Invitational Theory is rooted in three theoretical foundations, the perceptual tradition, self-concept theory, and a democratic ethos (Purkey, Novak, and Fretz, 2020). This essay focuses in on the first of these foundations, which the author intentionally describes as "perceptual theory." Perceptual theory provides a theoretical…

Soundscapes engender historical, cultural, social, and aesthetic meanings through acoustical qualities that reflect a community's lived experiences. In this article, we propose music lesson ideas that help students appreciate and embrace their sociocultural heritage--by creating, performing, and listening to soundscapes that are representative of…

This article addresses the notion of touch and its constitutive role in the participatory sense-making process (de Jaegher and Paolo 2007) of play and dance improvisation. It is argued that touch is always relational, as it continuously changes the contours of self, other(ness), and world(ing). It is therefore surprising that touch traditionally…

Reflective practice is considered a highly valued graduate attribute in the field of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy educators influence and shape how students develop into reflective practitioners. Reflective practice requires a set of complex thinking skills that are typically focused on personal experiences and can be broken down…

In this paper, we consider the theoretical implications of having high ability and being labeled as highly able to engagement in self-regulated learning. We frame this theoretical explication with the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI). The DSMRI depicts self-regulated learning as emerging from a complex dynamic system that integrates…

Mindfulness, or present-moment awareness, and its associated qualities of calm/relaxation, nonjudgment, intentionality, concentration, and compassion, are increasingly being used to help cultivate self-awareness, attention, and optimal learning experiences. After defining mindfulness and selecting key concepts, we apply the construct and features…

Mindfulness practices are gaining popularity in the United States as a way to become more aware of the present moment. Practicing these skills has been shown to benefit children and adults in many areas, including self-knowledge, self-control and communication. Including mindful practices in a physical education setting has the potential to…

Purpose is conceptualized as an intention to make meaning for self and to contribute to a greater world. Purpose in youth is critical to well-being, especially in the areas of good health and overall life satisfaction. An intentional set of strategies can be employed by educators to infuse and integrate purpose into youth development,…

The relationship between stigmatization and the self-regard of patients/consumers with mental disorder is negative but only moderate in strength, probably because a subset of persons with mental illness resists devaluation and discrimination by others. Resistance has seldom been discussed in the stigma and labeling literatures, and thus conditions…

Perception is reality. While you perceive yourself to be an effective leader even under stress, do your colleagues share this perception of you? Your perception of effective leadership may be shared by others who work with you. People in leadership may see a relationship between "leaders in title" and "leaders in action" from…

The term "EI (emotional intelligence)" was first used in 1990 by Salovey and Mayer. EI involves: (1) the ability to perceive accurately, appraise and express emotion; (2) the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; (3) the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and (4) the ability to regulate…

Howard Gardner first posited a list of "multiple intelligences" as a liberating alternative to the assumptions underlying traditional IQ testing in his widely read study "Frames of Mind" (1983). Play has appeared only in passing in Gardner's thinking about intelligence, however, even though play instructs and trains the verbal, interpersonal,…

Surveys expose differences in how chief development officers and institutional leaders view their fundraising roles. A recent survey of community college presidents and chief development officers shows, for example, that while 82 percent of presidents say they are comfortable asking for gifts, just 55 percent of fundraisers say the same of…

Self-care for clinicians is much needed. To discover ways to implement self-care into our lives, we (four therapists) tried different self-care methods over a span of one to two weeks. After using practices that explored self-care through mindfulness meditation, autohypnosis, music, and spirituality, we wrote about the outcome of these experiences…

This article introduces a phenomenological understanding of embodiment and discusses it in relation to a somatic approach to teaching dance. The nature of bodily knowledge is scrutinized especially through Maurice Merleau-Ponty's conceptions of perception, subjectivity, and intersubjectivity. The article offers insight into the relationship…