Educational Policy
Japan and the Pursuit of a New American Identity, by Walter Feinberg (Routledge, 29 W. 35th St., New York, N.Y. 10001-2299; 215 pp. $25 cloth). Argues that American education has been defined by conservative discourse, which positions schools and students as “weapons’’ in an international competition with the Japanese.
Making School Reform Happen, by Pamela Bullard & Barbara O. Taylor (Allyn & Bacon, 160 Gould St., Needham Heights, Mass. 02194-2310; 441 pp., $24.95 paper). Chronicles successful attempts at school reform in inner-city and rural communities.
National Issues in Education: The Past Is Prologue, ed. by John F. Jennings (Phi Delta Kappa International, Bloomington, Ind., and the Institute for Educational Leadership, 1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Ste. 310, Washington, D.C. 20036; 261 pp., $15 paper). A retrospective look at federal education policy in the last Congress as observed by key players, including former U.S. Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Team Building for School Change: Equipping Teachers for New Roles, by Gene Maeroff (Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Ave., New York, N.Y. 10027; 169 pp., $16.95 paper). Discusses the history of team-building, how to determine which schools and which individuals are particularly well-suited for the exercise, the role of the principal in this process, and conflicts that may arise in team-building, such as teacher burnout and trouble with unions.
Total Quality Management in Education, by James H. Johnson (Oregon School Study Council, 1787 Agate St., College of Education, University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore. 97403-5207; 45 pp., $7 plus $3 shipping, paper). A primer on Total Quality Management and its terminology offering advice on how to apply T.Q.M. strategies in school settings.
Urban America: Policy Choices for Los Angeles and the Nation, ed. by James B. Steinberg, David W. Lyon, & Mary E. Vaiana (RAND, 1700 Main St., P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, Calif. 90407-2138; 368 pp., $20 plus $3 shipping, paper). Analytical synthesis of urban issues written in the wake of the Los Angeles riots of 1992; discusses the effects of current public policy on (and makes recommendations for) such areas as families in poverty, drug use, urban education, health care, immigration policy, and social-services coordination.
Reading and Literacy
ACTS of Teaching; How To Teach Writing, by Joyce Armstrong Carroll & Edward E. Wilson (Teacher Ideas, P.O. Box 6633, Englewood, Colo. 80155-6633; 546 pp., $30 paper). Drawing on current educational research and theory, including cognitive-development theory and studies of collaborative learning, offers techniques that focus on writing as a process; classroom-tested implementation guides and examples of student writing also included.
American Highlights/Los Estados Unidos: United States History in Notable Works of Art, by Edith Pavese (Abrams, 100 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10011; 160 pp., $29.95 cloth). American history, from pre-Columbian times to the present, told through more than 80 artworks and accompanying text in both English and Spanish.
Approaches to Literature Through Authors, by Mary Elizabeth Wildberger (Oryx Press, 4041 N. Central at Indian School Rd., Phoenix, Ariz. 85012; 256 pp., $29.95 paper). Examines techniques for using the works of popular children’s authors to teach reading skills; includes discussions of whole-language strategies, integrating literary arts into reading instruction, and introducing literary criticism.
Approaches to Literature Through Subject, by Paula Kay Montgomery (Oryx Press, 4041 N. Central at Indian School Rd., Phoenix, Ariz 85012; 256 pp., $29.95 paper). Presents methods for boosting middle school students’ interest in reading by linking the subjects of books to factors that may influence a student’s desire to read, such as his or her gender, age, culture or race, and socioeconomic environment.
Chapter Books: Integrated Teaching of Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Viewing, and Thinking, by Joyce Armstrong Carroll (Libraries Unlimited, P.O. Box 6633, Englewood, Colo. 80155-6633; 64 pp., $10 paper). Allows readers to explore longer narratives through such activities as reading and writing exercises and extension activities into science, art, and health.
Effective Reading Programs: The Administrator’s Role, by Floyd Boschee, Bruce M. Whitehead, & Marlys Ann Boschee (Technomic Publishing, 851 New Holland Ave., P.O. Box 3535, Lancaster, Pa. 17604; 261 pp., $35 cloth). Advice for administrators seeking to provide more-informed leadership in reading instruction; provides concrete methods for dealing with the problems of assessment and accountability, choosing a specific reading approach, in-service training, and using computers and other advanced technology.
McElmeel Booknotes: Literature Across the Curriculum, by Sharron L. McElmeel (Libraries Unlimited, P.O. Box 6633, Englewood, Colo. 80155-6633; 215 pp., $21 paper). Offers strategies for weaving literature into other curricular subjects for grades K-6; includes a list of resources for educators.
Speaking for Ourselves, Too: More Autobiographical Sketches by Notable Authors of Books for Young Adults, ed. by Donald R. Gallo (National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 Kenyon Rd., Urbana, Ill. 61801; 236 pp., $14.50 paper). Eighty-nine authors discuss their lives, how they became writers, and how they create their books.
Teaching Shakespeare Today: Practical Approaches and Productive Strategies, ed. by James E. Davis & Ronald E. Salomone (National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 Kenyon Rd., Urbana, Ill. 61801; 301 pp., $19.95 paper). Essays by 38 contributors ranging from high school instructors to university professors that discuss the challenges of teaching Shakespeare; topics explored include how to approach the Elizabethan language and the remote historical period, how to use classroom performance as a teaching aid, and eliciting student participation in large classes.
Whole Language: Literature, Learning, and Literacy, by Lou Willett Stanek (H.W. Wilson Company, 950 University Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10452; 244 pp., $39 cloth). How to put whole-language theory into practice, including learning activities for all age groups; recommendations on specific books, themes, and classroom and library activities; and ways to increase parent and community involvement in whole-language learning.
Professional Issues
Changing the Way We Prepare Education Leaders: The Danforth Experience, by Mike M. Milstein (Corwin Press, 2455 Teller Rd., Newbury Park, Calif. 91320; 256 pp., $21.95 paper). Illustrates the reasons for the success of a principal-training program that stresses practical experience over theory.
The Marginal Teacher: A Step-by-Step Guide to Fair Procedures for Identification and Dismissal, by C. Edward Lawrence, Myra K. Vachon, Donald O. Leake, & Brenda H. Leake (Corwin Press, 2455 Teller Rd., Newbury Park, Calif. 91320; 188 pp., $29.95 paper). One view of the practices and documents school administrators may need to help instructors live up to their potential or to fairly pursue dismissal.
Multi-age Classrooms: The Ungrading of America’s Schools (Society for Developmental Education, Northgate, Route 202, P.O. Box 577, Peterborough, N.H. 03458; 190 pp., $24.95 paper). Includes research findings, articles, bibliographies, and case studies of educators working with multi-age classrooms.
The Path to School Leadership: A Portable Mentor, by Lee G. Bolman & Terrence E. Deal (Corwin Press, 2455 Teller Rd., Newbury Park, Calif. 91320; 78 pp., $15 paper). Presented as a dialogue between a seasoned veteran and a new administrator, this book attempts to give school leaders an understanding of troublesome situations and help them anticipate problems and develop better and more comprehensive strategies for leading.
Multicultural Education
A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America, by Ronald Takaki (Little, Brown & Company, 1271 Ave. of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020; 508 pp., $27.95 cloth). Perspectives on America’s development through the eyes of groups previously left out of the historical canon.
The Retreat From Race: Asian-American Admissions and Racial Politics, by Dana Y. Takagi (Rutgers University Press, 109 Church St., New Brunswick, N.J. 08901; 246 pp., $15 paper). Examines the history and significance of Asian-American college-admissions policies on American race relations, both inside and outside higher education.
