Influences of Family Involvement in Kindergarten Transition Activities on Children’s Early School Adjustment

Transition to kindergarten can be a pivotal experience for children because of its potential long-term impact on school performance. As the importance of relationships among contextual factors surrounding a child has been recognized, many schools have made efforts to establish strong ties with families in order to make kindergarten transition experiences as seamless as possible. Our current understanding of the role of family involvement in kindergarten transitions and the specific outcomes, however, is still somewhat limited. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, this study investigated the impact of family involvement in kindergarten transition activities on children’s transition to kindergarten and their early school adjustment. Although quantitative results revealed that family involvement is not a significant predictor of children’s early school adjustment, qualitative evidence suggests that families believe their involvement in kindergarten transition has a positive influence. In addition, qualitative results provide information concerning barriers, which interfered with family involvement in the transition process. Based on these findings suggestions for schools and families of young children are provided.     

Maternal Support of Children’s Math Learning in Associations Between Family Income and Math School Readiness

This study examined maternal support of children’s math learning at 36 months (n = 140) as a mediator of the association between early childhood family income and children’s counting and calculation skills at 4½ and 6–7 years. Family income was associated with this measure of children’s math school readiness, but the association was almost entirely indirect and mediated by observed maternal support of children’s numerical skills at 36 months. Maternal support of children’s spatial concept and general learning (cognitive stimulation and sensitivity) were not significant mediators of this association. Results suggest that income-based gaps in counting and calculation skills at school entry may be due in part to the constraints that low family income places on early numerical learning support.     

Blood and Bones: The Influence of the Mass Media on Australian Primary School Children’s Understandings of Genes and DNA

Previous research showed that primary school children held several misconceptions about genetics of concern for their future lives. Included were beliefs that genes and DNA are separate substances, with genes causing family resemblance and DNA identifying suspects at crime scenes. Responses to this work ‘blamed’ the mass media for these misunderstandings. This study aimed to determine whether that blame had any foundation by examining the media habits and conceptions about genes and DNA of Australian children. With little prior research considering the influence of entertainment mass media on children’s academically relevant knowledge, this was an exploratory study with a mixed modes design. Data were collected by detailed media questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with 62 children aged 10–12 years, and subjected to content and thematic analysis. Specific mass media examples children reported using were examined for genetics content. Results indicate 5 h/day of media use, mostly television including crime shows, and that children perceived television to be their main source of information about genetics. Most children (89 %) knew DNA, 60 % knew genes, and more was known about uses of DNA outside the body such as crime solving or resolving family relationships than about its biological nature and function. Half believed DNA is only in blood and body parts used for forensics. These concepts paralleled the themes emerging from the media examples. The results indicate that the mass media is a pervasive teacher of children, and that fundamental concepts could be introduced earlier in schools to establish scientific concepts before misconceptions arise.     

Elementary School Children’s Explanations of Day and Night

Science & Education - Most students have interacted with scientific representations that are used as teaching resources in schools. Often these external representations present challenges for...     

The Impact of Tourette’s Syndrome in the School and the Family: Perspectives from Three Stakeholder Groups

This article analyzes the perceptions of Spanish health professionals, children with Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) and their parents about social, school and family problems related to the disorder. A qualitative research methodology was used involving Focus Groups (FGs) made up of children with TS (× 2 FGs), parents/caregivers of persons with TS (× 2 FGs) and health professionals (× 1 FG). The study highlights many of the principal areas of concern for persons with TS, parents/caregivers and health professionals that directly and indirectly add to the burden of living with the disorder. The results of the study point out that the stigma and social maladjustment in children with TS is caused in large part by a misunderstanding of the disorder by teachers and peers. Parents of children with TS especially emphasize tics, considering them to be the main cause of social maladaptation. The results suggest that interventions among parents, teachers and peers should be implemented towards a greater understanding of the disorder and its symptoms.     

