Education

Russo gained critic's recognition for his portrayal of life in a declining upstate New York mill town with his novels Mohawk and The Risk Pool. His latest novel His book "Nobody's Fool" was adapted into a film starring Paul Newman. His latest novel is "Straight Man." It is published by Random House.

Teacher Ron Whitehorn has also involved himself and his students in the restoration of Fair Hill. A teacher at the Julia De Borgeos Middle School, Whithorn has tried to help urban children overcome the odds and add to their own community. He is joined by 12 year-old Sofia Gonzales, a student who has been active in the program. She is tired of the image of North Philadelphia as an urban wasteland and wants to prove that she lives in a neighborhood where people care.

Bill Ayers is probably best known as a leader of the 1960's radical group the Weatherman. It was the militant arm of the Students for Democratic Society movement. But now Ayers focuses his efforts to reform the nation's schools and its juvenile court system. His latest book "A Kind and Just Parent" (Beacon Press) is a close look at Chicago's Juvenile Court system. Ayers is a professor at University of Illinois at Chicago.

Journalist and College Professor Anne Matthews talks about why college tuition is skyrocketing, and how campus culture and student expectations have changed over the years. Her new book is called "Bright College Years."

Commentator Gerald Early considers the past and future of Fisk University.

The Fresh Air commentator has been writing about the historically black institution, where he currently teachers, and shares these thoughts.

Commentator Gerald Early reflects on the black community and historically black colleges and universities.

Commentator Dagoberto Gilb has some thoughts on his son and college.

New York magazine film critic David Denby is interviewed by Fresh Air's Book Critic Maureen Corrigan about his new book "Great Books: My Adventures with Homer, Rousseau, Woolf, and Other Indestructible Writers of the Western World." It comes from Denby's recent return to Columbia University to take two western civilization classes. He wanted to explore the current debate in literature of whether these classic books should be required reading in today's multi-cultural society.

A new monologue by the NPR commentator, playwright, and housecleaner. "Drama Bug" was featured on This American Life, a nationally broadcast radio program hosted by Ira Glass and produced at WBEZ in Chicago. Sedaris is known nationally for his humor writing; he launched his radio commentator career with his "SantaLand Diaries," broadcast during NPR's "Morning Edition in 1992.

Performance poet Sapphire has written a new novel, "Push," in the voice of a 16 year-old black girl named Precious Jones, who is pregnant for the second time by her father. Her world opens up when a teacher encourages her to learn to read and write. Sapphire taught reading and writing to teenagers and adults in Harlem and the Bronx for eight years. There's also a new edition of her book of poetry, "American Dreams."

Actor Eric Stoltz. He's gotten a reputation playing parts in films like "Killing Zoe," "Pulp Fiction," and "The Waterdance," "Some Kind of Wonderful," and many other films.

Guest film critic Steve Vineberg reviews two new college movies: "A Reason to Believe" and "Kicking and Screaming"

Psychologist and Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Howard Gardner. He's written a new book, Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership, (Basic Books) in which he profiles a number of leaders, exploring the link between creativity and leadership. Gardner has written thirteen books, and is also a recipient of the MacArthur Prize Fellowship. He'll talk with Terry about his theory of multiple intelligence which was the subject of his 1983 book Frames of Mind.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the imaginative author's comic novel, Moo.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Higher Learning," the new film from director John Singleton. It's about identity and culture clashes on a college campus, and stars Laurence Fishburne, Ice Cube and Omar Epps.

Writer and professor Michael Eric Dyson wrote "Making Malcolm: The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X." The book explores the different sides of Malcolm X and how his influence is felt today. Dyson is also the author of "Reflecting Black," and a professor of Communications Studies at the University of North Carolina.

Journalist James Traub has written "City on a Hill: Testing the American Dream at City College." This is an exploration of the "open admissions policy" that was implemented at the College in 1970, and the effects this policy has had on the school. Traub examined remedial classes and struggling students, and talked to administrators and professors including Leonard Jeffries, the controversial Chair of the Black Studies Department.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews ABC's excellent new teen drama by the producers of "thirtysomething." This series premieres tonight.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead fills in for Stephen Schiff and reviews two new movie releases--"With Honors" with Joe Pesci and "PCU" with David Spade. They're both campus comedies.