Parenting is a subject about which people typically hold strong opinions, but about which too little solid information or considered reflection exists. And clearly critical questions about parenting abound. Moreover, the family generally, and parenting specifically, are today in a greater state of flux, question, and re-definition than perhaps…

A high prevalence of dental caries in the pediatric population is a major health problem. At highest risk are low-income minority groups, including refugee and immigrant populations. Consequences of oral disease include pain, difficulty eating and speaking, poor school performance, and poor self-esteem. Parent involvement in oral health education…

This article discusses the problem of school violence and the fear about school safety that have been reinforced by extensive news media coverage of the recent series of school shooting incidents. Various factors associated with school violence are addressed, including sociocultural influences on adolescents that pose a challenge to counselors and…

This issue focuses on practices that can help improve reading instruction and includes two announcements from Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL). It begins with a look at study groups, the practice of teachers getting together to focus on instructional practices and student learning. Stacey Joyner, a staff member of SEDL's Texas…

This booklet is designed to help middle school students and their parents analyze student study habits, plan a study schedule, organize a place to study, and actually study their subjects. Students and parents should analyze a typical day's activities to see how the student spends his or her time, using a chart to see how each hourly (or…

Noting the social and cultural changes that have altered fathers' traditional family roles, this anthology examines differences in culture, class, nationality, and custodial status of fathers in families. The articles draw on theoretical and empirical research to focus on legal, economic, and policy matters and the interaction between fathers and…

Designed as a guide for early childhood professionals, this book outlines specific success strategies for getting men--fathers or any significant male in a child's life--involved in early childhood education and child care, moving away from the traditional view of these fields as women's domains. The first section of the guide focuses on…

Parents can play a key role in attaining the United States' National Education Goals, a main component of which is that all children will be ready to learn when they enter school. This guide for parents provides basic information on factors related to school success and a series of activities that parents can do with their children, ages 5 through…

In view of the importance of literacy learning, this paper defines emergent literacy and explores how researchers and teachers define it in the 1990s. The paper also attempts to answer the following questions: (1) What is the best way to teach literacy to young children? (2) Is there a correct way to teach it? (3) What does the research say…

This book examines how young people in Germany and the Netherlands grow into adults in their society and how they cope with the accompanying experiences and changes. The 14 chapters of the book are: (1) "The Modernization of the Youth Phase. Educational, Professional and Family Careers of Dutch Youth in the Nineties" (Els Peters); (2)…

This manual is designed for individuals responsible for training Head Start staff and parents to lead "Exploring Parenting" groups. It focuses on the role of trainers of groups of leaders and effective training methods. Chapter 1, "Approach to Training," describes the approach to training group leaders in a nonthreatening,…

In child care centers, parental involvement as well as staff sensitivity toward children and parents are essential for managing cultural diversity in a way that is beneficial for both migrant and indigenous families. Defining and improving the quality of center education from a multicultural perspective require discussions between staff and…

This paper reviews the state of the art concerning how learning disabilities (LD) are defined; how students with LD and their families are affected; and how LD can be addressed by interdisciplinary teams of health and education professionals. The emphasis is on dispelling the myth that children with LD are not at serious risk for adverse…

A revision of the 1989 publication, this directory was compiled in order to help parents and professionals involved with Head Start home-based programming in meeting the needs of young children and families. The directory lists a broad range of guides and resources on topics related to Head Start home-based programs. Each listing provides the…

The enrollment of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) students is increasing rapidly, so it is important for school personnel and community members to learn to communicate with API families. This guide describes how the backgrounds and cultures of the various API groups affect their attitudes and behavior. The three general ethnicities within the API…