This debate-style reader is designed to introduce students to controversies in global issues through readings that reflect a variety of viewpoints. Each issue is framed with an issue summary, an issue introduction, and a postscript. The "Taking Sides" readers feature annotated listings of selected World Wide Web sites. "Taking Sides" is supported by our student website.

Table of Contents:
PART 1. Meeting the Diverse Needs of a Diverse Classroom ISSUE 1. Are Single-Gender Classes the Only Way to Ensure Equal Educational Opportunities for Boys and Girls? YES: Janice Streitmatter, from "An Exploratory Study of Risk-Taking and Attitudes in a Girls-Only Middle School Math Class," The Elementary School Journal" (September 1997) NO: Jo Sanders and Sarah Cotton Nelson, from "Closing Gender Gaps in Science," Educational Leadership" (November 2004) Janice Streitmatter, a professor of educational psychology, found that the behavior and attitudes of girls in gender-segregated classes are dramtically different from, and more success-oriented than, those of girls in coeducational classes. She argues that the culture and practices of the coeducational classroom limit educational opportunities for girls in a way that can now be overcome most easily (or perhaps only) through gender segregation. Jo Sanders and Sara Cotton Nelson argue that gender differences in achievement in physics, chemistry, and computer sciences are caused by inequities in classroom practices that deny young girls full participation in the activities required for success in these academic domains. They also describe a program initiated in the Dallas school system in which the classroom behavior of teachers and students in coeducational classrooms is targeted for change so as to provide more gender-equitable pedagogical experiences.ISSUE 2. Should Ability-Level Tracking Be Abandoned? YES: Jeannie Oakes and Amy Stuart Wells, from "Detracking for High Student Achievement," Educational Leadership" (March 1998) NO: Sally M. Reis et al., from "Equal Does Not Mean Identical," Educational Leadership" (November 1998) Jeannie Oakes and Amy Stuart Wells, both professors in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University ofCalifornia, Los Angeles, argue that tracking ensures that low-achieving students will be exposed to a watered-down curriculum, have access to fewer educational resources, and experience a less-than-stimulating school environment, all of which will prevent them from ever escaping theirlow-achieving track. They argue that all students should be expected to master the same curriculum. Professor of educational psychology Sally M. Reisand her colleagues argue that detracking leads teachers to adopt a middle-of-the-road curriculum that fails to challenge the best and brightest students in the class. They argue that teachers do not know how to meet the needs of gifted children within the context of a heterogeneous classroom; thus, tracking is critical for the success of the best and brightest students.ISSUE 3. Should English Immersion Replace Bilingual Education? YES: Keith Baker, from "Structured English Immersion: Breakthrough in Teaching Limited-English-Proficient Students," Phi Delta Kappan" (November 1998) NO: Josephine Arce, from "Cultural Hegemony: The Politics of Bilingual Education," Multicultural Education" (Winter 1998) Educational consultant Keith Baker argues that empirical evidence indicates that Structured English Immersion, which provides academic instruction in English, leads to larger gains in academic achievement and English mastery than bilingual education, which provides academic instruction in the students' native language. Josephine Arce, assistant professor of elementary education, College of Education, at San Francisco State University, argues that the anti-bilingual-education movement sweeping the country has resulted from a conservative political agenda designed to oppress racial and ethnic minorities. She asserts that the empirical evidence supports the superiority of bilingual education over Structured English Immersion.ISSUE 4. Is Full Inclusion Always the Best Option for Children With Disabilities? YES: Mara Sapon-Shevin, from "Full Inclusion as Disclosing Tablet: Revealing the Flaws in Our Present System," Theory Into Practice" (Winter 1996) NO: Naomi Zigmond and Janice M. Baker, from "Full Inclusion for Students With Learning Disabilities: Too Much of a Good Thing?" Theory Into Practice" (Winter 1996) Mara Sapon-Shevin, a professor of education at Syracuse University, argues that all students, whatever the nature of their disability, are best served within the "regular" classroom alongside their typically developing peers. Naomi Zigmond, chair of the department of instruction and learning at the University of Pittsburgh, and Janice M. Baker, assistant professor of special education and clinical services