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Elementary Education: A Reference Handbook takes readers on an all-inclusive journey through the history and current status of elementary education in America. The handbook first examines the historical, philosophical, social, and cultural foundations of elementary education. It then delves into the fascinating topic of how children learn, including racial identity formation, culturally differing cognitive thinking styles, and language developments. A critical investigation of issues relating to the curriculum reveals its purpose, types, and models, weighing the impact of technology and providing a historical review of key subjects, from language arts to physical education. Are the results of standardized testing and high-stakes testing realistic and fair? This handbook explores these and other key questions in a detailed discussion of assessment and evaluation methods.
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Elementary Education ✒ A Reference Handbook
Other Titles in ABC-CLIO’s
CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION ISSUES Series African American Education, Cynthia Jackson Alternative Schools, Brenda Edgerton Conley Charter Schools, Danny Weil Curriculum Trends, Valerie J. Janesick Diverse Sexuality and Schools, David Campos Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Cynthia L. Jackson and Eleanor F. Nunn Middle Grades Education, Pat Williams-Boyd Multicultural and Diversity Education, Peter Appelbaum School Vouchers and Privatization, Danny Weil Secondary Schools, Leila E. Villaverde Special Education, Arlene Sacks Sports and Education, Anna Marie Frank Student Rights, Patricia H. Hinchey Understanding Educational Reform, Raymond A. Horn, Jr.
C O N T E M P O R A RY E D U C AT I O N I S S U E S
Elementary Education ✒ A Reference Handbook
Deborah A. Harmon and Toni Stokes Jones
Santa Barbara, California
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Denver, Colorado
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Oxford, England
Copyright © 2005 by Deborah A. Harmon and Toni Stokes Jones All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Harmon, Deborah A. Elementary education : a reference handbook / Deborah A. Harmon and Toni Stokes Jones. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-57607-942-2 (hardback : alk. paper) — ISBN 1-57607-943-0 (ebook) 1. Education, Elementary—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Jones, Toni Stokes. II. Title. LB1555.H297 2005 372—dc22 2005004578 07
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This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an e-book. Visit http://www.abc-clio.com for details. ABC-CLIO, Inc. 130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911 Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911 This book is printed on acid-free paper ∞ . Manufactured in the United States of America
✒ Contents Series Editor’s Preface Preface xv
xiii
Chapter One: Elementary Schools
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Elementary School Student Populations 2 Changes in Population 2 Ethnicity and Culture 3 Language 4 Families 4 Child Care 4 Latchkey Children 5 Socioeconomic Status 5 Poverty 6 Homelessness 6 Ability 7 Current Trends and Issues in Elementary Education Diversity 8 Students with Special Needs 9 Students Placed at Risk 10 School Violence 10 Gang Violence 11 National Standards 12 Alternative Assessment 12 Technology 13 Family Involvement 13 School Choice 14 Year-Round Schools 14 Open-Enrollment Schools 14 Hub Schools or Full-Service School Programs 14 Magnet Schools 15 Charter School 15 Vouchers 15 Home Schooling 16