Australia's Northern Territory is twice the size of Texas, with only 230,000 people living in its enormous space. About half reside in the capital Darwin in the tropical far north; the next biggest town with a population of 25,000 people is Alice Springs, 1600 kilometers south in the central desert. Some 70,000 Indigenous people form 30% of…

A growing body of research shows that many seriously troubled children and adolescents are reacting to adverse life experiences. Yet traditional diagnostic labels are based on checklists of surface symptoms. Distracted by disruptive behavior, the common response is to medicate, punish, or exclude rather than respond to needs of youth who have…

Learning to recognize and express emotions appropriately is a skill of mastery in human development, and an essential component of living the good life. Because this developmental and social skill is one of the core deficits for people along the autism spectrum, anyone who works with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) should provide them…

Anti-bullying experts employ trade books in dealing with contemporary issues facing young people, including bullying. At least three conceptual strands underpin the application of young adult literature (YAL) in such enterprises: (1) reliance on tested voices appealing to young readers; (2) the potential effect of quality YAL on literacy…

As personal computers have evolved steadily into handhelds and teachers continue the march toward lining the walls of the classroom with flat screen work stations, many assume that the old-timey "number 2" lead yellow pencil is probably on the high road to extinction. Yet most classrooms still flow with them like miniature telephone poles fresh…

To reach responsible independence, young people must become invested in setting their life course. A rich history of research and practice shows that democratic group climates foster autonomy and prosocial behavior. This article explores principles and practices for creating positive peer cultures to develop strengths and help youth meet their…

Young people with learning and behaviour disabilities often leave school without transition planning. When planning does occur, there is generally a discrepancy between the goals of students, parents, and professionals. Students requiring higher levels of support may not even be included in the planning process and transition plans are often…

School connectedness is the belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individuals. Students are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and succeed academically when they feel connected to school. This article identifies specific actions schools can take to increase school…

Early psychologist William James [1842-1910] and philosopher John Dewey [1859-1952] described intelligence as a method which can be learned. That view of education is integrated with knowledge about the brain's executive functions to empower pupils to intelligently organize their learning. This article links the pragmatist philosophy of…

Controls from within, more commonly referred to as self-control, are fundamental skills that children and youth need to display every day in innumerable interactions in order to function well in society. The children and youth who get referred to child and youth care (CYC) programs usually lack adequate self-control skills, creating difficulty for…

The community-based arts environment is uniquely suited to addressing the needs of young people in the area of growing emotional intelligence. The arts offer specific structures, systems, and dynamics that allow for the emergence of the emotional adolescent self. Leaders in the community-based arts field must consciously position their…

This is a story about industrial art. It is certainly not a story about smart studios and fashionable galleries, subtle techniques and aesthetic beauty. This is a story of sheet rock, nails, and low-grade lumber in the hands of unskilled teenage laborers. While this story boasts of no future museum pieces, it tells a heartwarming story of rare…

Seventy-five years ago, Franklin D. Roosevelt took two crises--a decayed environment and wide unemployment--and combined them to form a single success: the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In the CCC three million young unemployed men dramatically improved the nation's infrastructure. The CCC gave young Americans living in poverty hope. This…

The developmental impact of national service is a newer intervention for youth. Policy influences the ability of the society to guide youth and structure their time with positive and productive activities. Built on the idea that helping one another can prepare and teach youth to regulate healthy emotions and behavior, the classic theories of Erik…

Child and youth care is a process of human interaction in which knowing, doing, and being in are interconnected. People learn as much as they can about development, program planning, structure, and techniques, but nothing works very well without the capacity to be present and involved in the lives of youth, with curiosity and sensitivity to the…