Self-organized learning was developed by Professor Sugata Mitra of Newcastle University on the foundation of his firm belief that learning will emerge spontaneously when children are encouraged to be curious and are allowed to self-organize. There are seven dedicated Self-Organized Learning Environments (SOLEs) that Mitra established in…

Educators stress the importance of play for children's cognitive, social, physical, and emotional development. In order to effectively advocate for the inclusion of play in education settings, it is important to fully understand it. Two researchers, one from England and one from the Netherlands, sought common ground for understanding what children…

The Convention on the Rights of the Child calls for children to be treated as human beings with a distinct set of rights, instead of as passive objects of care. They can and should be agents in their own lives. Child-initiated pedagogy recognizes this by respecting children's individual and collective views, interests, and motivations.…

One of the ways that researchers have found to expand and inform global thinking about the impact of education is through international teaching experiences for students preparing to become teachers. "People have always been curious about the ways that societies acquire and use knowledge, the way that knowledge is translated into skills, the…

School choice has gained considerable popularity in recent decades as governments struggle to improve quality and reduce the cost of education by increasing competition among schools and decreasing the level of bureaucracy (Chubb & Moe, 1990). The trend towards reorganization of public service allocation for education has been a feature of…

This article shares interpretations of an important piece of professional development in teacher education in Trinidad and Tobago, an initiative that came about because of the unique relationship between the Association of Special Education of Trinidad and Tobago (TASETT), the Teachers Union of Trinidad and Tobago (TUTTA), and the University of…

This article describes the author's experience when visiting her grandson's kindergarten classroom. The author is a parent, and at one time was a kindergarten teacher, program director, supervisor of student teachers, and consultant, so she's been involved for well over 40 years with a vast number of children as they have had their very special…

Discusses how the National Curriculum in England affects teachers and students. Notes that while standards have risen, many teachers are concerned that teaching is being limited to ensuring students' performance in a narrow range of capabilities. Maintains that the focus should be on teaching children how to think. (KB)

Describes briefly the integrated elements of a nursery nurse program for 16- to 18-year-old trainees in the United Kingdom. Topics include supervised placements, integration of continuing education with preprofessional work, the student/tutor relationship, and seminars with peers. (RH)

Describes the Talents Unlimited Program, implemented in an elementary school in southwest England, which provides a framework for developing creative- and critical-thinking skills. Describes an evaluation that found that 5-year olds taught with this approach performed better on specific critical- and creative-thinking skills tasks than did peers.…

Maintains that the nurturance of the humanness of children should be a top priority in their education. (BB)

A view of open education is given in this anecdotal report of visits to primary schools in England. (NH)

Describes the role of the local advisor or advisory team in English primary schools. (DP)

Describes the establishment of a community study centre in a century-old school building in Fringford, England and discusses some activities in which school children participated. (SDH)