Delineates three distinct but overlapping functions of kindergarten: (1) to minister to the nature and needs of four- to six-year-olds; (2) to look forward to the nature and needs of children as they develop through the sixth year; and (3) to look backward to experiences and learning in the home. (NH)

Claude Goldenberg's claim that there are compatibilities between minority children's home and school experiences is critiqued on the following points: (1) the methodology is not ethnographic; (2) home-school cultural compatibilities are not demonstrated; and (3) the model of literacy acquisition is not supported by current theory and research.…

Describes social climate dimensions characterizing work, school, and health care settings, emphasizing how personal factors vary influence on morale and performance. Discusses cross-situational linkages, focusing on educator work climate and student learning environment, and students' school and family interplay. Reviews influence of personal…

Analysis of achievement test scores of 439 tenth-grade students found the hypothesized variables of IQ, socioeconomic status (SES), self-rated motivation, peer-rated studiousness, peer-group status, and parent-rated home environment contributed uniquely to achievement variance; SES, sex, and language medium of instruction were superfluous in the…

Correlations of home and school environment variables with the educational performance of 392 seven- and ten-year-old students in Northern Ireland were studied in 1970. Home influences of parent behavior, home literacy, and educational ambition were more important predictors of intelligence and reading/math attainment than were school and…

The cognitive development of a group of children who, at age six, were more than one standard deviation above the mean on a culture-fair measure is described. The relationship of influences at discrete time points which impinge on measures of mental attainment at elementary school entry is schematized. (DWH)

Investigates the environment of distance students with reference to the problems caused by "study plus work" and "study plus work plus family." Transcripts of extended interviews were analyzed to present a picture of the social and psychological environment of the students. (Author)

Offering a fresh perspective on treatment, this book presents an overarching framework and many specific strategies for working with violent youth and their families. The authors shed light on the complex interplay of individual, family, community, and societal forces that lead some adolescents to hurt others or themselves. Effective ways to…

This project focused on the role of the family in providing support to a relative with a disability in two American Indian cultures, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. A review of the literature notes the documented importance of involving family in the rehabilitation process. Ten families in each…

"Positive Support" examines potential benefits of matching high-risk youth with faith-based mentors. Drawing on surveys and interviews with young people who participated in the National Faith-Based Initiative, we found that mentored youth were less likely to show signs of depression than the youth who were not matched with a mentor. This in turn…

This report provides an overview of the numbers, characteristics, and economic situation of lone-parent families in the European Community. The report aims to take at least a first step toward providing information that would enable policy-makers to address the problems faced by single-parent families. The report concludes that women's…

This document presents a broad view of the Great Canadian Family--all of Canada's families, large and small, "traditional" and otherwise. The issue also examines the challenges of family life at the end of the twentieth century, in two major articles. The first article, "Of Wings and Roots" (Alan Mirabelli and Robert Glossop),…

This study compared the well-being of children born to mothers younger than 17 years old(very young teens), 18 to 19 years old (older teens), and mothers in their early twenties. Measures of well-being were assessed in five domains: (1) health and psychological well-being; (2) quality of home environment; (3) cognitive development and educational…

A SMART Learner is a lifelong learner who can adapt to rapid change and who possesses characteristics associated with success in and out of school. These workshop materials to help parents help their children become SMART learners provide: information from current research and best practice; learning activities that will actively engage parents in…

These four Census Briefs highlight the information from the 2000 U.S. Census most relevant for community leaders, policy makers, advocates, and others concerned with the status of children and families in Rhode Island. The first brief graphs the large increase in the number of Rhode Island children. Two tables show child population in core cities…