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This article relates how the proposing, critiquing, iterating process of studio-based learning (SBL) provides for person-centered classroom management. SBL is defined in connection to how the pedagogy works within a school of architecture. Then, a description of how the approach is applied to one course in a teacher education program is offered. The model is important to person-centered classroom management because it positions teacher candidates as the person being centered on in the course and as a professional who will be called on to manage a classroom in more person-centered ways. Survey data and discourse analyses provide evidence of how SBL practices can bring about more person-centered thinking about classroom management. Evidence reveals that the propose-critique-iterate process of SBL allows teacher candidates to better understand the connection between person-centeredness and SBL and, ultimately, classroom management.

This article examines a rural elementary school’s first year of implementation of a comprehensive school reform model, Accelerated Schools Plus. Teachers at this school were found to engage in literacy teaching practices consistent with moderately (but not high) performing schools, with strengths such as high levels of student engagement and relatively frequent coaching of students, and weaknesses such as infrequent teaching of comprehension and an almost exclusive use of passive instruction such as recitation. The reform model purports to help teachers to recognize such strengths and weaknesses, however, a focus on standardized test scores and accountability hampered teachers’ implementation of the reform model.

Hurricane Katrina exposed to the world the side of America that is often ignored or forgotten--the side of America where people live in poverty and struggle to meet their most basic needs. This article focuses primarily on children in Mississippi and highlights the effect that poverty has on children's well-being at an early age and future academic success. It also provides evidence for the importance of funding high-quality pre-k programs and parental training to ensure they begin the process of preparing their children for success, not only in Mississippi but in the other states that are leaving their children behind. Finally, with the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind in 2007, recommendations are made for refocusing the premise of the law from accountability and high stakes testing to meeting the needs of all children so they can truly be successful in school.

Educators from Europe, Latin America, and the United States convened to explore issues inherent in democratic citizenship. Media literacy, a central component of democratic citizenship, was studied in depth. Data from the camp were examined for evidence of the participants' understandings of media literacy and how it might be taught. Results revealed that the camp participants developed a deeper understanding of media literacy, the importance of its teaching, and ways to teach it.

The Civitas Democracy Camp for Teachers provides professional development for educators to collaboratively explore ideals of citizenship and citizenship education in democratic societies. Reported herein are the findings of a study of the camp experience of a cross-cultural group of educators who examined the concept of social justice and ways to teach their students about it. Results of the study indicate that the participants broadened their definitions of social justice, expanded their recognition of the importance of teaching about social justice, and enhanced their understandings of approaches for teaching about social justice. Further, the findings indicate that cross-cultural professional development can have positive effects in altering and expanding educators' content and pedagogical knowledge of important international issues such as social justice.

The \"Education for Democracy Act,\" authorized by the United States Congress, provides funding through the U.S. Department of Education to support programs designed to assist educators in creating and implementing civic education programs both at home and abroad. One such program is Civitas: An International Civic Education Exchange Program. Much of the work undertaken by Civitas is conducted through the various partnerships that exist between and among some 30 U.S. states and 26 new and emerging democracies. One such partnership is the Florida-Texas-Mississippi-Hungary-Romania partnership. Established in 1995, the partnership has provided cross-cultural exchange opportunities for students, teachers, university faculty, civic leaders, and elected officials from each of the five partner countries and states. Teaching effectively for and about democratic citizenship is demanding, and educators must be energetic and imaginative in their approach to teaching about it. A recent example of the partnership's efforts to meet this demand and enhance civic education around the world is the staging of an annual democracy camp. The camp provided a weeklong opportunity for the educators to explore, discuss, and debate issues related to teaching for and about democratic citizenship. The international design of the camp afforded the participants a unique experience to examine and reflect upon the combined challenges for teaching for and about democratic citizenship in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Pre and post surveys were conducted during the camp to determine differences in views within and among the groups. The findings of the survey research provided evidence that the participants changed their definitions of democratic citizenship to more global definitions after their week-long cross-cultural interactions. The findings of the study also indicated that as a result of their experiences during the camp, the educators further affirmed their commitment to the importance of teaching for and about citizenship in a democratic society. Additionally, they became more inclined to teach the concept of democratic citizenship in explicit, rather than implicit, terms. (Contains 2 tables, 3 graphs and 8 notes.)

In 1998, the Garland Public School District (GPSD) in Garland, Mississippi began a formal equity analysis process named comprehensive equity analysis (CEA). The CEA process provided an entry into a historical study of GPSD's efforts to assess equity of total school programs and services among and within the district's four elementary schools. Qualitative data describing aspects of the school community, the Southeastern Equity Center (SEC), the Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS), and the CEA Research Team is presented. The study responds to the following questions: (a) Why does a school district study equity? (b) How does a school district study equity? (c) Does the process used actually assess equity in this district? This study followed a case-study design employing descriptive, exploratory, and explanatory case-study procedures. The data gathering techniques of observation, interviewing, and document analysis were used. Analysis included data, investigator, and theory triangulation as defined by Denzin (1978). A combination of pattern-matching and explanation-building, as defined by Yin (1984), were used. Pattern-matching and explanation-building manifested such analytic devices as matrices, categorization, frequency tabulation, mapping, and chronological ordering of information. The results indicate that the district studied equity due to external pressure from the Office of Civil Rights and Department of Justice. The district also wished for the data gathered during the CEA process to assist in planning for more equitable schools. This process of studying equity in four elementary schools has occurred (for this district) continually since the 1970s. Most recent efforts to assess equity occurred through a process of assessing student needs and adjusting institutional mission to meet said needs. The CEA process appears to have assessed equity given that assessment does not provide for the achievement of equity. Conclusions relate GPSD's progression toward equity to McCune's (as cited in Wilbur, 1998) historical progression of equity efforts: (a) physical desegregation, (b) equal access, (c) equal treatment, (d) equal outcomes, and (e) quality outcomes. A model which establishes the local educator and educational community as the interpreter and transporter of equity is recommended for other school districts wishing to assess equity.