This theme issue focuses on the relationship of fathers and their children with disabilities. It reports a study of 86 Kansas fathers of children (ages 5 to 8) with and without disabilities. The study was conducted in order to identify more options for fathers wishing to increase their involvement with their children. The study sent surveys of…

Because of the significant rates of divorce and remarriage in the United States, the stepfamily is becoming an increasingly mainstream way of life alongside the traditional nuclear family structure. This book is an essential guide for understanding an individual's multiple family roles as well as the emotional and psychological nuances within…

The current efforts to reform U.S. education are misguided because they place increased burdens on the schools and ignore the total learning environment. The majority of youth step out of school into an intellecutal vacuum of no feedback and no enrichment. The home, the school, and the community must be involved in a holistic way with education,…

This book addresses the critical issues, as well as contemporary approaches, used to deal with the developmental, social, intellectual, and coping problems of low-birthweight infants and their families. Following an introduction by I. E. Sigel, the chapters are: (1) "Past, Present, and Future Directions in Research on the Development of…

This book is provided as a helpful tool in ensuring a successful and satisfying elementary school science fair. The book clarifies the roles of teachers, parents, and students and provides information about types of projects, practical tips, and possible topics for research. Included are short bibliographies, sample forms (which are teacher…

This book examines various aspects of parenting and influences on parents, including such key contexts affecting child development as school, neighborhood, and culture. After a forward by Urie Bronfenbrenner and a preface by Tom Luster and Lynn Okagaki, which together help to introduce the topics to be discussed, the book is divided into nine…

This paper presents an outline for a three-part workshop for parents who want to help their children become better readers. The paper provides lists of materials, the overheads, and the handouts for each of the three parts of the workshop. The parts of the workshop described in the paper discuss: (1) word recognition and questioning strategies;…

This brochure is intended to inform parents and teachers about the nature of bullying and ways to address the problem. Questions answered in the brochure are: (1) "what is bullying?"; (2) "how extensive is bullying?"; (3) "what are some characteristics of bullying?"; (4) "what are some characteristics of victims?"; (5) "what are some consequences…

This Spanish-language poster provides a checklist of ways that parents can help their children with school work and thus support their academic success. The items are divided into three parts as follows: (1) providing support for your children, including a quiet, well-lighted study area in the home, needed supplies such as paper and writing…

Intended for parents, this book offers straightforward directions on how to guide children in constructing a composition. It also helps parents review and clarify compositions that their children have already written. The book gives a developmental perspective to children's performance and includes sample compositions from actual classroom writing…

In recent years, there have been calls in many countries to ensure that children come to school "ready to learn." This study explored what is meant by this term by different groups of people and the ways in which the beliefs underpinning such a term influence decisions such as when children start school, the classes they enter, and…

Noting that even one caring adult can help make a child more capable of handling later stressors, this paper lists some strategies for building a sense of specialness in young children in group care contexts. Also presented are ways to enhance optimism and combat attitudes of helplessness and pessimism among children. The paper outlines a pattern…

This book is a practical guide to help parents understand educational assessment. It shows how good student assessment actually enhances learning, and it provides a foundation for building community support for effective practices. It offers advice about improving communication between home and school, and explains how to build strong…

A practicum addressed the low number of parents participating with their children in a Chapter 1 Reading Program by the development and implementation of a parental involvement program. The program implemented strategies to eliminate conflicts cited by parents as major reasons for non-participation in meetings and workshops relative to their…

This booklet provides an overview of stages and levels of cognitive development. Particular attention is given to language skills, the growth of understanding and memory, levels of thinking, altruism, and conscience. The importance of parents' influence on the development of their child's thinking abilities is emphasized. Nine resources that…