at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, argue that the accommodations that teachers make are seldom tailored to the needs of the particular students with disabilities enrolled in their classes. They maintain that meaningful remediation requires some form of "pull out" from the regular classroom. ISSUE 5. Can Schools Close the Achievement Gap Between Students from Different Ethnic and Racial Backgrounds? YES: Carol Corbett Burris and Kevin G. Welner, from "Closing the Achievement Gap by Detracking" Phi Delta Kappan" (April 2005) NO: William J. Mathis, from "Bridging the Achievement Gap: A Bridge Too Far?" Phi Delta Kappan" (April 2005) Carol Corbett Burris and Kevin G. Welner argue that the achievement gap between white students and African-American and Hispanic students is a consequence of the over-representation of students from ethnic and racial minorities in low ability-track classes. They argue that the watered-down curriculum and low expectations associated with low ability-track classes prevent ethnic and racial minority students from achieving the same levels of academic success as white students. William J. Mathis argues that the achievement gap between white and African-American and Hispanic students has been created by discriminatory social and political pressures that pervade all facets of life. He argues that it is, therefore, unreasonable to expect to eliminate the gap through curricular or other innovations in the schools. Mathis cites school vouchers as an example of a failed attempt to use schooling as a means of undoing the achievement gap.ISSUE 6. Should Schools Try to Increase Students' Self-Esteem? YES: Robert Sylwester, from "The Neurobiology of Self-Esteem and Aggression," Educational Leadership" (February 1997) NO: Carol S. Dweck, from "Caution--Praise Can Be Dangerous," American Educator" (Spring 1999) Robert Sylwester, an emeritus professor of education at the University of Oregon, argues that self-esteem is rooted in brain biology and that low self-esteem can result in impulsive and violent actions. He sees schools as a particularly important mechanism for delivering the positive feedback and successes that are required for the development of high self-esteem. Carol S. Dweck, a professor in the department of psychology at Columbia University, argues that programs to boost self-esteem have not had the hoped-for positive effects on student achievement. She argues that the indiscriminate use of praise makes students passive and fearful of losing the favorable opinion of others.ISSUE 7. Should Moral Education Be Part of the School Curriculum? YES: Thomas Lickona, from "Character Education: Seven Crucial Issues," Action in Teacher Education" (Winter 1998) NO: Alfie Kohn, from "How Not to Teach Values: A Critical Look at Character Education," Phi Delta Kappan" (February 1997) Thomas Lickona, a professor of education at the State University of New York College at Cortland, argues that U.S. schools must return to the teaching of character, or morality. He also proposes a set of core values that should be the basis of such teaching and outlines a plan forimplementation. Alfie Kohn is a professional writer and lecturer who frequently addresses psychological and educational issues and controversies. Kohn questions whether current programs of moral education can have a lasting impact and, if they do, whether they have the outcome that is best for a democratic society.PART 2. Theories of Learning and Their Implications for Educational Practice ISSUE 8. Should Schools Adopt a Constructivist Approach to Education? YES: Mark Windschitl, from "The Challenges of Sustaining a Constructivist Classroom Culture," Phi Delta Kappan" (June 1999) NO: E.D. Hirsch, Jr., from "Reality's Revenge: Research and Ideology," American Educator" (Fall 1996) Mark Windschitl, a member of the faculty in the department of curriculum and instruction at the University of Washington, argues in favor of constructivism, a child-centered approach to education that is defined by student participation in hands-on activities and extended projects that are allowed to "evolve" in accordance with the students' interests and initial beliefs. E. D. Hirsch, Jr., a professor in the School of Education at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, argues that child-centered approaches have failed and points to research demonstrating the superiority of fact-based, teacher-centered approaches.ISSUE 9. Does Reinforcement Facilitate Learning? YES: Tashawna K. Duncan, Kristen M. Kemple, and Tina M. Smith, from "Reinforcement in Developmentally Appropriate Early Childhood Classrooms," Childhood Education" (Summer 2000) NO: Charles H. Wolfgang, from "Another View on 'Reinforcement in Developmentally Appropriate Early Childhood Classrooms,'" Childhood Education" (Winter 2000/2001) Tashawna K. Duncan, Kristen M. Kemple, and Tina M. Smith, from