For educators, the importance of understanding adolescents' concepts of caring is critical. This paper explores early adolescents' perceptions of barriers to caring and is part of a large ethnographic study on caring in middle schools. This study was conducted in two midwestern middle schools in a large urban area. A total of 101 students,…

Three themes run through the accounts of parents and teachers as they relate their experiences rearing and teaching children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS): (1) Children with FAS can achieve far more than current negative stereotypes suggest; (2) Early intervention and excellent family care make an enormous difference to the success and…

For more than 80 years, Boys Town's mission has been to change the way America cares for its at-risk children. This collection of articles describes how Boys Town carries out its mission via the Boys Town Teaching Model. The essence of the Boys Town teaching model is two-fold: building relationships with children and teaching skills to youth. To…

This paper examines the observable play behaviors of elementary school students to determine how children interact within and among cultural groups. Observations were conducted during the recess period at an urban elementary school attended by 623 boys and girls age 6 through 12. Recess periods and play areas were segregated by grade and sex. Data…

This study used data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) to explore the relationship between family functioning and adolescent behavior problems. The data covered five family types: married, two-biological parent families (TP); stepfamilies; divorced/separated female-headed families (DSF); never married female-headed…

This issue of the Australian Early Childhood Association Research in Practice Series focuses on attention difficulties in young children and is directed to parents, child caregivers, and others interested in the care and education of young children. The booklet describes behaviors and characteristics common in children with attention difficulties,…

During the 1990s, an increasing number of states have become interested in social indicators as basic tools of governance. Many states have been working aggressively to develop programs and initiatives that make systematic use of social indicators, and to develop the underlying data system to measure and track such indicators. This report reviews…

Hypothesizes regarding factors that enhance prosociality in children, implying that the quality of childrearing and early companionship have profound impact on toddlers' social behavior. Discusses observation space versus companion space, prosocial behavior across cultures, when toddlers abuse, and the implications of a circular reenactment of…

Compared children retained in kindergarten with matched samples of age and grade mates, using teacher ratings as an index of their social and academic skills. Found that retained children showed a reduction in behavior problems, specifically acting-out and shy-anxious behaviors, but only slightly increased competence for task orientation across…

Examined the relation between the nature of teacher discourse and sixth-grade students' reports of affect and behavior in mathematics classrooms students perceived as emphasizing both mastery and performance goals. Found that students in the classroom in which there was constant and explicit support for autonomy and intrinsic motivation, positive…

Discusses the implications of research findings that responsive teaching techniques improve the classroom interactions of preschool children with learning disabilities for classroom-based early intervention. Considers the use of responsive strategies in writing Individualized Education Plan and Individualized Family Service Plan goals and…

Introduces the idea that attention deficit disorder is a myth brought about by society's attempts to alter and adapt children's natural behaviors to fit the routines and limits of a flawed educational system. Anecdotes from Albany's Free School describe ways of working with children as unique individuals, based on the faith in every child's inborn…

Offers advice to parents and teachers on addressing children's natural curiosities about their own bodies and those of others. Recommends using anatomically correct terms and dolls, and children's anatomy books; advises what to do when children engage in sex play, self-exploration, and masturbation, or use toilet language. (DLH)

This article summarizes findings of "What Grown-ups Understand about Child Development," a national survey to gauge America's knowledge about child development. The findings suggest a need for more and better information on topics such as expectations of young children at different ages, theories on spanking and spoiling, and choices of…

In this study, we examined relations between kindergartner's emotional security, task involvement and achievement and teacher's supportive presence in a cognitive training setting, in which the familiarity of the teacher was varied. Participants were 48 kindergarten children (mean age = 51.65 months); 16 children were trained by their regular…