The youth of today live in a world wherein numerous stimuli exist. These stimuli may either supplement or hinder their intellectual growth. The youth are surrounded by all these stimuli and divide their attention from their studies, resulting to low academic performance in school, an outcome undesired by their parents. An ideal student should be…

This article discusses a theoretical model of the parental involvement process that addresses (a) why parents become involved in their children's education, (b) the forms their involvement takes, and (c) how their involvement influences both proximal (e.g., motivation) and distal (e.g., achievement) student outcomes. The authors describe how…

In a line of research employing a survey instrument, the "Critical Thinking Belief Appraisal", teachers supported critical-thinking (CT) activities more for high- than low-advantage learners, likely exacerbating a "rigor gap" implicated in persistent achievement gaps. Such beliefs were less likely to be espoused by expert teachers than randomly…

Recent research and policy initiatives have focused on the roles of Hispanic fathers in their children's literacy development. Research indicated that fathers are able to motivate children to acquire, develop, and use literacy; learn new roles to enhance their children's literacy development; participate in literacy activities; and influence their…

The belief that one can make a difference in the world drives the whole achievement process. Developing skills or using one's talents for a task deemed valuable becomes the basis of defining oneself as a person. That's why the good parent or coach or teacher knows how to make the appropriate compliment--and ask the right questions. This article…

This report describes a program for increasing intrinsic reading motivation. The targeted population consisted of lower primary students in a growing middle class community, located in northern Illinois. The problems of aliterate students were documented through teacher observations and student surveys. Analysis of probable cause data revealed…

This publication presents the following articles: (1) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Develops Student Recruitment and Retention Strategies; (2) Marketer Advises Tech Educators Appeal to Teens' Emotions, Desires to Do Something Important; (3) Digital Bridge Academy Gets At-Risk Students on Paths to Knowledge-Based Careers; (4) Project…

Discusses a survey designed to ascertain parent and student attitudes regarding second-language learning in high school and to determine the popularity of Indonesian, if offered. Findings reveal that Japanese is the preferred language, parental attitude is important, cultural background greatly influences language preference and students…

Shows how a working class Chinese-American family prepares its only child for school success. This bilingual child of immigrants is successful academically and socially. The importance of high family expectations and the goal directedness of the parents is emphasized, as is the ambivalence the parents feel toward school. (SLD)

Profiles a Puerto Rican family who participated in a cross-cultural ethnographic study of family influence on children's school achievement. This low-income, single-parent household reflects broader Puerto Rican cultural values, including the influence of the extended family, in its support for school achievement. (SLD)

A practicum program was developed and implemented to increase parental involvement, teach parents how to help their children, reverse parents' and students' negative attitudes toward mathematics, and enhance mathematics performance of at-risk seventh-grade students. The objectives of the program were to increase parental involvement by 40 percent,…

This study focused on identifying factors that would enhance the probability of college attendance among African-American students. These factors included parental involvement, high school curriculum track, the prestige of one's life goal, socioeconomic status, and amount of television viewing. Data were drawn from a random selection of 1,394…

Profiles Wynton Marsalis and discusses his work with children and music. Describes the motivation behind, and development of, the Public Broadcasting System's four-part special "Marsalis on Music." Marsalis discusses his early exposure to music and the influence of his parents. (MJP)