the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida, argue that reinforcement has a long history of successful application in the classroom. They dismiss concerns that it lowers intrinsic motivation or that it is ethically equivalent to paying children to learn. They do acknowledge, however, that reinforcement must be integrated with a consideration of the developmental and unique needs of each child. Charles H. Wolfgang, a professorof early childhood education, admits that reinforcement and other techniques derived from behaviorist theory do control children's behavior in the short term. He asserts, however, that such techniques do little to encourage internalization of the types of standards that will ultimately lead children to behave effectively and appropriately in a range of situations in thefuture.ISSUE 10. Can Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences Transform Educational Practice? YES: Howard Gardner, from "Reflections on Multiple Intelligences: Myths and Messages," Phi Delta Kappan" (November 1995) NO: Perry D. Klein, from "Multiplying the Problems of Intelligence by Eight: A Critique of Gardner's Theory," Canadian Journal of Education" (vol. 22, no. 2, 1997) Howard Gardner, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University, discusses what he considers to be seven misunderstandings, or myths, that have surrounded his theory of multiple intelligences. He also discusses the implications of the theory for educational practice. Perry D. Klein, a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Western Ontario, argues that although a number of diverse pedagogical practices have been inspired by Gardner's theory, the theory is really too broad to be particularly informative about education.ISSUE 11. Will a Push for Standards and Accountability Lead to More Motivated Students? YES: Lauren B. Resnick, from "From Aptititude to Effort: A New Foundation for Our Schools," American Educator" (Spring 1999) NO: Kennon M. Sheldon and Bruce J. Biddle, from "Standards, Accountability, and School Reform: Perils and Pitfalls," Teachers College Record" (Fall 1998) Lauren B. Resnick, a professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, argues that setting clear achievement standards for all" students, not just those who are assumed to have the highest academic aptitude, will motivate students to work harder and, thus, increase achievement by all students. Kennon M. Sheldon and Bruce J. Biddle, both members of the faculty in the department of psychology at the University of Missouri, argue that an emphasis on standards is inconsistent with the mission of schooling because it rewards (and punishes) students and teachersfor achieving a narrowly defined set of outcomes.ISSUE 12. Do Recent Discoveries About the Brain and Its Development Have Implications for Classroom Practice? YES: Mariale M. Hardiman, from "Connecting Brain Research With Dimensions of Learning," Educational Leadership" (November 2001) NO: John T. Bruer, from "Brain Science, Brain Fiction" Educational Leadership" (November 1998) Mariale M. Hardiman, principal of a combined elementary and middle school in Baltimore, Maryland, argues that the pedagogical techniques that are employed in her school are successful because they fit with what is known about how the human brain works. John T. Bruer, president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation, an organization that provides financial support to researchers investigating basic and applied problems in the behavioral and biomedical sciences, argues that although scientists have recently learned many interesting things about the developing human brain, this research currently has little direct application to education.PART 3. Effective Teaching and the Evaluation of Learning ISSUE 13. Is the Whole Language Approach to Reading Effective? YES: Steve Zemelman, Harvey Daniels, and Marilyn Bizar, from "Sixty Years of Reading Research--But Who's Listening?" Phi Delta Kappan" (March 1999) NO: G. Reid Lyon, from "Why Reading Is Not a Natural Process," Educational Leadership" (March 1998) Steve Zemelman, Harvey Daniels, and Marilyn Bizar, faculty in the Center for City Schools at National-Louis University, argue that there is substantial empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of a whole language approach to teaching reading. G. Reid Lyon, chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), argues that becoming a skilled reader requires explicit, systematic, and direct instruction and practice. ISSUE 14. Is Greater Parental Involvement at School Always Beneficial? YES: Laura Van Zandt Allen and Eleanor T. Migliore, from "Supporting Students and Parents Through a School-University Partnership," Middle School Journal" (January 2005) NO: Rodney T. Ogawa, from "Organizing Parent-Teacher Relations Around the Work of Teaching," Peabody Journal of Education" (vol. 73, no. 1, 