This paper describes a non-aversive behavior management approach called gentle teaching and details supportive techniques of the approach. Principles of gentle teaching are explained, including unconditional valuing of individuals (shown by verbal valuing, gestural valuing, and physical valuing); value reciprocation; and behavioral involvement…

Surviving the position of college president requires the development of a presidential survival kit filled with idiosyncratic items not normally associated with formal educational training. Strength, agility, control, and the ability to improvise are some of the talents required of a college president. In addition, the longevity and success of a…

Using a personal anecdotal style, this paper describes ethical conflicts that occurred during a study conducted in a kindergarten classroom in which the researcher was a passive observer. The paper is framed around an incident observed by the researcher in which a kindergarten student was stigmatized as an outsider and mistreated by his peer…

This study examined differences between the positive mother-infant interactions of adolescents and those of young adult mothers, both before and after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES) and educational level. The study also investigated factors related to adolescents' early and later maternal-infant interaction patterns. Subjects were 100…

This study investigated children's practices and ideas or perceptions about self-regulation for two particular aspects of schoolwork: completing homework and learning for a class test. Subjects were 86 Anglo children (ages 7, 9, and 11) who were interviewed about their practices and ideas concerning homework completion and test preparation.…

Much of the school reform and restructuring literature has focused on the need to improve or totally restructure teaching practice in order to create schools that effectively prepare children for the future. Recent literature on learning in the workplace and teacher learning and change provide some insight into the reasons why many teacher change…

Critical thinking and creative thinking are explored. Critical thinking is the process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, or evaluating information. It includes affective strategies such as thinking independently and developing intellectual perseverance. Certain teaching behaviors can encourage critical…

A study examined the reading practices in various secondary content classrooms. As part of assigned observations in secondary schools, students in three sections of an undergraduate class in secondary teaching methodology which included a literacy component were instructed to complete a data sheet for each class they observed. Observations from 38…

Sharing both collective and individual experiences and insights about whole language, teaching, and educational change, this book explains whole language instruction and its implementation on a school-wide basis. Each chapter moves from research to theory, and from theory to application in classrooms that actually exist. The book explains why…

Qualitative case study is used to explore the conceptualization of "teacher credibility" and to examine the effect of race upon perceptions of credibility. Non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and open-ended questionnaires reflect methods used to collect data from two social science professors and their students. Both…

To explore the possibility that the gender make-up of a class may predict the gender specificity of the language used by instructors, a study examined Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) and the number of gender examples they used. Subjects were eight graduate teaching assistants instructing a basic speech communication course and seven GTAs…

A study examined the effectiveness of a resistance-based prevention program to increase subjects' ability to comprehend and apply resistance skills. Subjects were 30 participants in kindergarten through third grade. Fifteen subjects received resistance-based prevention training from the We Help Ourselves (WHO) program. The remaining 15 subjects…

P. M. Lewinsohn has theorized that depression is related to the amount of positive reinforcement that an individual receives. Lewinsohn has supported this model in adults by showing that depression is correlated with an increase in unpleasant activities and a decrease in pleasant activities. This study extended Lewinsohn's model by developing…

Many studies have addressed the relationship of locus of control to gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and achievement. One area which has not received as much attention is the correlation of locus of control to the condition of being at-risk. Most research involving at-risk students has focused on identifying this group with in-school…

This document is the first volume of a two-volume report presenting the results of the 18th national survey of drug use and related attitudes among American high school seniors and the 13th national survey of American college students. Volume I contains the results from the secondary school samples of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. The volume…