Adolescents
Managing To Make It: Urban Families and Adolescent Success, by Frank F. Furstenberg Jr., Thomas D. Cook, Jacquelynne Eccles, Glen H. Elder Jr., & Arnold Sameroff (The University of Chicago Press, 5801 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637; 305 pp., $32.50 hardcover). From hundreds of interviews with inner-city teenagers and their families in Philadelphia, the authors attempt to explain how and why some families are able to steer their children out of poverty despite low incomes and high-risk neighborhoods.
Raising Their Voices: The Politics of Girls’ Anger, by Lyn Mikel Brown (Harvard University Press, 79 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138; 288 pp., $24.95 hardcover). Challenges stereotypical ideas about femininity and the popular view of adolescent girls as passive and silenced. The book is based on the author’s yearlong conversations with white junior high and middle school girls--from both working-poor and middle-class families--who adopt some expectations about gender while strenuously resisting others.
Civics Education
Civic Education: What Makes Students Learn, by Richard G. Neimi & Jane Junn (Yale University Press, PO Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040; 224 pp., $27.50 hardcover). An examination of what America’s high school seniors know about government and politics and how they learn about these subjects. The authors base their findings on the 1988 National Assessment of Educational Progress civics assessment and argue that secondary school civics courses do indeed enhance students’ civic knowledge.
Roots of Civic Identity: International Perspectives on Community Service and Activism in Youth, edited by Miranda Yates & James Youniss (Cambridge University Press, 40 W. 20th St., New York, NY 10011-4211; 283 pp., $49.95 hardcover). An international collection of essays describing the state of community participation among the world’s young people. The authors use empirical data on community service and political activism to challenge the image of “Generation X” as socially disconnected and apathetic.
Education Reform
The New American High School, by David D. Marsh & Judy B. Codding (Corwin Press Inc., 2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218; 218 pp., $51.95 hardcover, $22.95 paperback). Writing that it is time “to abolish the comprehensive American high school,” the authors urge education officials to replace high schools with a system that expects students to meet a demanding set of academic standards and results in a “certificate of initial mastery,” a set of standards first proposed in 1990 by the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce.
“Schools of Tomorrow,” Schools of Today: What Happened to Progressive Education, edited by Susan F. Semel & Alan R. Sadovnik (Peter Lang Publishing Inc., 275 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10001; 448 pp., $29.95 original paperback). Documents some of the child-centered progressive schools founded in the first half of the 20th century and provides histories of some more-contemporary examples of progressive practices. Volume 8 in the History of Schools and Schooling series.
Curriculum & Methods
Building Character in Schools: Practical Ways To Bring Moral Instruction to Life, by Kevin Ryan & Karen E. Bohlin (Jossey-Bass Inc., 350 Sansome St., Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104-1342; 270 pp., $25 hardcover). Provides a blueprint for educators who wish to translate a personal commitment to character education into a schoolwide vision. The authors outline the principles and strategies of effective character education and explain what schools must do to teach students the habits and dispositions that lead to responsible adulthood. Chapter-long discussions in the book include: what “character education” is and its importance; how to build a “community of virtue"; how to cultivate character through the school curriculum; how to engage parents in character education; and why teachers’ roles are critical in the process.
Kids on the ‘Net: Conducting Internet Research in K-5 Classrooms, by Jessica G. Morton (Heinemann, 361 Hanover St., Portsmouth, NH 03801-3912; 84pp., $9.95 original paperback). A guidebook that explores the Internet’s potential in the classroom. The author, a teacher of a combined 1st and 2nd grade classroom, demonstrates how she expanded her curriculum by connecting to the Internet. Chapter titles include “Thinking in a ‘Connected’ Classroom,” “Getting Comfortable With the Internet,” and “Choosing a Topic for Long-Term Student Research.”
Losing Our Language: How Multicultural Classroom Instruction Is Undermining Our Children’s Ability To Read, Write, and Reason, by Sandra Stotsky (The Free Press, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; 288 pp., $25 hardcover). Argues that a strong political agenda has taken away the intellectual and literary goals that once were the focus of elementary education, and that multiculturalism, as it is practiced in the classroom, is damaging to all children--and minority children in particular. Included is a comparison of three generations of basal readers contending that, as “politically correct” content increased, textbooks’ literary and grammatical standards declined.
