commentary, the author focuses on both the learning he is seeing in the longitudinal studies described in this issue of "Studying Teacher Education," and the evidence of "educational influences in students' learning" that he believes could be enhanced in producing co-created living theories with teacher educators, students, and pupils as…

This study, which examined the factors that promote or hinder the successful implementation of microcomputer use in primary schools in England, focused on the attitudes of teachers and administrators. (9 references) (CLB)

In the elementary classroom, teachers often introduce new units through the use of trade books. Children's literature, the best of which brings social studies content to life, is usually more engaging than textbook prose. Children's literature that shares the experiences, contributions, and perspectives of various cultural groups achieves several…

Two brief articles report ways that technology is being used in the language classroom: through media such as closed-captioned video, optical disc technology such as CD-ROM, and interactive videodisc systems and through improved instructional strategies such as collaborative learning and computer-assisted instruction. (three references) (LB)