(1988). A Domestic Priority: Overcoming Family Poverty in America. Hearing before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families. House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, Second Session. Although more Americans are working than ever before, economic and employment trends over the past decade have resulted in low-income families falling even farther below the poverty level than ever before. The purpose of this oversight hearing is to discuss strategies to overcome family poverty. Testimony was submitted by six expert witnesses in the fields of social services and public policy. Key issues and their solutions discussed include the following: (1) support for families with two working parents that includes medical protection and a higher minimum wage, an improved Earned Income Tax Credit, and refundable day care credits; (2) support for single parent families that includes workfare programs and reform of child support collection; (3) male unemployment, a central factor in never-married parenthood, which could be addressed by progressive welfare reform with a job creation policy and universal provision of child and health care; (4) the passivity generated by the… [PDF]
(1967). INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY AS A BASIS FOR THE COUNSELING OF LOW ACHIEVING STUDENTS. WHEN REMEDIAL COURSES IN ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS, AND STUDY SKILLS PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING FAILURE AND ATTRITION RATES AT ROCKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A PROGRAM OF REQUIRED COUNSELING WAS ADDED, BASED UPON NINE ASSUMPTIONS–(1) ALL BEHAVIOR IS PURPOSIVE, (2) ALL HUMAN BEINGS HAVE A DESIRE TO ACHIEVE, (3) LEARNING IS A CONSEQUENCE OF LIFE EXPERIENCES, AND THE DESIRE TO LEARN IS NATURAL, (4) FAILURE TO LEARN IN SOME AREAS FREQUENTLY RESULTS FROM DISCOURAGEMENT, (5) EACH PERSON DEVELOPS A LIFE STYLE TO GOVERN HIS PERCEPTIONS, DETERMINE HIS GOALS, AND CHARACTERIZE HIS ACTS AND REACTIONS, (6) A STUDENT'S BEHAVIOR TOWARD HIS ACADEMIC WORK IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS LIFE STYLE, (7) A STUDENT ABLE TO CONCEPTUALIZE HIS LIFE STYLE CAN MODIFY IT, (8) BY A PROCESS OF ENCOURAGING, COUNSELORS MAY HELP IN MAKING CHANGES TO FACILITATE LEARNING, (9) THE COUNSELOR IS ENCOURAGING WHEN HE SHOWS HONESTY, FRANKNESS, RESPECT, AND WILLINGNESS TO BE COOPERATIVE. TECHNIQUES USED WERE (1) IDENTIFICATION OF…
(2004). Education for Everyone: Agenda for Education in a Democracy. Jossey-Bass, An Imprint of Wiley The founders of the United States envisioned education as providing for all citizens the necessary apprenticeship in the understanding and practice of democracy. To make democracy safe there must be universal schooling; to make schooling safe for education there must be democracy. But since the founding of the country, the study and practice of democracy in American schools has weakened. The authors advocate a return to the primary purpose of education and ensure that it is indeed for everyone. The agenda for education proposed by the authors is more than an effort to revitalize a civics curriculum. It is about restoring a shared humanity to the educational process. It is about the need to make caring, compassion, freedom, dignity, and responsibility central to the mission of schooling. It is about placing power and responsibility, a concept more demanding than accountability, in the hands of those who need and deserve it. It is about taking the idea of excellence seriously. It is… [Direct]
(2005). Toys: Universal Tools for Learning, Communication and Inclusion for Children with Disabilities. PACER Center The toys children use during play are extremely important in their development. Anthropologists have found evidence of toys dating back as far as the first record of human life and among all cultures. Toys can be an entertaining and educational way for children to learn and respond to social situations, and they give children the opportunity to interact with other children. For children with disabilities, toys are not only a wonderful educational tool, but they can provide a unique opportunity for communication, self expression, and, especially, inclusion. On the surface, children playing with a toy seems simple, but in fact, they are learning a skill each time they play. Playing with toys can set the foundation for reading, writing, mathematical reasoning, social interaction, and creativity. Even though a child with a disability may have some limitations, he or she can still develop skills to use throughout life. Playtime also gives children, especially those with disabilities, the… [Direct]
(2002). The Quest for Education in Post Colonial Kenya: My Personal Experiences. This paper recounts the personal and educational experiences of a Kenyan woman now living in the United States. The paper relates her misfortune of failing the primary school national examination, which meant that she would not be admitted to a government high school. It discusses education during the British colonial period in Kenya and traces her passage through a Catholic boarding school with 300 students from all walks of life. The paper describes the woman's life in the United States where she attended graduate school. The education system in Kenya is described, giving the historical background of the traditional Kenyan system, and noting the beginning of modern western education in Kenya. It also considers the education of females in Kenya. After Kenyan independence, education was seen as a vehicle to train more human resources to enhance economic development; distribute national income; bring national unity; and ameliorate national disparities. The paper states that Kenya… [PDF]
