This book is the first volume of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Practice Resources Series. It offers a cognitive problem-solving approach to the urgent need for children to acquire competence in meeting the demands of childhood within social, school, and family parameters. Designed for children from kindergarten through middle…

This report documents the design, construction, and psychometric characteristics of the assessment instruments used in the spring 2004 data collection of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998?99 (ECLS-K). The ECLS-K is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.The ECLS-K…

Nonverbal communication skill, decoding and encoding nonverbal cues effectively, is an important part of social competence. Merely experience in receiving and sending nonverbal cues, however, is not sufficient to improve nonverbal skill. Consequently, a training program was designed to develop nonverbal sensitivity of school administrators and…

These three issues contain educational activities and articles on the following topics: education for the future; learning about learning; readers' responses to requests for suggested article and activity topics; tools and techniques (revisiting the one-question interview, learning students' names, and getting to know one another); multi-level…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a federally supported project in Connecticut to develop and examine the effectiveness of a social competence curriculum on the behavioral outcomes of young children (24-48 months) with disabilities and their families. Children (n=17) and their families received two years of…

This 43-minute VHS videotape is designed to be used in course and workshop settings with "A Biological Brain in a Cultural Classroom: Applying Biological Research to Classroom Management." The videotape's principal values are as an introduction to the issues explored in the book and as a catalyst for group discussions and activities…

Identity formation involves the development of self esteem, social skills, and a sense of self. Many gay and lesbian adults have noted that they were aware of their attraction to members of the same sex as early as five- and six-years-old. Reactions they received from parents and others often added to their stress. Following a description of the…

Recognizing the importance of friendship and peer acceptance in children's lives, this resource book translates research findings on the development of social competence into a tool providing skills, information, and activities that teachers can use to develop the social competence of elementary school students. Activities are based on the notion…

This booklet identifies and discusses methods and procedures to facilitate appropriate social interactions between children and youth with autism and classroom teachers and other school personnel. It is designed to provide information and techniques that are useful in developing social interaction programs. An overview of four approaches commonly…

This paper examines the impact of ethnocultural diversity on the process of collaboration. Section 1 shares stories of several different experiences with collaborative efforts, highlighting key assumptions about how people work together and how culture impacts assumptions. Section 2 discusses problems and issues related to collaborating. For…

Twenty-four families participated in an intensive 8-hour adventure program that included initiative games, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting in the mountains of central Colorado. A study examined the effects of participation on parental perceptions of family problem solving, communication, cohesiveness, and general functioning. A questionnaire…

This fastback outlines an approach to foster social responsibility in the classroom while simultaneously handling disruptive behavior simply and easily. The strategy that is considered will aid in establishing and maintaining a non-coercive, trusting environment, the first requirement of a quality classroom. Following the introduction, the…

A study examined the relationship between outdoor leader self-awareness and co-leaders' perceptions of leader influence. Thirty-three challenge course instructors for a major university in the Midwest operated as a peer group, working in instructor teams leading groups in an outdoor setting. Each instructor took a turn as leader of the day. All…

The integration of social and emotional competency (SEC) skills teaching into the regular curriculum can motivate students and promote their self-confidence and abilities to function effectively in society. This study examined whether colleges of education were preparing teachers to educate students in ways that would maximize their ability to…

This booklet, which is based on the philosophy of invitational education, focuses on physical education. It is designed to encourage educators to become aware of the messages they send to students; messages that are general and subtle as well as messages that are direct, specific, and personal. This awareness leads to becoming consistently,…