Hot-Button Issues in Today's Schools: What Every Parent Needs to Know Book

Acknowledgments     vii
Preface: Who Wrote This Book and Why?     ix
Introduction     xiii
The Teacher and the Principal
Are You Happy with Your Child's Classroom Teacher?     3
Is Your Child's Principal a Real Leader?     12
Male Teachers in the Primary Grades: Where Are They?     19
Should Parents Play a Role in the Selection, Promotion, Compensation, and Dismissal of Teachers and Principals?     24
Classroom Management and Organization
Homogeneous versus Heterogeneous Grouping: What Are Your Views?     33
Promotional Policies: Where Do You Stand?     39
Classroom Discipline: What Kind Do You Want for Your Child?     44
How Can Homework Be Utilized as an Effective Learning Tool?     49
Children with Special Needs: Where Do They Fit?     55
Curriculum and Textbook Issues
The Three Rs and Rote Learning: Are They Outdated?     65
Bilingual Education: What Does It Really Accomplish?     72
Is There a Place for Diversity in the Curriculum?     77
Textbooks Used in Our Schools: Have You Reviewed Them?     83
Evaluation
Report Cards and Standardized Tests: What Do They Tell You?     91
Can You Help Your Child Who Is a "C" Student Become an "A" or "B" Student?     99
Parent-TeacherConferences: What Is Your Plan?     106
Evolving Issues
Nutrition and the School Cafeteria: How Is Your School Doing?     113
Sex, Drugs, Smoking, and Other Health Concerns: Do They Belong in the School Curriculum?     119
What Can Be Done to Improve School Safety and Avoid Violence in Our Schools?     125
College Admission: Is It Ever Too Early to Plan for Your Child's Future?     131
Alternative Strategies
School Vouchers: Problems or Opportunities?     137
Homeschool Instruction: A New Era or an Educational Error?     144
Summer School, After-School Activities, and the Extended School Year: Are New Directions Needed?     150
Public, Private, or Religious Schools: Which One for Your Child?     157
Concluding Remarks     163
Supplementary Reading     167
Index     171