(2001). The Voices Crying in the Wilderness: A Call for Common Sense and Ethical Practice in American Educational Reform. There is a need to generate an improved American educational perspective that does not deliberately undermine and/or destroy the basic structure of the family by devaluing the very processes and behaviors required to develop and maintain that essential structure over time. To accomplish this, the idea of the existence of acceptable behavior codes, which affect a social reality beyond the self, must be addressed. These behavior codes must suit the needs of the larger society. More educational researchers and practitioners must acknowledge the existence of a societal force beyond the self and communicate this to the students. There must be an acknowledgment that there should be a larger social responsibility and that this sense of responsibility is necessary for the maintenance of American families and their civilization. There is concern for the current educational direction and the emergent, self-centered dysfunctional family. The free dispersal of ideas without some semblance of… [PDF]
(1997). Effects of E-mail Availability on the Informal Network, and Dissemination of Upward and "Human" Messages. Electronic mail is becoming more and more common in contemporary organizations. Despite the technological sophistication of e-mail, questions remain regarding the value of the innovation for organizations. The assumption that the presence of e-mail, in and of itself, obviates internal communication problems is inaccurate and problematic. This paper reports the findings of a study that assessed the use of e-mail in a classroom setting. Thirty-nine undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory organizational communication course were required to obtain a university e-mail account and had basic training in how to use the system. Students were required to use e-mail for one class assignment, and had the option to use it for submitting an assignment or for communicating with the instructor. The study assessed the frequency and nature of e-mail communication. Over 75% of messages received by the instructor were optional messages. While e-mail may be implemented to facilitate the… [PDF]
(1997). The Principal: Creative Leadership for Effective Schools. Third Edition. Although leadership should not be thought of as manifest only in the acts of a single person, the school principal is the person who arranges the organizational conditions. To help future and present school principals, issues behind leadership and the management aspects of the principalship are presented. The book combines theory and practice, allowing enough leeway to encourage tailored solutions. The focus is on the practicalities of making better use of staff in decision making, program analysis and curriculum reform, and in improved instructional delivery systems. The text contains 16 chapters which are divided into four parts: (1) organizational and societal settings, with chapters on style, instructional leadership, decision processing and decision making, the school and the community, and legal rights and responsibilities of students and staff; (2) school program design and delivery, with ideas on school restructuring, creating a positive learning climate, special students…
(2000). Sovereignty: The Heart of the Matter. Critical Considerations on the Interface between the Indian Child Welfare Act and Adoption and Safe Families Act. A Summary of Proceedings of the Conference (Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 17, 2000). The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) recognizes tribes' rights to exercise authority over the welfare of Native American children. Although the ICWA was passed more than 20 years ago, its implementation in Minnesota has been uneven. A conference was held to rectify that situation, and these proceedings provide, among other things, information on negotiations, based on relationships of respect and equity, that have been accomplished between a number of tribes and their county affiliates. The first presentation, by John Red Horse, discusses the concept of sovereignty and its significance for ICWA. Valerie Lane gives a national perspective of critical considerations on the interface between the ICWA and the permanency planning required by the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA). Next, Georgia Wetlin-Larson presents a Minnesota perspective on this interface, followed by a rural county perspective given by Fran Felix. The fifth presentation is a roundtable discussion on sorting out the… [PDF]
(1999). Head Start Program Regulations and Program Guidance for Parts 1304 and 1308. Revised. Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs providing services to children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. The Head Start Program Performance Standards, mandatory regulations that grantees and delegate agencies must implement in order to operate a Head Start program, are designed to ensure that Head Start goals and objectives are met. This document contains Parts 1301 through 1306, 1308, 1309, and 1311 of the standards, and also includes guidance materials for Parts 1304 and 1308. Sections detailing Part 1304 cover: (1) general standards (purpose and scope, effective date, definitions); (2) early childhood development and health services (child health and developmental services, education and early childhood development, child health and safety, child nutrition, child mental health); (3) family and community partnerships; (4) program design and management (program governance; management systems and procedures; human resources… [PDF]
