The author describes the process and development-related benefits of "participatory research." Her example is of the efforts of Canada's native people to resolve the issue of family and child welfare. (Author/CH)

Ingredients necessary to forge successful, effective youth-adult partnerships: the conviction that adolescents can make a valuable contribution, long-term commitment to the project, and giving youths a definite organizational role are outlined with reference to the experience of the Youth Participation Project in Nassau County, New York. (JMM)

Adults planning with young people make better plans and build better programs for all youth. Developing successful partnerships demands flexibility and compromise, but the benefits of such partnerships are enormous, both to the people involved and the community itself. Wisconsin's Positive Youth Development Initiative has made a good start. (JMM)

The idea of participation in planning can be applied to formal report topics in business communication, report writing, and technical writing. A study found that students experience great satisfaction with brainstorming and nominal grouping. (JOW)

Considering the public's high regard for discipline and the clear relationship between a safe and orderly environment and school effectiveness, no school can afford to operate without a properly developed discipline code handbook. Faculty, staff, and students need to be involved to make the handbook an effective blueprint governing behavior…

Emphasizes the need for intimate faculty involvement in planning a new school gymnasium. Once an architect has been chosen, planners should consider flexibility for newer sports and other functions and be aware of choices regarding size, flooring, use of dividers, and maintenance. Because gym requirements vary by region and school system, careful…

The role of staff development in establishing charactertistics of an effective school was examined in order to illuminate associations. A framework was used to categorize these characteristics into three critical dimensions. Two consistent patterns emerged that are described and used to present broad guidelines for the conduct of staff…

The author discusses the role, make-up, establishment, and workings of the placement department advisory board within a proprietary school. (CH)

To ensure full participation in establishing school system goals, the Iowa City (Iowa) schools initiated a priority-setting exercise in which all 600 professional employees (and community members) participate. The process involves gathering ideas and status reports, holding workshops, making progress reports, presenting new priorities to staff,…

An interview with a former principal reveals the principal's point of view regarding the delicate PTA-principal partnership, including discussion of: parent-principal relationships; principals' fears of parent organizations; points of conflict in such relationships; and parents' roles in decision making. (CB)

Secretary of Education William Bennett discusses the importance of elementary education and elementary school teachers and what he hopes "First Lessons: A Report on Elementary Education in America" will accomplish. (MT)

Civic education has been assigned a low priority. Team effort and team competition should be as prominent in cerebral development as in athletics in order to improve citizen skills and citizen orientation. Reward structures are needed where collective problem solving is more highly prized than individual achievement. (RDN)

The representation of large corporations on the advisory committees of executive branch departments and regulatory agencies declined in the years 1973 and 1977, probably because of provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972. Representation generally reflected an intersection of corporate economic interests with department and agency…

Assessment of West German and Japanese systems of worker participation and of attempts to adapt these models to the United States do not provide conclusive evidence that these methods improve productivity and job satisfaction. (SK)

Quality Circles are a participative management technique allowing employees opportunities to participate in decisionmaking and problem-solving processes at work. A Wisconsin vocational school successfully implemented Quality Circles with management and nonmanagement staff participating. (MD)