This article examines the meanings ascribed to democracy by 74 township children in primary and intermediate schools outside Cape Town. The Xhosa children's racial and historical accounts form the qualitative substance to postulate democracy as "ubuntu" (respect). Embedded in a 'struggle for recognition', democratic belonging, being, and…

Evaluated statistical primary prevention drug abuse program for middle school students. Control group outperformed experimental group on self-esteem dimension. Results indicated existence of John Henry Effect as confounding explanation of self-esteem outcome. Suggests that measurement of factors such as self-esteem be conducted in settings where…

This monograph promotes the enhancement of self-esteem as a basic responsibility of middle level schools. Chapter 1 makes a case for the importance of self-perception, and describes a rationale specifically focused on early adolescents that is based on history, contemporary issues, and research. Chapter 2 analyzes changes in the adolescent's…

This study examined the role that domain importance plays in mediating the relations between domain-specific (such as verbal ability, physical appearance, opposite sex relations, and honesty) and general self-perceptions. Focusing on two previous studies by Hoge and McCarthy (1984) and Marsh (1986), the current study was designed to address the…

Examines how middle school students' literacy behaviors in the classroom relate to their academic achievement, how these behaviors reinforce their developing sense of self, and how teachers can support academic competence in their students. Discusses teachers' influence on efficacious behavior, how students and teachers work together, and…

Suggests techniques to assist middle level students who fail because of lack of confidence. Examines reasons for student failure and discusses procedures to identify underachievers and use classroom tests to create a mindset for success. Describes procedures for providing extra help to allow underachieving students to achieve success. Discusses…

A study determined the effects of a pedagogical approach using rap music on the learning of musical forms among urban African American youth and whether there were differential effects among students of different levels of self-esteem. Urban African American youth (n=66) from the St. Louis County Public Schools who were enrolled in general music…

Examined differences in level of self-reported self-esteem and depression between learning-disabled (LD) and behavior-disordered (BD) middle school students (N=61). Results indicate that BD students reported unrealistically high self-esteem, whereas LD students reported significantly lower self-esteem than did the BD students. Both groups reported…

This study examined distinctions between self-esteem as a general attitude of self and the underlying self-beliefs which link the self with a positively or negatively valued attribute. It was hypothesized that black adolescents would have higher scores on the general self-esteem measure, while they would not have have higher scores on all specific…

Ethnographic field research done with a group of working class girls in upstate New York examined the structures of schools that maintain gender and class distinctions and the culture of the girls themselves. Most of the field work was participant-observation at after-school and summer programs at a Girls Incorporated site in a mid-sized…

Claims that service learning can help middle-school counselors enhance students' self-esteem. Discusses service learning's increasing popularity and its purposes. Describes one such program's initiation in South Carolina which provides tutoring, working with the elderly, and helping the poor. Examines student perceptions of the program and the…

Those who guide and work with children are interested in enabling them to build concepts about themselves that lead to higher self-esteem. This study investigated factors associated with self-esteem in sixth through ninth graders. The independent variables were locus of control, family structure, sex role, gender, grade level, and parental alcohol…

A practicum was developed to increase self-esteem, to lower anxiety, and to improve social skills in 13 emotionally handicapped (EH) middle school boys. An additional objective was to provide parenting classes which focused on increasing parents' knowledge and skills in improving their children's self esteem. The 8-month multifaceted program…

This project is to help students learn about ways to investigate self-esteem and develop resiliency through the medium of visual art. The project is developed with middle school girls in mind but can be used with all people who experience some loss of self through socialization. The art studio lends itself to experiment with ideas and…

Describes instructional methods to make mathematics relevant to middle level students without inducing math anxiety. Discusses methods to prevent negative math experiences at the middle level, including discussing negative attitudes through math autobiographies, math self-talk, and journals; reducing anxiety through cooperative-learning…