Teaching Every Child Every Day: Learning in Diverse Schools and Classrooms, edited by Karen R. Harris, Steve Graham, & Don Deshler (Brookline Books, PO Box 1047, Cambridge, MA 02238; 258 pp., $19.95 original paperback). Essays providing practical guidelines for implementing programs in elementary and middle schools that help “create truly diverse communities of learners, learning from and about one another.” The authors incorporate a variety of techniques in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics--from explicit instruction to discovery-oriented approaches.
The PASSPORT Program: A Journey Through Emotional, Social, Cognitive, and Self-Development, by Ann Vernon (Research Press, 2612 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign, IL 61821). Self-contained and comprehensive curriculum that helps children and adolescents learn positive mental-health concepts and cope with the situational and developmental problems of growing up. Available in three separate volumes for grades 1-5 (334 pp., $32.95 original paperback); 6-8 (264 pp., $32.95 original paperback); and 9-12 ($288 pp., $32.95 original paperback). Each volume includes learning activities and student handouts.
Service Learning: A Movement’s Pioneers Reflect on Its Origins, Practice, and Future, edited by Timothy K. Stanton, Dwight E. Giles Jr., & Nadinne I. Cruz (Jossey-Bass, 350 Sansome St., Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104-1342; 240 pp., $24.95 original paperback). Leaders of service-learning describe their early efforts to combine education with social action. The editors assess pioneering experiences and recommend future policy and practice, emphasizing the critical need to preserve an activist commitment as programs become increasingly institutionalized.
Market Education: The Unknown History, by Andrew J. Coulson (Transaction Publishers, 390 Campus Drive, Somerset, NJ 08873; $54.95 hardcover, $24.95 paperback). The author, a senior research associate at the Social Philosophy and Policy Center, argues that market-based school systems have historically fostered innovation, efficiency, and accountability, while a monopolistic public education has led to stagnation and the marginalization of parents.
Health
Interventions for ADHD: Treatment in Developmental Context, by Phyllis Anne Teeter (The Guilford Press, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012; 360 pp., $40 hardcover). Takes a lifespan perspective on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dispelling the notion that it is only a disorder of childhood and encouraging clinicians to develop effective and appropriate interventions for preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents, and adults. The author reviews empirically and clinically based treatment interventions, such as psychopharmacology, behavior management, parent/teacher training, and self-management techniques.
KidStress: What It Is, How It Feels, How To Help, by Georgia Witkin (Viking, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014; 212 pp., $23.95 hardcover). Based on a survey of 800 9- to 12-year-olds and their parents, the author, who directs the Stress Program at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, suggests that parents underestimate the level of children’s stress; how alone many children feel; how often children are afraid to talk to their parents; and how often children’s anxieties are real. The book also addresses the causes and symptoms of children’s stress.
Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medication for Kids, by Dr. Timothy E. Wilens (The Guilford Press, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012; 280 pp., $29.95 hardcover; $14.95 paperback). Attempts to anticipate and answer the questions parents may have when their child has a mental, emotional, or behavioral problem that could be treated with medication. The book addresses parents’ potential concerns when investigating what may be wrong with their child, and takes readers step by step through the processes of psychiatric evaluation and diagnosis, treatment decision, and long-term use of medications.
Literacy
American Children’s Literature and the Construction of Childhood, by Gail S. Murray (Twayne Publishers, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019; 276 pp., $32 hardcover). Covers the history and changing face of American children’s literature--from The New England Primer to the works of authors like Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak. This books is part of Twayne’s History of American Childhood series and includes an annotated bibliography.
Children Achieving: Best Practices in Early Literacy, edited by Susan B. Neuman and Kathleen A. Roskos (International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Rd., PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139; 323 pp., $12 original paperback). Each of the 13 chapters frames a critical issue in early literacy, examines what is known about it, and describes literacy practices suggested from this existing knowledge base. The issues addressed include: providing inclusive early literacy instruction for children with disabilities; providing culturally responsive instruction; recognizing the role of computer-related technology in early literacy; and parent involvement.
