A study at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Massachusetts) found a positive relationship between freshman (n=262) decidedness regarding academic major and both anticipated adjustment (prematriculation) and actual adjustment (postmatriculation), more academically than socially. Comparison with another study suggests the relationship is stronger in…

Acceleration may be an effective intervention in some cases of underachievement by gifted students. Lack of challenge is the primary indicator for consideration of accelerative options. Acceleration is not appropriate for all gifted students, and an adjustment period is common in successful acceleration. Brief case studies illustrate acceleration…

A survey of 278 academic advisors from six four-year colleges and universities determined differences in advisors' attitudes toward students matriculating at their institutions, transfer community-college students, and students coming from other four-year colleges. Advisors viewed transfer students as less prepared, less motivated, less…

A brief essay on the difficulties faced by college students who have recently emigrated to the United States, introduces a suggested annotated list of general reference books and works on Africa, Asia, and the Middle East which college libraries can provide for the use of immigrant students. It is noted that immigration to the United States has…

Faced with a student who is unable to read, a teacher refuses to give up on her and encourages her to participate in an after-school, volunteer tutorial program. By year's end, the student has improved 34 months on standardized testing and is placed at her appropriate grade level. (JL)

Discusses the two Calgary Bearspaw Centres (separate classrooms staffed by a teacher-counselor and an attendance counselor) that have successfully provided an alternative to formal student suspension for inappropriate behavior since 1979. Describes referral, interview, and classroom procedures; types of students served; daily schedule; class…

Noting that the transition to Kindergarten is a process rather than a one-time event, this guide will help early childhood educators--home caregivers, center providers and public preschool teachers--understand the transitions to school and consider steps teachers can take to improve children's transition and adjustment. Specific ideas and…

A collection of ideas developed by teachers to help children get acquainted with each other and their new teachers during the first few days of school are suggested. Included are ideas about: (1) a giant grid which shows how each child's personal attributes fit in with those of other classmates; (2) a "personality-in-the-box"; and (3) a…

Programs developed for Chicago area high schools to alleviate problems caused by rapid changes in the ethnic character of the student population are described. The involvement of the entire community is recommended, and actions for Parent Teacher Associations are offered. (FG)

Describes method for conducting counseling groups with violent and assaultive students who have school adjustment problems. Identifies major patterns which reflect school behavior of such students, presents counseling technique which can be used to explore how these students organize and give meaning to school experiences, and describes short- and…

Today, 10.6% of children enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade in the U.S. are foreign-born, and 1 in 5 are children of immigrants. Public schools represent the setting where many of the acculturative struggles of immigrant children unfold, having traditionally served as a vehicle of socialization and "assimilation" of immigrants in the U.S.…

The symptoms and nature of Tourette Syndrome (TS) and the role of the teacher in educating the child with TS are addressed in this pamphlet, as are other behaviors that may be connected to TS such as obsessive-compulsive symptoms, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and learning disabilities. Information on medications for TS is included.…

Because most military children will be enrolled in public schools at some point, an understanding of military children can assist educators in working with such children and, more broadly, with mobile children from other backgrounds. Following an introduction providing information on the numbers of military children and their unique issues, this…

Because the transition from home to school can be upsetting for kindergarten children, the author suggests an interdisciplinary unit for the first week of school that centers around something familiar and comforting to a five year old, the teddy bear. (SJL)

Camp Armstrong is a summer program which provides rising sixth grade students with a thorough orientation to their new middle school. Activities develop students' familiarity with the school's physical layout and provide hands-on cooperative learning in academic and recreational subjects. A workshop for parents of rising middle school students is…