Popular Media Portrayals of Inequity and School Reform in The Wire and Waiting for “Superman”

Two popular media forms are examined—the documentary film Waiting for “Superman” and the HBO television series, The Wire—that present distinct, and at times conflicting, depictions of how to address educational inequity. Qualitative media content analysis was used to analyze the two media documents and to situate them within broader popular media representations of school failure. Waiting for “Superman” depicted school choice and dismantling unions as one way to address school failure. The Wire, in contrast, suggested a more complex and uncomfortable portrayal of school failure where blame is not directed at teachers and schools exclusively, but instead encompasses a complex web of inequity due to bureaucracy, economics, culture, politics, and media coverage. The analysis suggests that media sources such as film and television can play a role informing the public on issues of school reform and should be critically examined as pieces of the larger puzzle of improving schools and addressing school inequity.     

The Role of School Managers in Monitoring and Evaluating the Work of a School: inspectors’ judgements and schools’ responses

The paper presents an analysis of inspection findings for 22 secondary schools, selected from a larger sample of 100, in order to explore the nature of, and the responses to, OFSTED inspectors’ recommendations about the use of internal monitoring and evaluation to improve classroom practice. Inspectors’ reports, and schools’ action plans, were examined in order to determine inspectors’ expectations of senior managers in schools in relation to monitoring responsibilities and the means managers intend to use to meet these expectations. In their action plans some schools respond with bureaucratic procedures, while others indicate a more collaborative approach. This paper describes the first stage of a research project; the differences in implementation of the planned changes in schools will be the subject of further research.     

The Relationship of Self-Concept and Reading Achievement in First Grade Children’

Abstract

This investigation of 133 first grade Ss (25 percent Ilispano-75 percent Anglo and 50 percent male-50 percent female), found no significant correlations between objective scores of young children’s self-concept (SC) and their first or second grade reading achievement (RA). Moreover, SC correlations with other predictor variables, ethnic background (E), intelligence (IQ), and reading readiness (RR), were essentially zero. Only IQ, RR, and E were related to RA in a highly significant manner. At this age, RA, and possibly school in general, may not greatly influence the SC. Future investigation might profitably examine the change of SC as a function of age, mood, and stress.     

Jordanian School Counselors’ Leadership Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to identify the degree to which Jordanian school counselors were seen by teachers and principals to possess and display leadership behaviors related to Bolman and Deal’s (1997) transformational ‘four framework approach’ to leadership. This was based on the view that such leadership would relate to counselors’ effectiveness in their roles. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of teachers and principals designed to assess counselor leadership on four key dimensions (i) structural leadership, (ii) human resources leadership, (iii) political leadership, and (iv) symbolic leadership. The results of the study suggest high levels of transformational leadership among Jordanian school counselors as perceived by both teachers and principals. Principals assessed the levels more highly than teachers, with a significant difference evident. The results also showed a significant difference based on geographic area of the participants, even though those from all areas rated counselor leadership quite highly.     

弱智儿童亲社会行为研究综述

亲社会行为是弱智儿童适应行为中的一个重要方面,对弱智儿童教育十分重要。弱智儿童的亲社会行为与正常儿童、自闭症儿童相比表现不同,其中唐氏综合征儿童又是弱智儿童的一个特殊类型,影响弱智儿童亲社会行为的因素主要有年龄、性别、病因、智力等。     

大学生亲社会行为的意义及培养

大学生亲社会行为对于构建大学和谐校园、建设社会主义和谐社会意义重大.大学生亲社会行为具有自己群体的一些主要特征,如互惠性、利他性、公益性和群体制约性.培养大学生亲社会行为可以从坚持德育为先、训练移情能力、提高情绪胜任力、弘扬亲社会模范四个方面着手.     

