Critical Issues in Education : Dialogues and Dialectics

by NELSON

• ISBN13: 9780072555110
• ISBN10: 0072555114
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-04
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Nel Noddings
Preface	xvi
Introduction: Critical Issues and Critical Thinking	1	(54)
Education and Schooling: Education as Controversy	2	(7)
Democratic Vitality and Educational Criticism	9	(5)
The Political Context of Schooling	14	(3)
A Tradition of School Criticism and Reform	17	(38)
Part One WHOSE INTERESTS SHOULD SCHOOLS SERVE? JUSTICE AND EQUITY
School Choice: Family or Public Funding	55	(24)
Is family choice of schools in the public interest?
Position 1: For Family Choice in Education	55	(10)
Position 2: Against Vouchers	65	(14)
Financing Schools: Equity or Disparity	79	(24)
Is it desirable to equalize educational spending among school districts within a state or across the nation?
Position 1: For Justice in Educational Finance	79	(10)
Position 2: Against Centralization in Educational Financing	89	(14)
The Academic Achievement Gap: Old Remedies or New	103	(24)
Are already existing policies and practices reducing the academic achievement gap or are new measures needed?
Position 1: For Maintaining Existing Programs	103	(11)
Position 2: For Innovative Solutions	114	(13)
Gender Equity: Eliminating Discrimination or Making Legitimate Accommodations	127	(24)
Is it ever necessary to create schools or classroom settings that separate students by gender?
Position 1: Eliminating Discrimination	127	(9)
Position 2: For Making Legitimate Distinctions	136	(15)
Standards-Based Reform: Real Change or Political Smoke Screen	151	(19)
Will the standards-based reform movement improve education or discriminate against poor and disadvantaged students?
Position 1: Standards-Based Reform Promises Quality Education for All Students	151	(8)
Position 2: Standards-Based Reform Is a Political Smoke Screen	159	(11)
Religion--Church/State: Unification or Separation	170	(22)
How do schools find a balance between freedom of religious expression and the separation of church and state?
Position 1: For Religious Freedom in Schools	170	(9)
Position 2: Against Violating the Separation Between Church and State	179	(13)
Privatization of Schools: Boon or Bane	192	(43)
What criteria are most suitable for deciding whether schools are better when they are operated as a public or private enterprise?
Position 1: Public Schools Should Be Privatized	192	(10)
Position 2: Public Schools Should Be Public	202	(33)
Part Two WHAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT? KNOWLEDGE AND LITERACY
Basic Education: Traditional or Critical	235	(23)
What are the main characteristics of ``fundamental knowledge,'' and who should make that judgment?
Position 1: Teach the Basic Disciplines	235	(9)
Position 2: Teach for Critical Thinking	244	(14)
Reading: Phonics or Whole Language	258	(21)
What is the most effective approach for teaching children to read: phonics or whole language?
Position 1: The Phonics Argument	258	(8)
Position 2: The Whole-Language Argument	266	(13)
Multicultural Education: Democratic or Divisive	279	(19)
Should schools emphasize America's cultural diversity or the shared aspects of American culture?
Position 1: Multiculturalism: Central to a Democratic Education	279	(8)
Position 2: Multiculturalism Is Divisive and Destructive	287	(11)
Values/Character Education: Traditional or Liberational	298	(26)
Which and whose values should public schools teach the young, and why?
Position 1: Teach Traditional Values	298	(11)
Position 2: Liberation Through Active Value Inquiry	309	(15)
Technological Literacy: Necessary or Excessive	324	(30)
How should we determine which technological knowledge deserves significant school attention?
Position 1: For Fully Integrated Technological Literacy: Technology Holds the Promise	324	(13)
Position 2: Against Technological Excess: For Critical Technological Education	337	(17)
Standardized Testing: Restrict or Expand	354	(31)
Should the use of standardized school tests be increased or decreased?
Position 1: For Restricting Testing	354	(8)
Position 2: For Expanding Testing	362	(23)
Part Three HOW SHOULD SCHOOLS BE ORGANIZED AND OPERATED? SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
Instructional Leadership: Teachers or Administrators	385	(17)
Should teachers be given a larger role in running public schools?
Position 1: For Teachers as Instructional Leaders	385	(6)
Position 2: For Principals as Instructional Leaders	391	(11)
Academic Freedom: Teacher Rights or Responsibilities	402	(24)
How should the proper balance between teacher freedom and responsibility be determined?
Position 1: For Teacher Responsibility	402	(9)
Position 2: For Increased Academic Freedom	411	(15)
Teacher Unions: Detrimental or Beneficial to Education	426	(15)
Are teacher unions good or bad for education?
Position 1: Teacher Unions Are Detrimental	426	(5)
Position 2: Teacher Unions Are Beneficial to Education	431	(10)
Inclusion and Mainstreaming: Special or Common Education	441	(27)
When and why should selected children be provided inclusive or special treatment in schools?
Position 1: For Full Inclusion	441	(11)
Position 2: Special Programs for Special Students	452	(16)
School Violence: School Treatable or Beyond School Control	468
Can schools deal effectively with violent or potentially violent students?
Position 1: Schools Can and Should Curb Violence	468	(7)
Position 2: The Problem of School Violence Is Beyond School Control	475
Index	1