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The author of the textbook, Laurence Steinberg, notes that in addition to serving as educational institutions, the secondary education system provides potentially important tools of social intervention. Consider your own secondary education for a moment, and describe how it could have been or could be improved through school reform programs like those described in the text. |
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| 2 | |
The rise of the comprehensive high school marked a change from an exclusive focus on the intellectual development of the socioeconomic elite to education that included the social and intellectual development of all young people. In your opinion, should schools play a broader role in preparing young people for adulthood by providing instruction more directly relevant to work, family, leisure, and citizenship? Or should the primary focus be on intellectual development? Support your opinion with ideas and research from the chapter. |
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| 3 | |
The process of grouping students according to academic abilities and special needs, known as tracking, has generated much research and has sparked debate among researchers, educators, and parents. What evidence exists to justify a policy of segregation on the basis of academic ability or special needs (e.g., learning disabilities)? In contrast to tracking, a second approach advocated by the federal government is the policy of mainstreaming all students. What evidence exists to justify the government's advocacy of mainstreaming? Are there groups for whom tracking is particularly harmful or beneficial? |
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Most social scientists now agree that the most important school-related influences on learning and psychological development during adolescence are those seen in more immediate environments of the school and classroom. Describe what type of atmosphere is most conducive to academic achievement. What role, if any, do teachers, students, and parents play in creating a positive classroom climate? |
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The federal government has a program entitled No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The implication is that every student, regardless of individual characteristics of the student, deserves a high-quality public school education. Do you agree with the premise underlying the NCLB legislation? How does this policy affect the (re)structuring of public schools? |
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| 6 | |
Unfortunately, many students attend schools in which violence is a feature of the school climate. Discuss the prevalence and nature of school violence and how schools have responded to such violence. Is it possible to predict which students are most likely to commit lethal acts of school violence? Are there any unintended consequences of school violence prevention programs? |
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| 7 | |
Describe how the transition to adult roles and occupations might be different for college versus non-college-bound adolescents. Which group is more at risk for psychological distress? What do you think should be done to ease the transition for those most at risk? |
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