| academies | The private or semipublic secondary schools in the United States from 1830 through 1870 that stressed practical subjects.
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| back to basics | During the 1980s, a revival of the back-to-basics movement evolved out of concern for declining test scores in math, science, reading, and other areas. Although there is not a precise definition of back to basics, many consider it to include increased emphasis on reading, writing, and arithmetic, fewer electives, and more rigorous grading.
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| canon | The collection of literature and other works that typically reflects a white, Euro-centered view of the world.
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| career education (vocational education) | A program to teach elementary and secondary students about the world of work by integrating career awareness and exploration across the school curriculum.
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| core curriculum | A central body of knowledge that schools require all students to study.
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| critical pedagogy | An education philosophy that unites the theory of critical thinking with actual practice in real-world settings. The purpose is to eliminate the cultural and educational control of the dominant group, to have students apply critical thinking skills to the real world and become agents for social change.
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| cultural literacy | Knowledge of the people, places, events, and concepts central to the standard literate culture.
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| curriculum | (formal, explicit) Planned content of instruction that enables the school to meet its aims.
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| digital divide | A term used to describe the technological gap between the "haves" and "have nots." Race, gender, class, and geography are some of the demographic factors influencing technological access and achievement.
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| English grammar school | The demand for a more practical education in eighteenth-century America led to the creation of these private schools that taught commerce, navigation, engineering, and other vocational skills.
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| environmental education | The study and analysis of the conditions and causes of pollution, overpopulation, and waste of natural resources, and of the ways to preserve Earth's intricate ecology.
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| extracurriculum | The part of school life that comprises activities, such as sports, academic and social clubs, band, chorus, orchestra, and theater. Many educators think that the extracurriculum develops important skills and values, including leadership, teamwork, creativity, and diligence.
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| hornbook | A single sheet of parchment containing the Lord's Prayer and letters of the alphabet. It was protected by a thin sheath from the flattened horn of a cow and fastened to a wooden board–hence, the name. It was used during the colonial era in primary schools.
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| individualized education program (IEP) | The mechanism through which a disabled child's special needs are identified, objectives and services are described, and evaluation is designed.
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| interest centers | Usually associated with an open classroom, such centers provide independent student activities related to a specific subject.
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| junior high school | A two- or three-year school between elementary and high school for students in their early adolescent years, commonly grades 7 and 8 or 7 through 9.
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| Latin grammar school | A classical secondary school with a Latin and Greek curriculum preparing students for college.
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| metacognition | Self-awareness of our thinking process as we perform various tasks and operations. For example, when students articulate how they think about academic tasks, it enhances their thinking and enables teachers to target assistance and remediation.
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| National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) | Program to ascertain the effectiveness of U.S. schools and student achievement.
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| New England Primer | One of the first textbooks in colonial America, teaching reading and moral messages.
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| open classroom | Based on the British model, it refers not only to an informal classroom environment but also to a philosophy of education. Students pursue individual interests with the guidance and support of the teacher; interest centers are created to promote this individualized instruction. Students may also have a significant influence in determining the nature and sequence of the curriculum. It is sometimes referred to as open education.
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| peace studies | The study and analysis of the conditions of and need for peace, the causes of war, and the mechanisms for the nonviolent resolution of conflict. It is also referred to as peace education.
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| phonics | An approach to reading instruction that emphasizes decoding words by sounding out letters and combinations of letters (as contrasted with the whole language approach).
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| romantic critics | Critics such as Paul Goodman, Herbert Kohl, and John Holt who believed that schools were stifling the cognitive and affective development of children. Individual critics stressed different problems or solutions, but they all agreed that schools were producing alienated, uncreative, and unfulfilled students.
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| women's studies | Originally created during the 1970s to study the history, literature, psychology, and experiences of women, topics typically missing from the traditional curriculum.
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| "back to basics" | During the 1980’s, a revival of the back-to-basics movement evolved out of concern for declining test scores in math, science, reading, and other areas. Although there is not a precise definition of back to basics, many consider it to include increased emphasis on reading, writing, and arithmetic, fewer electives, and more rigorous grading.
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| null curriculum | The curriculum that is not taught in schools.
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