The Influences of the Chinese Modern Family Changes on the Socialization of Children

This article mainly introduces the contemporary changes in Chinese family and especially analyses the transformation of family structure and type, family housing conditions, family relationship network, the relationship between husband and wife and parenthood. In addition, it discusses the influence of family changes in the socialization of children. Then it expounds the new transformation in children’s socialization because of family, school, mass media, etc. Finally, it discusses its challenge and reflection to family and pedagogue. Translated from China Family Education, 2004:4     

大学生亲社会行为及其培养刍议

亲社会行为是对他人和社会有益的积极行为,本能论、习得论和情感论对其动机提供了三种理论解释。大学生亲社会行为具有自己群体的一些特征。从坚持德育为先、训练移情能力、提高情绪胜任力、弘扬亲社会模范等方面培养大学生亲社会行为,这对于构建和谐校园、建设社会主义和谐社会意义重大。     

社会经济地位不利儿童的入学准备

入学准备状态是指学龄前儿童为了能够从即将开始的正规学校教育中受益所需要具备的各种关键特征或基础条件。国外关于社会经济地位不利儿童入学准备状态研究的新进展是:(1)低社会经济地位儿童的入学准备状况;(2)影响低社会经济地位儿童入学准备的背景因素;(3)改善低社会经济地位儿童入学准备状况的干预措施。     

狄更斯作品中的儿童教育

对狄更斯作品中大量遭遇不同,饱尝人间冷暖的少年儿童形象作了认真的分析,认为狄更斯通过对这些儿童经历及其人生状态的分析探讨了儿童教育的问题,意在启示人们能够认识儿童的人生经历与所受的家庭、社会及学校的教育有着直接的关系,整个社会都应该关心儿童和儿童教育。     

性别消解与群体再制--大学生孤独感与亲社会行为及家庭教养方式之间的互构机制

家庭教养方式是影响个体孤独感的核心因素,同时也是影响个体亲社会行为的主要因素。本文以在校大学生作为调查对象,采用随机分层抽样的方法,对大学一年级到四年级的学生进行抽样调查。结果显示:性别在孤独感、亲社会行为、家庭教养方式上并不存在差异;不同的家庭教养方式在大学生的孤独感、亲社会行为上存在显著性差异;父母的文化程度会影响其教育理念,进而影响大学生的亲社会行为、孤独感;通过父母教养方式、亲社会行为,能够准确预测大学生的孤独感。进而可知,性别消解与群体再制是三者互构的机制原理。社会分工引发的社会性别消解了群体的生理性别,代之的是极为相似的社会性别。家庭教养方式中父母的教育理念、参与程度等都会再制着孩子的理念,进而影响其社会身份的认同和社会结构中的格局序列。     

家庭画测验在学前儿童家庭系统研究中的运用

为了解学前儿童的家庭系统功能及与其成长经历的关系,以家庭画为主题的绘画测验作为测评工具,探讨绘画投射技术在学前儿童的家庭系统现状研究中的应用。通过质化研究,在了解学前儿童的思想、感情,以及其家庭、幼儿园等社会环境、文化背景等基础上,对被测的家庭画作品进行解读,以家庭系统理论为基础,从家庭亲密度、家庭适应性和家庭沟通三个方面对家庭系统功能进行分析描述。     

家庭结构与功能的变革对儿童发展与教育的影响

家庭在规模、结构、成员关系状况以及功能等方面发生相应变迁会对儿童的发展与教育过程产生一定的影响,与家庭密切关联并直接影响家庭功能的公共教育、大众媒介等领域发生相应的变革,对儿童发展与教育产生新的影响。     

心境对亲社会行为的影响

心境与亲社会行为关系的研究一致认为积极心境促进亲社会行为 ,而消极心境则有时促进亲社会行为 ,有时减少亲社会行为。心境对亲社会行为的影响是通过激发动机而发生的直接作用和通过个体的认知判断而发生的信息作用来完成的 ,这两种影响既可以独立起作用 ,也可以共同起作用。今后应扩展研究范畴 ,深入探讨心境对亲社会行为影响的认知机制 ,加强不同理论的整合 ,并注重运用研究成果指导对青少年亲社会行为的培养。