This book is based on lectures delivered by 12 cross-cultural social science scholars drawn from 7 countries to address critical issues related to knowledge construction in human development and allied disciplines. The book is organized into two major sections. Section 1 focuses on theoretical perspectives and Section 2 highlights ongoing research…

This chapter is part of a book that recounts the year's work at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. Rather than an "elitist" laboratory school for the children of university faculty, the ECDC is a collaboration between the Corpus Christi Independent School District and the…

This chapter is part of a book that recounts the year's work at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. Rather than an "elitist" laboratory school for the children of university faculty, the dual-language ECDC is a collaboration between the Corpus Christi Independent School District and…

Two public policy shifts in the past 10 years--the move from welfare to work and the end of social promotion in school--are intertwined in their implementation in the lives of working poor families. This report draws on ethnographic data from a 6-year study of working poor families in New York City over the period in which welfare reform became a…

This booklet, in Spanish- and Japanese-language versions, offers parents guidance on how to partner with teachers to help their children acquire the skills, attitudes, and habits to do well in school and throughout life. The booklet begins with a description of how preschool children learn, and continues with a discussion of the goals of the…

High/Scope preschool curriculum is a model for developing high-quality early childhood programs that encourage and support children's initiatives and active learning experiences. This revised manual for early childhood practitioners and students presents essential strategies adults can use to make active learning a reality in their programs. The…

This paper focuses on challenges in preparing student teachers for diverse Florida classrooms, noting the current underperformance of many Florida schools, particularly urban schools. These low performing schools tend to serve a disproportionate number of poor and minority students, many in the early stages of learning English as a Second…

This collection of papers includes excerpts from books, essays, and articles that explore the heart of the teaching experience. Nineteen chapters explore the challenges and joys of teaching, focusing on the meaning and experience of teaching and the art of teaching skills. They include: (1) "The Heart of a Teacher: Identity and Integrity in…

Noting that one of the most powerful weapons to prevent crime are programs such as quality educational child care, after-school and summer programs, and child abuse prevention, this brief presents the school and youth violence prevention plan of an organization of Illinois law enforcement officers, state's attorneys, crime survivors, and leaders…

Sports programming plays a significant role in the media messages that American boys receive today. To explore the messages that sports programming presents to its audience, this report relates the findings of a study that analyzed a representative selection of sports programs and their accompanying commercials; also presented are findings from a…

Although early intervention programs have enjoyed popular and legislative support, little hard data exist on the long-term consequences of these efforts. This study examined the long-term effects of the Child-Parent Center (CPC) program in Chicago. Begun in 1967, the program operates out of 24 centers, located in proximity to the elementary…

This training manual presents information on the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT), a criterion-referenced fitness test for children and adolescents with disabilities. The first chapter of the test training manual includes information dealing with health-related criterion-referenced testing, the interaction between physical activity and…

This manual presents instructional strategies developed by Project SLIDE (Skills for Learning Independence in Developmentally Appropriate Environments), a project that identified skills that general education kindergarten teachers found to be critical for students' success in their classrooms. After training in Project SLIDE strategies, students…

The high incidence of divorce and remarriage means that the structure of American families is changing. Drawing on 13 studies that explore intergenerational obligations, this book discusses the responsibilities of family members to one another after divorce and remarriage. Chapter 1, "Who Is Responsible for Dependent Family Members?," presents an…

The Central Regina Early Learning Centre is a community-based, early intervention program that aims to break the cycle of disadvantage for 3- and 4-year-olds in Regina, Canada. This report documents an evaluation of the program offered by the Centre from 1992 to 1994 and makes proposals for future program development. Chapter 1 of the report…