Provides the pros and cons for the use of Ritalin in today's classrooms. Discusses the causes and diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), what Ritalin does to the brain, why ADHD appears to be so frequently diagnosed, Ritalin's affect on school performance, and the notion that current educational policies contribute to…

This study examined the influence of expressive strategies, emotion type, social context, and gender on 144 elementary-school-age children's expectancies regarding interpersonal responses to their emotional expression. Findings indicated that children expected others to respond more positively to verbal and facial strategies than to aggressive…

A major finding from interviews with 25 New York City (New York) poverty-area urban elementary school principals is that they cannot adequately educate children without services to deal with the emotional distress experienced by many students. Teachers need the help and support of trained professionals. (SLD)

Describes a study of students in grades three to six that examined how children's emotions about the Gulf War were related to their interest in the war news coverage. Topics addressed include theoretical approaches to selective viewing and the relationship between affective responses and casualty news versus neutral/background news. (Contains 30…

Investigated the development of inattentiveness and hyperactivity in middle childhood through a prospective study that followed 191 children from birth through age 11. In early childhood, quality of caregiving better predicted distractibility, an early precursor of hyperactivity, than did early biological or temperament factors. Caregiving and…

Discusses techniques that teachers and caregivers can use to assess the social development of young children. Indicates how anecdotal records, running records, checklists, rating scales, and standardized tests allow educators to determine the social competency of children and plan appropriate intervention strategies. (MDM)

Discusses the benefits of having family-style meals in early childhood programs. Notes how such meals allow young children to develop self-help and communication skills and allow teachers to assess many aspects of children's development. Reviews the implementation of a family-style meal program at the University of South Carolina's Children's…

Evaluates the effects of an enrichment package on the free- play behavior of black South African children in day care. Aims to assess the short-term effects and cost-effectiveness of such enrichment. Discusses the results in terms of often unexpected impacts that intervention schemes can have in the developing world, even those specifically…

Reviews three studies that examined the impact of playground types on children's creativity during pretend or imaginative play, the relationship between adolescents' pursuit of social goals and social competence at school, and the impact of sports participation on the social status of adolescents. Discusses various implications for camps in…

A longitudinal study of conflict management among siblings found that children's use of other-oriented statements emerged between 33 and 47 months of age, and that children used other-oriented arguments with their friends more often than with their mothers or siblings. Further, at 33 months, children used more reasoning during conflicts when not…

Using hypothetical puppet interviews, 48 preschool children were interviewed about their preferences for teacher methods of conflict intervention. Puppet vignettes contrasted conflict issue, peer status, and resolution strategy (negotiation, power assertion, and disengagement). Results showed that preschoolers preferred negotiation strategies over…

Stuffed animals provide comfort and security to children, and many Head Start teachers are putting this knowledge to work in the classroom. This article shows how to incorporate stuffed animals and puppets into the Head Start curriculum to help children deal with conflict resolution, separation anxiety, grief and loss, safety, and cultural…

Reviews research on factors influencing the child-care-choice behaviors of mothers of infants within the context of a theoretical model that relates such behavior to the environmental context, maternal beliefs related to child care, child characteristics, and mother's demographic characteristics. Concludes with recommendations for future research…

Peers are rarely credited as the source of positive behaviors; rather credit is given to the child or the parent for doing a good job. This introduction provides an overview of some of the methodological complications involved in studying peer influence, and discusses a new model for conceptualizing peer influence. (Author/SD)

Describes an evaluation of a home-school support project designed to improve the behavior of young children in danger of school exclusion. Concludes that, although the initiative was valued, effective operation of the initiative was hampered by problems of communication, by its single agency location, and by the short-term nature of its funding.…