This brief is derived from findings in White et al. (2020), "How Financial Socialization Messages Relate to Financial Management, Optimism, and Stress: Variations by Race," in which the authors examined explicit family financial socialization (e.g., overt communication messages provided by caregivers). More specifically, the focus was on…

This article unfurls in the aftermath of an event where three first grade children at a reputable progressive elementary school were found playing slavery during school recess. As word caught on, parents ignited into a frenzy: some railed against the teacher, others demanded an answer, while still others believed this was precisely the meaning of…

There is a need for developmentally appropriate Computational Thinking (CT) assessments that can be implemented in early childhood classrooms. We developed a new instrument called "TechCheck" for assessing CT skills in young children that does not require prior knowledge of computer programming. "TechCheck" is based on…

This study explored children's experiences of instructional alignment from prekindergarten through kindergarten. Using cluster analysis to analyze data from over 1300 children in the 2009 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, the study found that children have distinct and definable experiences of prekindergarten-kindergarten alignment,…

This study examined parents' developmentally appropriate beliefs about young children's play and parents' views on their child's play skills. This exploratory secondary data analysis was drawn from data on low-income African-American and Latino parents and their children (n = 109) participating in Head Start programmes in the USA. Compared with…

What if the problem with today's classroom teachers is with the preparation they receive? This piece argues that teacher educators need to learn how to incorporate cultural competence and responsiveness within their daily lives and into their areas of expertise. As a faculty member and coordinator for the academically and/or intellectually gifted…

We examined whether African American students differentially responded to dimensions of the observed classroom-learning environment compared with non-African American students. Further, we examined whether these dimensions of the classroom mediated treatment effects of a preschool mathematics intervention targeted at students from low-income…

To increase understanding of factors that prompt adolescents to seek alcohol-related services, this research examined the characteristics of youths who self-selected into a secondary alcohol intervention. Using a cross-sectional study of high school students (N = 6,748), the authors explored participants' alcohol involvement, alcohol-related…

Children in developmentally inappropriate kindergarten classrooms exhibited more stress than children in developmentally appropriate classrooms. In inappropriate classrooms, African Americans exhibited more stress than whites during most class activities. Low-SES and African-American children were less involved in appropriate activities than were…

After four years of schooling, at-risk children who had participated in a developmental kindergarten program scored higher on academic, social competency, and self-perception measures than children who had not participated in the program. Gender and racial differences were found. (BC)