Commonly, when parents attempt to talk to their teenagers about school, the response is short and uninformative. Adults, whether teachers or family members, have taken this resistance as a sign of rejection. However, research in this field shows that, in fact, teenagers do want to interact with their parents, as well as other adults, and have them…

This report summarizes some of the parent and community involvement activities for AISD during the 2001-2002 school year.

Drawing upon recent research findings and upon a case study of a child learning to talk and to read, the author outlines the important similarities in the development of both language and literacy. The characteristics of parent-child interaction which support language acquisition--semantic contingency, scaffolding, accountability procedures, and…

A comprehensive team approach to the selection and delivery of educational services for exceptional students is presented. Also described are recommendations for appropriate process or interaction models, team composition and functions, and a decision-making model. (CJ)

In reply to Romulo Magsino's article (in this issue) on balancing the rights of children, parents, and the state, the author urges that children be accorded at least full partnership with adults concerning decisions about their education and overall "happiness." (PP)

Describes an inner-city parent involvement program based on research showing that when parents provide extra reading instruction at home their children's reading performance improves. Reports on an evaluation of the program that showed significant reading achievement gains for children enrolled in it. (FL)

Research on early childhood education, child development, and school readiness is used to support the argument that formal schooling for children under 8 or 10 years old is less desirable than home-based instruction. Research on neurophysiology, social-emotional development, cognitive development, school entrance age, parental potential, and other…

Discusses how the school counselor can provide knowledge, guidance, and support to the families of gifted students. Describes the various parent roles, characteristics of successful counselors, and counseling interventions. Outlines active school counselor roles to encourage parent participation. (JAC)

Recognizing the changing role of parents of handicapped children in the educational planning process, the advocacy roles and responsibilities for parent involvement are identified and discussed in light of their implications for school psychologists. Materials available to assist in the training of parents are presented. (Author/RL)

Tested a conceptual model of parenting to determine whether maternal child-centered perspectives mediated relations between parenting resources of social support, child-rearing history, and self-esteem and the child's developmental level with parenting behavior. Found that mothers' perspectives directly related to parenting behavior in two…

Describes a workshop to provide parents, their elementary school children, and elementary teachers with a common science learning environment. It included 45 activities/demonstrations with directions and learning notes. The primary goal was to promote inquiry through involvement and interaction with each other, discovery, discussion, and thinking…

Investigated Gilligan's hypothesis on the origin of moral orientation through analysis of sibling-conflict interactions in 40 dual-parent families with 2 children, ages 2 and 4. Found only partial support for hypothesis in that, regardless of the child's gender, mothers used significantly more care than justice orientation, whereas fathers used…

Reports a case study that examined the effects of parent policymaking within Head Start, focusing on low-income mothers' involvement, opinions, and impact. Interviews and observations indicated that county Head Start policymakers and administrators had difficulty bringing low-income families into the dialog about policies, programs, and…

Examined the expression of shame and pride in maltreated and nonmaltreated children. Subjects were 84 4- and 5-year-olds and their mothers. Found that maltreated girls showed more shame when they failed and less pride when they succeeded than nonmaltreated girls. (MOK)

Details seven ways adults can ensure children's safety on the Internet: become familiar with the Internet community; learn how the Internet works; identify quality sites; learn what sites to avoid; teach children basic rules for Internet safety; place computers in high traffic areas and monitor use; and respond thoughtfully if a child visits an…