Physiological reactivity, social support, and memory in early childhood

The interactive effects of physiological reactivity and social support on children's memory were examined. Four- to 6-year-olds completed a laboratory protocol during which autonomic responses and salivary cortisol were measured. Memory was assessed shortly afterward and 2 weeks later. During the second interview, children were questioned by a supportive or nonsupportive interviewer. Few significant relations emerged between reactivity and children's short-term memory. Following a 2-week delay, cortisol reactivity was associated with poorer memory and autonomic reactivity was associated with increased accuracy among children questioned in a supportive manner but decreased accuracy among children questioned in a nonsupportive manner. Results question traditional conceptualizations of reactivity as a risk factor and instead suggest that reactivity may only confer risk in certain environmental contexts.     

The resiliency wheel: A training model for enhancing the effectiveness of cross-cultural interviews

The Resiliency Wheel provides interview guidance tocounselors in training. The interview format providesenough structure for beginning counselors to feelcomfortable with the questions, but offers flexibilityto more experienced counselors as they formulate newquestions as the client's story unfolds. TheResiliency Wheel provides a way for counselors to linkindividual client strengths while drawing from thefollowing factors: person, family, community, spirit,and culture. A diagram of the resiliency wheel can beused to record client information. The questionsallow the counselor in training to become familiarwith other cultures and worldviews. This awarenessincreases a counselor's cultural sensitivity andempathy around issues of oppression, discrimination,and racism due to one's ethnicity. The studentcounselor is given the opportunity to ask specificquestions about a culture and realize the differences,but also the similarities between the counselor andthe client. The Resiliency Wheel assists thecounselor to develop a holistic understanding of theclient and to be able to reflect this understanding tothe client visually as well as verbally. Theinterview process in itself can bring about a deepersharing of client identity and experience,contributing to the bond between client and counselor.     

A Systems Perspective on Practicum Experiences in Early Childhood Teacher Education: Focus on Interprofessional Relationships

High quality early childhood teachers have a wealth of knowledge and use a range of skills in their daily classroom practices, and research has consistently demonstrated the positive influence effective early childhood teachers have on children’s development and long-term outcomes. Given the importance of practicum experiences in the development of effective teachers, exploration and understanding of these experiences for early childhood teacher candidates is warranted. The relationship between the cooperating teacher and teacher candidate can be viewed as a central element in the experience; this relationship influences and is influenced by additional elements within the practicum experience, including: communication, beliefs, fit, knowledge and learning. In this article, each of these elements is explored, and the interrelatedness of the elements within the practicum experience is discussed. A systems perspective is used to describe the multiple elements of the practicum experiences in early childhood teacher preparation programs, not only to explore the practicum experience, but also to develop recommendations and a research agenda.     

短葶山麦冬种群分类问题的探讨

The presence of stolons is taxonomically significant in the genus Liriope Linn. However, probably due to a lapse of attention, F. T. Wang and T. Tang failed to re- cognize Ophiopogon muscari Decne., type of Liriope muscari (Decne.) Bailey, a non- stoloniferous taxon, and erroneously referred it as a synonym to the stoloniferous L. spicata Lour.  At the same time, however, they described another  non-stoloniferous species-L. platyphylla Wang et Tang (L. muscari Bailey) as new.      What, then, is the difference between L. platyphylla Wang et Tang and L. mus- cari (Decne.) Bailey?  A comparison of the type photo of Ophiopogon muscari Decne. with specimens of L. platyphylla Wang et Tang shows that the two forms are much alike, but the latter has longer scapes usually overtopping the foliage, as well as longer spikes and broader leaves. L. H. Bailey must had combined the two forms into one species. Furthermore. there are another two non-stoloniferous forms, both having scapes shorter than their foliage, but differing from L. muscari (Decne.)  Bailey in their much nar- rower leaves.  One of them has very short leaves and looks like L. minor Makino.       Finally, what are the correlations among the above four forms? By using methods of quantitative analysis, such as pictorialized scatter diagram and histogram, on her- barium material, it has been found that the L. muscari complex can be separated into two parts: 1) muscari (M), and 2) platyphylla (P).  But since these two parts dis- play a continuous variation pattern as a whole, it seems advisable to treat both as varie- ties of the same species, i. e., L. muscari (Decne.) Bailey var. muscari, and L. muscari var. communis (Maxim.) Hsu et L. C. Li. (Ophiopogon spicatus Ker-Cawl. var. com- munis Maxim.) As to the other two narrow-leaved forms, they can hardly be regarded as sufficient for two distinct infraspecific units, for they are found to be inseparablefrom each other as well as from muscari.     

Nursery schools for the few or the many? Childhood, education and the state in mid-twentieth-century England

Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, successive presidents and officials at the Board of Education made it clear that they believed there were three types of children in Britain - those who needed nursery schools to rescue them from degradation, those for whom a less expensive nursery class would do the job adequately and those who would be better off staying home with mother. However, by the time the 1944 Education Act was framed, national policy towards pre-school provision had undergone a major transformation: nursery schools could provide the best start in life for everyone, should be available for every child from three to five and, crucially, should be the only form of childcare provision available. This change of direction was initiated by the government's inspectorate, and heavily promoted by members of the civil service. Professional bodies, such as the Nursery School Association and teaching unions, had very little influence over the decision-making process. The needs of working mothers, who were likely to be adversely affected by the closure of wartime childcare facilities, were inadequately considered. Local Education Authorities, who generally favoured nursery classes, were, however, able to wring a last-minute compromise from central government so that classes could be provided where schools were “inexpedient”. The fact that the new policy had been written in such isolation, without consideration for potential users, and had been messily hamstrung at the last moment meant that it was never implemented and must ultimately be considered a failure.     

Fostering critical and reflective thinking in an authentic learning situation

This article describes a research study in which 10 early childhood education students participated in facilitated critical reflection experiences during a 7-week practicum. Students’ critical thinking skills were quantitatively assessed using the Cornell Critical Thinking Test and qualitatively documented through analysis of daily, weekly, and summative reflections. While quantitative results showed no significant changes in measurable critical thinking skills, students’ levels of critical reflection increased when they were provided with regular guidance and appropriate tools. Students were able to demonstrate critical reflection through group discussions and written reflections while engaged in a process consisting of fading levels of structure, thought provoking questions, and meaningful experiences in environments that challenged their preconceived notions and typical practices.     

Relationship between language proficiency and growth during reading interventions

Many English language learners (ELLs) experience difficulties with basic English reading due in part to low language proficiency. The authors examined the relationship between English language proficiency and growth during reading interventions for ELLs. A total of 201 second- and third-grade students with a variety of home languages participated. The students were identified as needing a targeted intervention, because scores on the fall oral reading fluency screening measure fell below the benchmark criterion. Thus, all participating students received reading interventions approximately four times each week throughout the school year. Results indicated that those students identified in the lowest English proficiency stage on the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State (ACCESS) made the highest growth as indicated in the spring benchmark assessment, and the ACCESS score added negligible variance beyond baseline reading skills. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

Distance mathematics teaching in Flanders,Germany, and the Netherlands during COVID-19 lockdown

Educational Studies in Mathematics - The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted mathematics teachers with the challenge of developing alternative teaching practices—in many cases at a distance...