New Mexico middle and high school counselors from small rural school districts perceived less substance use, gang-related violence, high-risk sexual activity, and sensation seeking among students than did counselors from urban and large rural districts and spent more time on administrative responsibilities than their counterparts. However,…

Analyzes the discourse between Latino immigrant parents and their children's elementary school teacher during parent-teacher conferences. Finds that parents and teachers often use different criteria to evaluate children's progress, with the teacher holding more individualistic goals for the child's development and the parents' goals being more…

Used class discussions to explore the influence of gender on beginning readers in a Grade 1 classroom. Found that although children's mothers read the most often, both parents did read to their children. Familiarity, genre, and challenge influenced children's reading selections. Also found gender differences in book preferences and reading…

This article addresses educators' ethical responsibility for recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of African American students with disabilities. It opens with a brief overview of multicultural education and continues with a three-pronged model for addressing multicultural competencies: awareness, knowledge, and skills. Strategies for…

Examines the uniqueness of the caregiving experiences of specific cultural groups. Results, based on focus group meetings with African American, Chinese American, Haitian American, Hispanic/Latino American, Korean American, and select Native American communities, revealed differences in perceptions of disability, family structure, care givers,…

Studied relations between parenting and school performance of fourth and fifth graders in 75 Asian-American, 109 Latino, and 91 European-American families. Ethnic differences emerged in parents' expectations for education attainment and grades, childrearing beliefs, perceptions of parental efficacy, and in relations between these beliefs and…

Argues that gender bias among referring agents is a major factor in the unequal distribution of males and females in learning disabilities programs. Discusses the role of male hyperactive or disruptive classroom behavior in the disproportionately large number of males referred to learning disabilities programs. (Author/CR)

Discusses the policy of matching as it has influenced American adoption practice. Discusses how, as race became the primary criterion of likeness, matching linked adoption with broader issues in American culture and politics. Explores future interconnections between racial matching, genetic engineering, and ideologies of "biological…

Summarizes the results of a study of 245 university undergraduates and describes the range of individual differences in cognitive style within that sample. Identifies four broad categories: (1) cognitive personality elements, (2) information processing style, (3) approaches to studying, and (4) instructional preferences. Discusses the differences…

Study of students (n=546) from two colleges found selective college students procrastinated more. Academic procrastination was motivated by task aversion at selective college, by fear of task failure at nonselective college. Nonselective college procrastinators more often used both legitimate and nonlegitimate excuses. Excuses were self-generated…

This study examined the effect of period of work placement on students' perceptions of their own attitudes toward learning. An edited Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIS) produced data consistent with findings reported by other researchers. Work experience did not affect students' perceptions of their approaches to learning.…

Discusses the nature of special education in Central America and the Caribbean, including policies, programs, definitions, and attitudes regarding disabilities. Also highlights factors in mainstream education that may be related to U.S. educators' perceptions of disabilities and offers recommendations for U.S. educators, especially…

A survey of 556 research university faculty found most felt satisfied with key aspects of their work environment, and many felt they had experienced or observed little gender discrimination. Among those experiencing discrimination, women were more likely than men to report exclusion by colleagues, inappropriate sexual attention, demeaning or…

Homework is a battleground for many families. Increasingly, parents are asking their school boards to reconsider the amounts of homework assigned, and administrators are questioning homework quality. A New Jersey district has imposed strict limitations, allowing students more downtime and reading/informal learning opportunities. (MLH)

This article discusses the complex belief systems and values affecting the perception of disability for families from culturally diverse backgrounds, including the influence of traditional and spiritual beliefs, beliefs about health and healing, religion, belief about folk medicine and folk healers, and expectations of a child's social roles.…