Since the late 1980s, school choice has become a popular education reform strategy. Parents who select which school their child attends do so for a variety of reasons, including academic, religious, or moral environment, and convenience. Differences in the proportion of students who attend an assigned school and those who attend a school selected…

Despite competition from celebrities, athletes, and musicians, children still regard parents as their primary heroes. This book suggests how parents can realize their potential as role models and deal with the influence of other role models. Chapter 1, "Understand Who Your Child's #1 Hero and Role Model Is," considers the concept of hero…

This study investigated language attitudes and Japanese language maintenance among a group of second-generation Japanese in Melbourne (Australia). Subjects were 66 Japanese high school students (second-generation) attending Japanese-language schools and 109 Japanese mothers (first-generation) self-identified as Japanese-identity,…

In response to the National Education Goals panel's recognition of the role that parents can have in children's learning and school performance, the "Survey on Family and School Partnerships in Public Schools K-8" was conducted to determine the ways schools are engaging parents in their children's education and the extent to which…

Research on intergenerational learning includes a range of studies that focus on the transmission of beliefs and practices and modeling of behaviors from generation to generation. This critical review focuses on the broader issues in intergenerational learning and the multiple, though small, streams of work that examine the impact of fathers'…

Compiling essays authored by Benjamin Spock and published in popular magazines, this book explores current trends that have an impact on raising children. The chapters are: (1) "Teaching Values to Children," discussing important values to share, and the value of duties and responsibilities at an early age; (2) "Families," examining the changing…

This book has been written to provide readers with the terms, definitions, and research evidence needed to hold conversations about homework in a constructive manner. It attempts to help readers set effective homework policies, rules, or guidelines, whether for a school district, a school, a classroom, or a family. Its premise is that the key to…

The aim of this study was to assess the interrelations of social support and school attitudes as predictors of achievement across a culturally and economically diverse sample of preadolescent children. Parent and peer support were assessed along with parent and peer attitudes toward school. Achievement indices were the child's own attitudes,…

In 1994, the Student Assessment was administered to approximately 12,000 students at 197 new High Schools that Work (HSTW) sites in 13 states; student scores from the mathematics portion of the assessment were analyzed. Vocational completers had an average mathematics score of 282.0, which was 13 points below the HSTW mathematics goal, while the…

This report on drug abuse in schools is based on 6 years of analysis, focus groups, and field investigations. Prior research has determined that if young people do not engage in smoking or substance abuse by age 21, their chances of engaging later are next to nothing. It has also been determined that next to parents, schools have the greatest…

A set of parent-child math activities designed to help busy, working parents do math with their children as part of everyday situations such as cleaning up and making dinner included basic steps, variations, and information on working with children were developed for families with elementary grades children aged approximately 5 to 11 and…

The administration of educational programs has become a profession, requiring specific training and a variety of experiences for individuals to serve effectively in the role of educational administrator. For the most part, individuals think of school administration as it pertains to grades P-12; however, higher education administration is very…

Noting that socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural variations among fathers and differences in family structure may affect fathers' roles and their level of involvement with their children, this brief summarizes key research findings on the ways in which various factors influence fathers' involvement in children's lives. Regarding socioeconomic…

A balanced triad among students, teachers, and curriculum, with each consisting of three equally supportive components, is shown to be the most important foundation for learning. Teacher components are self-esteem, superiors, autonomy; student components are peers, parents, motivation; curriculum components are design, materials, pedagogy. (MH)

The first of two articles on the psychological dimensions of the school-to-college transition looks at the rising anxiety of high school seniors applying to and selecting colleges, at the importance of rituals in the transition process, the stress of decision-making about the future, and the changes occurring during the senior year in high school.…