This narrative recounts the process of developing and implementing a field component in a preservice course on the psychology of teaching and learning at a large urban school of education. The professional development model of integrated school reform was used as a theoretical base. The field component of the course had two strands: reflective…

This volume draws on data from the National Survey of Black Americans (NSBA) to explore the condition of the black family in America. The first chapter provides a general introduction, and each of the other chapters presents additional information about the NSBA as it pertains to specific subsamples of NSBA respondents. The following chapters are…

This cultural heritage resource guide has been prepared as a tool for teachers to help them understand the cultural heritage of their Haitian students, their families, and their communities in order to serve them better. Although Haiti became an independent country in 1804, the struggle of its people for justice and freedom has never ended. Many…

This document contains the following "Abbott Opinions": (1) "Early Childhood Education"; (2) "Adequate School Facilities"; (3) "Supplemental Programs and Whole School Reform in Elementary Schools"; (4) "Supplemental Programs in Middle and High Schools"; and (5) "Planning Programs and Budgets…

Rural to urban migration has caused Mexican American families to deemphasize traditional cultural socialization practices oriented toward obedience and responsibility, and their children have become increasingly field-independent and competitive. However, an ecological intervention approach can reshape urban environments so that they support…

Examines the history, philosophy, methods, and operations of the Mary McLeod Bethune Institute, an Afrocentric supplementary Saturday elementary school in Los Angeles (California). Qualitative data show the role this enrichment plays in developing socially active and capable African American youth through the study of African American culture and…

A qualitative case study explored the perceptions of 37 urban secondary school students and 12 teachers about their school and community. Teachers and students worked in a landscape characterized as one of "urban abstraction," a term that helps explain the complex and contradictory fabric of current urban life. (SLD)

A study examined the effects of parent involvement and expectations on academic achievement among 567 Black and White middle school students in 18 Seattle (Washington) schools. Parent and teacher surveys indicated that parental involvement was the highest contributor to academic achievement among White students, whereas earlier educational…

The role of psychosocial variables (emotional intelligence quotient, bicultural behaviors, locus of control, and social support) in facilitating academic resilience was studied with 104 African American male college students from urban areas, 50 of whom were classified "resilient." Only emotional intelligence quotient was a significant contributor…

A weakness in the approach to community-based youth services in Cork (Ireland) involves viewing the terms "youth" and "community" as though they represented homogeneous categories. Ethnographic data highlight the difficulties of monolithic classification by describing the experiences of three distinct categories of young…

Explores the role of the urban school superintendent with regard to each of the six National Education Goals of 1990. Superintendents must mobilize their forces to fulfill the reforms outlined in the goals and must focus on specific needs of urban children. (SLD)

Empirical evidence from a study of 15 male and 12 female abused, neglected, troubled, or homeless adolescents in a St. Louis (Missouri) shelter indicates greater hostility and depression and lower self-esteem for these subjects than for those in comparative studies of the 3 measures (hostility, depression, and self-esteem) used. (SLD)

Examines the use of mediation skills in elementary and secondary education. Discusses the rise in school violence; and describes mediation techniques, the rationale for their use, school programs to introduce mediation, peer mediators, and long-term benefits to students and the school community. Offers resources. (JB)

This case study of a young African-American urban male and his increasing involvement with the criminal justice system illustrates that merely providing opportunities for members of the underclass is not enough. An outlook that allows members of the underclass to invest personal resources in their opportunities must be fostered. (SLD)

Describes Public School 146, a public elementary school in New York City where the principal has created a school community that builds on the strengths of the parents and makes the school an extended family for each child. Describes special services, a student leadership program, and student achievement gains. (JB)