1998) Laura Van Zandt Allen and Eleanor T. Migliore point to evidence that parental involvement in their children's schooling is associated with improvements in children's academic performance and social-emotional development. Van Zandt Allen and Migliore also describe a program to help teachers solicit and use parental input, something the authors argue few teachers are normally prepared to do. Although Rodney T. Ogawa acknowledges that there is evidence that parental involvement has a positive impact on student outcomes, he questions the assumption that if some parental involvement is good, more must be even better. Ogawa argues, instead, that schools must build "buffers" as well as bridges between themselves and parents.ISSUE 15. Should Schools Embrace Computers and Technology? YES: Marcia C. Linn and James D. Slotta, from "WISE Science," Educational Leadership" (October 2000) NO: R.W. Burniske, from "The Shadow Play: How the Integration of Technology Annihilates Debate in Our Schools," Phi Delta Kappan" (October 1998) Marcia C. Linn, a professor of cognition and development, and James D. Slotta, director of the Web-based Integrated Science Environment (WISE) project library at the University of California, Berkeley, present an overview of the WISE project, which is designed to teach science and technological literacy through Web-based activities. They contend that this project will make teachers more effective and increase their flexibilityin the classroom. R. W. Burniske, of the Computer Writing and Research Lab at the University of Texas, Austin, argues that schools have been too uncritical in their acceptance of technology and that computer-based education, in many instances, may actually contribute to the very problems it is intended to correct.ISSUE 16. Will Performance Assessment Lead to Meaningful Education Reform? YES: D. Monty Neill, from "Transforming Student Assessment," Phi Delta Kappan" (September 1997) NO: Edward H. Haertel, from "Performance Assessment and Education Reform," Phi Delta Kappan" (May 1999) D. Monty Neill, executive director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, argues that performance assessment is consistent with the emphasis on standards and accountability of the high-stakes testing reform movement but avoids many of the pitfalls of traditional approaches to testing. Edward H. Haertel, a professor in the School of Education at Stanford University, argues against the philosophy of "high-stakes testing and accountability" and contends that performance assessment does not make this philosophy any more palatable or successful than does the use oftraditional standardized tests.ISSUE 17. Can a Zero-Tolerance Policy Lead to Safe Schools? YES: Albert Shanker, from "Restoring the Connection Between Behavior and Consequences," Vital Speeches of the Day" (May 15, 1995) NO: Russ Skiba and Reece Peterson, from "The Dark Side of Zero Tolerance: Can Punishment Lead to Safe Schools?" Phi Delta Kappan" (January 1999) The late Albert Shanker, long-time president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), advocates a policy of zero tolerance for violence and other disruptive behavior in school. He argues that such a policy is necessary because disruptive and violent behavior denies equal access to educational opportunities for the nonoffending students in a class or school. Russ Skiba, director of the Institute for Child Study at IndianaUniversity, and Reece Peterson, a member of the faculty in the Department of Special Education at the University of Nebraska, argue that despite several recent, highly publicized incidents of violence, there are no data to support the contention that there has been an increase in school-based violence, nor are there data demonstrating the effectiveness ofzero-tolerance policies in deterring violence and crime.ISSUE 18. Should U.S. Schools Be Evaluated Against Schools in Other Countries? YES: Richard M. Haynes and Donald M. Chalker, from "World-Class Schools," The American School Board Journal" (May 1997) NO: Ernest G. Noack, from "Comparing U.S. and German Education: Like Apples and Sauerkraut," Phi Delta Kappan" (June 1999) Richard M. Haynes and Donald M. Chalker, professors of administration, curriculum, and instruction, summarize the results of their analysis of the educational systems in 10 countries, including the United States and several countries considered by many to have successful, or "world-class," schools. They identify eight dimensions of difference between U.S. and world-class educational systems--dimensions that they feel explain the relative lack of success of U.S. schooling. Ernest G. Noack, a faculty member in education, argues that comparisons between the U.S. educational system and the educational systems of other countries are not useful because schooling serves a role in the United States that is different from that in other countries.