(1997). State of Maine Learning Results: Social Studies. In this document the social studies knowledge and skills deemed necessary for preparing Maine students for work, higher education, citizenship, and personal fulfillment are identified. The document serves as a guideline for teachers and parents regarding what students should know and be able to do at various checkpoints during their social studies education. Introductory materials include "Guiding Principles" and "Structural Processes for Shaping and Implementing Education Reform." Social studies content is organized by discipline area and is further differentiated by content focus. "Civics and Government" is divided into content areas (1) "Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation"; (2) "Purposes and Types of Government"; (3) "Fundamental Principles of Government and Constitutions"; and (4) "International Relations." History includes content areas (1) "Chronology"; (2) "Historical Knowledge,… [PDF]
(2004). The Case for Consolidation: Our 19th-Century Model of Governance Is a Formula for Mediocrity. Library Journal, v129 n2 p38 Feb. We need fewer public libraries with greater dependence. Here at the beginning of the 21st century, public libraries are still saddled with a 19th-century model of government. They are far too beholden to governing authorities, usually municipal or county governments, for their financial sustenance. This is a formula for mediocrity. \Local control\ is the watchword of that 19th-century model of government. It is based on the idea that citizens have a right and responsibility to govern themselves and to control issues at the local level, issues that are outside the purview of the state and federal authorities. Zoning, land use policies, public schools, and public libraries are all examples of government services that are usually subject to local control. Tough economic times can be the catalyst for change. Large libraries have deep collections, seasoned staffs, historical perspective, and broad-based programming expertise to contribute. Collectively, smaller libraries bring a growing…
(2006). Research Advances: Eating Clay? Look to Soil for New Leads in Arthritis Treatment; The Fate of Tetracyclines. Journal of Chemical Education, v83 n2 p186 Feb. Teachers often struggle to excite students about geology, with most young people in today's technology-driven society being unfamiliar with rocks and minerals. Discussions centered on medical geology, the science that studies the link between normal environmental factors and geographical distribution of health problems, may help bridge the gap. Medical geologists work to determine proper exposure levels for humans in regard to essential minerals. It is the right dosage that differentiates between a poison and a remedy. One example of this is Fluoride. In the United States it is added to public water systems in low concentrations to promote dental health. On the other hand, children in tropical regions, such as Sri Lanka, may be exposed to fluoride concentrations in drinking water in excess of 1.5 mg/L. The result is dental fluorosis, a dark brown coloration and mottling of the teeth. On the other hand, too little of an essential mineral can be harmful. About 30% of the world's… [Direct]
(2019). A Rights-Based Approach to Youth Sexting: Challenging Risk, Shame, and the Denial of Rights to Bodily and Sexual Expression within Youth Digital Sexual Culture. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, v1 n4 p298-311. Educational interventions on youth sexting often focus on individual sexters or would-be sexters, and are driven by the aim of encouraging young people to abstain from producing and sharing personal sexual images. This approach has been criticised for failing to engage with the complex sociocultural context to youth sexting. Drawing upon qualitative group and one-to-one interviews with 41 young people aged 14 to 18 living in a county in south-east England, I explore young people's perceptions and practices surrounding sexting. By taking a grounded theory approach to the research, I reveal how young people's shaming of digitally mediated sexual self-expression shaped and was shaped by a denial of rights to bodily and sexual autonomy and integrity. This denial of rights underpinned harmful sexting practices, including violations of privacy and consent, victim blaming, and bullying. I conclude that responses to youth sexting should attend to this broader youth cultural context,… [Direct]
(2006). Digital Broadband Content: Digital Content Strategies and policies. OECD Digital Economy Papers, No. 119. OECD Publishing (NJ1) The development of digital content raises new issues as rapid technological developments challenge existing business models and government policies. This OECD study identifies and discusses six groups of business and public policy issues and illustrates these with existing and potential OECD Digital Content Strategies and Policies: (1) Innovation and Technology (Encouraging R&D and innovation in content and content-related networks, software and hardware; Building an environment conducive to content production, networks, and technological spillovers; Expanding venture capital financing and improving valuation of digital content; and Addressing skills, training, education and human resource development issues); (2) Value Chain and Business Model Issues (Encouraging non-discriminatory business and policy frameworks; Increasing competition and, where appropriate, co-ordination along value chains to develop new distribution and revenue models; Working to improve technology neutrality and… [PDF] [Direct]