A study of teacher and administrator perceptions of school violence and violence prevention programs in three rural school districts focused on personnel fears, frequency of school personnel victimization, school environment areas posing greatest risks, profiles of typical victims and perpetrators, school strategies to deal with violent behavior,…

Provides an overview of the evolution of archaeology as a discipline, citing its special strengths and the approaches used to study past cultures. Gives special attention to the problems of preservation and to understanding the value of the physical remains of the past. (MJP)

Although educators play a critical role in identifying and preventing child sexual abuse; many lack confidence in their knowledge and ability to provide appropriate intervention services. This article provides background and practical information for teachers, examines barriers to success, and presents a model program designed to develop teachers'…

Researchers say the best way to prevent suicide is to find and treat kids with depression and substance-abuse problems. Schools should also develop a suicide-prevention policy, make curriculum decisions wisely, train staff as detectives, notify parents, make sure affected children get help, and attend to survivors. (Contains 13 references.) (MLH)

This article presents six principles designed to prevent writing difficulties as well as to build writing skills: providing effective writing instruction, tailoring instruction to meet the individual needs, intervening early, expecting that each child will learn to write, identifying and addressing roadblocks to writing, and employing…

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels citizens' safety patrol, discusses the development of the Cyber Angels, an online citizens' patrol group that monitors Internet communication. Cyber Angels voluntarily look for and report any illegal activity conducted over the Internet, such as pyramid scams, transmission of stolen credit card and…

Syracuse University's Ujima Project trained peer educator-mentors to offer first-year African American students correct information about HIV risk reduction and life skills building, providing ongoing social support in a culturally sensitive manner. The program successfully changed students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors necessary for HIV…

Argues that a new paradigm is needed in addressing welfare reform, and introduces "Cyberfare" as that paradigm. Cyberfare is described as an economic and social support system that addresses issues of the information and technology age, global economy, and the changing role of families and social institutions. Its use is deemed vital to…

Surveyed more than 900 students in the rural northwest at the 4th-, 6th-, 8th-, and 10th-grade levels for alcohol and drug use. Measured self-reported usage of 17 substances. Reports descriptive statistical results by gender and grade-level usage rates. Discussion includes targeting drug prevention programs for specific grade and gender levels…

This article addresses two types of issues related to policy decisions. First, it examines policy as it relates to the logistics of conducting an FBA. Second, it discusses issues related to proactively preventing serious behavior from occurring in schools. (Contains 13 references.) (CR)

A smoking prevention program for Hispanic immigrants in Canada was based on participatory community planning, cultural sensitivity, and a comprehensive health philosophy. After 12 educational sessions, participating children aged 8-14 engaged in more community activism and showed decreased intentions to smoke. Parents, children, and staff were…

This article presents a prereferral assessment and intervention process implemented in an elementary school. Included in the description are procedures, examples of record forms, and a case study illustrating the operation of the process. The advantages and disadvantages of the process, as perceived by the faculty and staff, are listed. (Contains…

Examines Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), including: (1) story of a victim's family; (2) risk factors; (3) known preventive measures; (4) change in traditional behaviors to ensure infants are put to sleep on their backs; and (5) the role child care providers should play to educate and ensure the safety of clients. (SD)

This article addresses translating phonological awareness research for classroom reading instruction. It presents a practical overview of phonological awareness development and its relationship to beginning reading. Formal and informal assessment methods of children's phonological awareness are presented, and strategies are described for…

Presents questions that will assist early childhood teachers in evaluating their own views and behaviors toward various ethnic groups. Provides resources for teachers to educate themselves, parents, and students. Asserts that teachers can promote more positive attitudes among students and educate children to be respectful and accept the…