Fighting for the Truth
The Gulf War and Our Students
Editors’ note: Rethinking Schools asked Portland high school social studies teacher Bill Bigelow to write about ways to teach about the Gulf War. Even though the shooting war appears to […]
Minneapolis to Reduce Class Sizes
Parents and Teachers Win Major Campaign
Minneapolis voters decided to significantly reduce class size in their schools with the passage of a major referendum last fall. By a 2 to 1 margin voters agreed to a […]
One Big Nintendo Game
In a USA Today poll March 2, President Bush garnered a 91% approval rating, a resounding endorsement of his war policies against Iraq. Indeed, the initiation of the air war […]
School Board Seats Should Not Be Bought
A virtual unknown to the educational community came in first in the February 19th primary for the city wide seat for Milwaukee School Board. It wasn’t because this person has […]
Why We Need Ethnic Studies in Teacher Preparation Programs
An Urban Teacher Talks to Teacher Educators:
In November 1990, Cynthia Ellwood was asked to discuss the ethics of urban teacher preparation at the 4th National Forum of the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher […]
No TV Week at La Escuela Fratney
Students at La Escuela Fratney in Milwaukee learned a lesson in math, self-discipline, family togetherness, and ac demic achievement this year. They stopped watching television for a week. They learned […]
Mexican Teachers Struggle for Democracy and Survival
When a teacher is absent in a public school in Mexico, a substitute is never sent to fill in. There are no substitutes. If a desk breaks, teachers must pay […]
“My Mom’s Job is Important”
When Children Study Work
My mother is a cashier. She works at Zayre’s. My mom said to be a good cashier you should be punctual, courteous, broad-minded, honest and accurate. So begins fifth grader […]
Tracking: Can Schools Take Another Route?
Few widespread schooling practices are as controversial as ability grouping and tracking. On one side of the issue, many educators and parents assert that when schools group by ability, teachers […]
Court Throws a Curve At Chicago School Reform
Chicago’s radical school reform program, temporarily derailed by a court ruling that overturned the electoral process used to create some 500 parent-dominated local school councils, is back on track again. […]
