The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Violence and the Family was convened to bring psychological research and clinical experience to bear on the problem of family violence and to make recommendations for solutions. This report of the Task Force highlights the need for a systematic, multi-faceted, multidisciplinary, and…

Books in the Opposing Viewpoints Series present debates about current issues that can be used to teach critical reading and thinking skills. The variety of opinions expressed in this collection of articles and book excerpts explore many aspects of the problem of homelessness. According to a 1994 report by the U..S. Conference of Mayors, the number…

Many commentators have expressed alarm over the increase in the number of single-parent families in the United States over the past four decades. The growth in single-parent families has been fueled by a rise in the number of out-of-wedlock births. Whether children are more likely to suffer social and economic problems when raised by one parent…

Books in the Opposing Viewpoints Series present debates about current issues that can be used to teach critical reading and thinking skills. The variety of opinions expressed in this collection of articles and book excerpts explore many aspects of illegal immigration. Contrary depictions of the aspirations and attitudes of illegal immigrants fuel…

Politicians and the media typically focus on single issues, positing simplistic solutions for complex problems--solutions that cannot work because they fail to take into consideration how different social problems influence and affect each other. This book provides a guide to key social factors, highlighting the critical interrelationships among…

This report presents the annual survey of public opinion in Pennsylvania. Telephone surveys were conducted with 1,744 people whose telephone numbers were randomly selected from all listed telephone numbers. Results of the survey indicate that: (1) Pennsylvanians strongly favor mandatory birth control counseling for welfare mothers, but opinion is…

This paper relates the experiences of an early childhood professor from the Freie University of Berlin on a trip through East Asia to provide advice and assistance on the situational approach to preschool education. Impressions of the sociopolitical and educational environment and needs of Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and…

To understand why the general situation of young Hispanic Americans is critical it is necessary to consider some demographic characteristics of the Hispanic population and examine the need for reform in their educational experiences. The impact of some current initiatives in the Mid-Atlantic region are discussed, and some alternative reforms are…

This report describes a classroom intervention for improving the social skills of fourth-grade students in an urban school. Children in the school were exhibiting poor social skills, as evidenced by lapses in self-discipline and by incidences of inappropriate behavior as noted by teacher observation and anecdotal records. After examining the…

Personal autonomy is a fundamental ideal in American culture. When the autonomy of a person with reduced capacity is restricted or limited by law and a guardian is appointed, the issue becomes critical to our understanding of social justice. Preservation of autonomy remains a core social value even while the legal system moves to erode personal…

A study of institutional responses to incidents of intolerance on college and university campuses was conducted. A questionnaire was sent to the deans of student affairs and student newspaper editors at 128 four-year colleges and universities; and interviews were conducted with administrators, students, faculty, and staff from 58 institutions, 11…

Based on successful classroom practice, the 31 essays in this book describe methods for teaching English and language arts while increasing students' self-esteem and respect for others, awareness of social issues, appreciation of literature, understanding of connections among disciplines, and involvement in their own learning. Essays in the book…

This paper contains a course outline for a teaching and learning unit to examine India's slums from a geographic perspective. Students in a college freshman and sophomore Human Geography class will discuss the problems and prospects of these slums. The unit is divided into three parts: (1) background information examining the slums from a…

In the past few years many movies have addressed social issues such as AIDS, parental estrangement, aging, battered women and children, and racism. Teachers of teenagers can capitalize on these kinds of serious films in two ways: by assuming that students have thought about some serious issues and by building on that assumption. Three movies of…

This guide is the first of three documents that make up a Professional Development Package for Educational Systems Design. Together, the documents constitute an integrated package designed to help educators and others accomplish specific purposes relative to a communitywide systems design effort. The orientation guide is ideally used in a 1-day…