Evaluating Writing: The Role of Teachers’ Knowledge About Text, Learning, and Culture, edited by Charles Cooper and Lee Odell (National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; 408 pp., $29.95 original paperback, list price; NCTE member price $22.95). A sequel to the editors’ 1977 book Evaluating Writing: Describing, Measuring, Judging, this collection of 17 essays describes a variety of approaches to evaluating student writing. The contributors encourage junior-high- through college-level teachers to improve their evaluation skills by distinguishing between “grading” and “evaluation"; developing their ability to describe students’ writing; connecting teaching and evaluation; and re-examining the practices that guide the evaluation of student writing.
Never Too Late to Read: Language Skills for the Adolescent with Dyslexia, by Ann Cashwell Tuley (York Press Inc., PO Box 504, Timonium, MD 21094; 184 pp., $27.50 original paperback). Describes typical students with dyslexia and leads readers through a step-by-step process of evaluating and teaching them. The book is based on the work of the late Alice Ansara and provides techniques and strategies for teachers developing exercises in phonics, spelling, and phrasing.
Reflective Activities: Helping Students Connect With Texts, edited by Louann Reid and Jeffrey N. Golub (National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; 209 pp., $22.95 original paperback, list price; NCTE member price $16.95). Offers classroom practices that encourage students to make connections between what they read--whether visual or verbal texts--and the lives they lead. The various approaches are outlined by 34 contributors (students, teachers, and writers), address all the language arts, and apply to middle, secondary, and college classrooms.
The Spelling Book: Teaching Children How To Spell, Not What To Spell, by Gladys Rosencrans (International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Road, PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139; 141 pp., $23.95 original paperback). A spelling manual for teachers of intermediate-level children (grades 3-6), elementary and middle school teachers working with students who have learning disabilities, and teachers working with students for whom English is not their first language. The book outlines a methodology--developed and implemented by the author--that combines whole-language and phonetic strategies to teach children to spell as part of an entire langauge arts program.
Why Our Children Can’t Read: And What We Can Do About It, by Diane McGuinness (Touchstone Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; 384 pp., $16 paperback). Offers a critique of reading methods and contends that all current programs will fail at least 30 percent of children because they themselves fail to recognize how writing systems work. The author presents an alternative “phoneme awareness” program and includes diagnostic tests and techniques to pinpoint learning deficiences.
Policy Issues
A Peaceable School: Cultivating a Culture of Nonviolence, by Vicky Schreiber Dill (Phi Delta Kappa International, PO Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789; 107 pp., $12 original paperback). Provides a chapter-by-chapter framework for thinking about school violence issues: the culture of violence; denial of the problem; the actions and responsibilities of administrators; and teachers’ behaviors and attitudes. A “Selected Resources” section includes federal and state safety initiatives and professional and private organizations.
American Education and Corporations: The Free Market Goes to School, by Deron Boyles (Garland Publishing, 47 Runway Road, Levittown, PA 19057-4700; 240pp., $50 hardcover). Argues that private businesses use public schools as worker-training sites, resulting in a devalued teaching force, students as uncritical consumers, and schools as economic markets. The author analyzes various school-business partnerships (“fast-food reading campaigns” and “supermarket ‘sales for schools’ promotions,” for example) and critiques the practice of privatization, challenging its claim as an extension of free-market business influence into the public sector.
Building Leadership Capacity in Schools, by Linda Lambert (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1703 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311-1714; 136 pp., $13.95 original paperback, list price; ASCD member price $10.95). Defines leadership as “the learning processes among participants in a community” and leadership capacity as “the breadth of participation in leadership and the depth of skill that teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community members bring to work.” Through an analysis of three schools--an elementary school with low leadership capacity, a middle school with moderate leadership capacity, and a high school with high leadership capacity--the author suggests what schools and districts should do to foster effective leadership and improve student learning.
Funding Special Education, edited by Thomas B. Parrish, Jay G. Chambers, & Cassandra M. Guarino (Corwin Press Inc., 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218; 273 pp., $49.95 hardcover). The 19th annual yearbook of the American Education Finance Association, Funding Special Education explores the ways in which funding has changed over the years and weighs in on different funding methods--from per-student bases to payments for specified resources. Topics covered include: increasing pressure for local control over funds; including special education students in standards-based reform; and case studies of special education funding reform in Pennsylvania and New York.
