Books
A Consumer’s Guide to the Public School, edited by Gary M. Miller and Gyuri Nemeth (Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, 2600 South First St., Springfield, Ill. 62717; 281 pages, $24.75).
This book contains a collection of descriptions of the various specialized fields that have developed within education as the nation’s public-school system has grown. The authors, primarily faculty members in schools of education, seek to inform the interested reader about the history and philosophic bases for each area of specialization, rather than to offer critiques of the areas. The 20 contributors focus on the training and work of such specialists as the early-childhood-education teacher, the elementary teacher, the secondary teacher, the administrator, the guidance counselor, the school psychologist, the special-education teacher, and the reading specialist. Also lists sources of additional information for each profession studied. Mr. Miller is an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina. Mr. Nemeth is assistant principal of Tucker High School in Tucker, Ga.
Let’s Not Reinvent the Wheel: Profiles of School/Business Collaboration, edited by Ian McNett (The Institute for Educational Leadership, 1001 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 310, Washington, D.C. 20036; 100 pages, paper $6.95).
Corporations should be involved in improving public education, and both industry and education can benefit from effective liaisons, according to the author. Designed for educators and businessmen, this book profiles 10 successful school-business collaborations and draws conclusions on how to develop and maintain effective partnerships. Part I explains how the author chose the 10 successful programs. Part II provides several recommendations for effective collaborations, based on his study. Part III explores the history of education-business relations in the 20th century. Part IV profiles the 10 programs. And Part V offers information on how to develop successful programs, including the concept that successful collaborative efforts should link schoolwork to job skills. Mr. McNett is a freelance writer and editor.
The Creation Controversy: Science or Scripture in the School, by Dorothy Nelkin (W.W. Norton & Company, 500 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10036; 233 pages, $16.95).
Scientific creationists have mounted nationwide campaigns in the last few years against textbook publishers and school boards to ensure that the biblical account of creation is given equal time in the classroom, asserts Ms. Nelkin. In her book, for educators and general readers, she chronicles those campaigns and examines the responses of the scientific community. Her report includes: a historical perspective on the teaching of creationism since the 19th century; a look at the rise of conservative censors and “textbook watchers"; an examination of the political tactics used by scientific creationists; a study of specific disputes; and a discussion of various forms of scientific response. Dorothy Nelkin is a professor in the Program on Science, Technology, and Society in Cornell University’s sociology department.
What Parents Expect of the Christian School, by John Holmes (JoHo Publications, P.O. Box 4444, Santa Fe Springs, Calif. 90670; 152 pages, paper $10).
Why are increasing numbers of parents choosing to send their children to Christian schools? What do black, Hispanic, and white parents expect when they send their children to private, evangelical schools? Based on a study of 147 South Los Angeles County parents who sent their elementary-school-aged children to Christian schools, the author analyzes parental expectations and provides demographic data to support his findings. Includes information on: the history of Christian schools; the reasons for their growth; the religious, academic, and ethnic factors that influence parents in choosing Christian schools for their children. Mr. Holmes is superintendent of schools, the Unified Christian Schools of Southern California. Originally written as a doctoral dissertation in education for Pepperdine University.
Guides and Directories
Building Morale ... Motivating Staff: Problems and Solutions, by Ben Brodinsky, Education News Service (American Association of School Administrators, 1801 North Moore St., Arlington, Va. 22209; 78 pages, paper $11.95).
Salary isn’t the only factor that influences teachers’ morale, according to the author of this booklet; participatory management, inservice education, and evaluation also play a large role. Based on responses to an aasa study, the author identifies morale problems and sets forth advice, from professionals who have handled the problem, on how to overcome low morale. Includes: the ideas of four superintendents on building morale, research from Yale University on 62 sources of teacher dissatisfaction, lessons from industry, case studies of 6 districts, 12 sketches of schools with “excellent morale,” and a diagnostic program for evaluating a district’s “morale level.” Mr. Brodinsky is an education writer based in Old Saybrook, Conn.
Directory of Facilities and Services for the Learning Disabled, 10th Edition (Academic Therapy Publications, 20 Commercial Blvd., Novato, Calif. 94947; 111 pages; paper $1).
Designed to assist parents and educators in locating appropriate services for learning disabled children, the directory lists, alphabetically and by state and province, 500 institutions for the learning disabled, including: private, part-time centers; full-day schools; residential schools, counseling centers; and diagnostic centers in the U.S. and Canada. With the listing is a brief description of the nature of the facility; the ages and grades of students accepted; the services offered; and information on staff makeup, costs, and calendar year. Includes advertising by institutions.
Other Resources
El-Hi Textbooks in Print, 1983 (R.R. Bowker Company, 1180 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10036; 855 pages, $49.50).
This book lists 27,418 elementary and secondary textbooks in print and features a subject index, author index, title index, and series index, plus an index to related teaching materials and a publisher index.
Fighting TV Stereotypes: An ACT Handbook, by Cynthia Alperowicz (Action for Children’s Television, 46 Austin St., Newtonville, Mass. 02160; 24 pages, paper $3.50).
For parents, teachers, and concerned citizens, this booklet provides advice on how to fight what the author and Action for Children’s Television (the nonprofit advocacy group) view as racism, sexism, and age stereotyping in children’s television. Designed to prompt debate over the current state of TV, the publication suggests ways the TV industry, the business community, and interested citizens can work “to erase stereotypes and encourage positive role models on children’s TV.”
--Anne Bridgman
