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Byline: Barbara J. Thayer-Bacon (1) Author Affiliation: (1) Cultural Studies Program, University of Tennessee, 335 HPER Building, Knoxville, TN, 37996-2700, USA Article History: Registration Date: 11/10/2004

Byline: Barbara J. Thayer-Bacon (1) Keywords: constructive thinking; critical thinking; pluralism; radical democracy Abstract: This article explores the centralpragmatist and feminist philosophical assumption thatknowers can not be separated from what is known, thatthere is a dialectical relationship between socialbeings and ideas that is dynamic, flexible, andreciprocal. The author seeks a closer examination ofconstructive thinking in relation to the practice ofthinking constructively within social communities. She discusses social communities that constructknowledge as radical democratic communitiesalways-in-the-making, and the skills of communicatingand relating which help knowers be able to activelyparticipate in the construction of knowledge. Giventhe fallibility of the pluralistic subjects, she showsthe importance of addressing cultural influences andpolitical power in theories about thinking. Sheargues for the value of embracing pluralistic anddemocratic commitments on epistemological grounds aswell as moral grounds. Author Affiliation: (1) Bowling Green State University, USA Article History: Registration Date: 03/10/2004

In "Democratic Foundations of Spiritually Responsive Pedagogy," Lingley worried that talk of spirituality is taboo in U.S. public school classrooms. Lingley pointed out that the dominant narrative demands silence on the topic. She wanted to make the case for spiritually responsive pedagogy as vital to an inclusive democracy. I begin this responsive essay by describing Lingley's argument, and then I strengthen her argument through my work on relational ontologies. When we equate spirituality with ontology, we realize it is impossible to avoid teaching spirituality in our schools, for we begin passing on to our children our fishing nets to help sustain them within our families and communities as soon as they are born (one could even argue prior to birth). That passing on of basic categories of Being, through our various ways of describing our/their world, begins in the home and continues in our schools. I am in agreement with Lingley's aim, and I find her work an exciting contribution to discussions on democracy and spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My article aims to develop a relational, pluralistic political theory that moves beyond standard theories of liberal democracy, and to consider how such a theory translates into our public school settings. I use a narrative style argument to share stories that focus on homogeneity and diversity from my visit to a Japanese elementary school, as I consider, drawing on the work of Chantal Mouffe, the important role harmony and disagreement, and a tension between homogeneity and diversity, play in encouraging citizens to contribute to their school and their larger communities in a democracy-always-in-the-making. I argue that there is much we can learn from Japanese educational practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on an article by Randall Curren which focuses on issues of fairness in student evaluation through the example of Outcomes Assessment (OA) in Equal Opportunity and Outcomes Assessment. She cites Curren's argument that fair equality of opportunity seems to preclude the use of grades as credentials in primary and secondary schools. The author worries about the lack of discussion of schools being allowed to remain neutral and other social institutions not being held accountable for their responsibilities for children's education.

Focuses on teaching of students on how to read philosophical arguments. Explication of arguments with a variety of philosophical essays; Essays with discussion on proficiency exams.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses an article on the political and economic ideologies of Educacion con Participacion de Communidad (EDUCO) by Cheryl Desmond, the establishment and description of the educational tracks in Thailand by Kristan Morrison and the study on the non-native English speaking students' experiences on culture, identity and language by Olivia Halic, Katharine Greenberg and Trena Paulus.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the engagement of cultures in differentiated motivation processes, classroom goal structures in an elementary school in China, and building education in Hong Kong, China.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including one by Thomas Misco on the condition of Holocaust education in Romanian classrooms, one by Laura Stachowski on the Cultural Immersion Projects at Indian University and one by Jill Jurgens and Carrie Robbins-O'Connell on several variables in U.S. and Irish universities such as student diversity and study abroad programs.