The relationship between fundamental movement skill proficiency and physical self-confidence among adolescents

This study aims to assess fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency, physical self-confidence levels, and the relationship between these variables and gender differences among adolescents. Three hundred and ninety five adolescents aged 13.78 years (SD = ±1.2) from 20 schools were involved in this study. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd Edition (TGMD), TGMD-2 and Victorian Skills Manual were used to assess 15 FMS. Participants’ physical self-confidence was also assessed using a valid skill-specific scale. A significant correlation was observed between FMS proficiency and physical self-confidence for females only (r = 0.305, P < 0.001). Males rated themselves as having significantly higher physical self-confidence levels than females (P = 0.001). Males scored significantly higher than females in FMS proficiency (P < 0.05), and the lowest physical self-confidence group were significantly less proficient at FMS than the medium (P < 0.001) and high physical self-confidence groups (P < 0.05). This information not only highlights those in need of assistance to develop their FMS but will also facilitate in the development of an intervention which aims to improve physical self-confidence and FMS proficiency.     

Postpartum Mothers’ Leisure-Time Exercise Behavior is Linked to Positive Emotion During Partner Discussions

Purpose: Marital dissatisfaction and conflict often increase for couples after the birth of a child and are evident in fewer positive family interactions and more negative family interactions. Because exercise is known to increase positive emotions and decrease negative emotions, the current study examined the extent to which higher levels of mothers’ exercise during the postpartum period were related to more positive and fewer negative emotion-expressive behaviors with their infants’ fathers. Method: Mothers’ (N = 46; M = 8 months postpartum) positive and negative expressive behaviors were coded during couples’ discussions of current conflict and positive family experiences. Mothers self-reported their leisure-time exercise behavior. Results: First-time mothers and mothers with higher levels of leisure-time exercise behavior displayed higher levels of positive expressive behaviors during couples’ discussions. Conclusions: Exercise may be associated with increased positive emotion and, in turn, can have great potential to improve family relationships during the postpartum period when marital stress normatively increases, particularly for mothers with more than 1 child. Future longitudinal studies are needed to understand exercise patterns across the postpartum period to identify the most effective timing and optimal level of exercise that lead to more positive expressive behaviors.     

Straight Talk: Talking Across Race in Schools

As a first-year teacher, out of field, European-American, and female, I expected I would have some growing pains teaching a class of African American boys with emotional and behavior disorders. I was unprepared for exactly how much growing and pain would actually be involved. Instinctively, I reached out to the paraprofessional with whom I was working, Mrs. Watkins (pseudonym), and to my surprise I was cleverly deflected with enthusiastic assurances of how I was the teacher and it was my classroom. It was clearly logical to me that, since she was African-American, had worked with African-American boys with emotional and behavioral disorders in the past, and was partnered with me for the year, she would openly work with me to make the classroom the best it could be for all involved. It seemed reasonable to me that I would look to her for guidance. She declined.

After two months, I was barely making it through each day. It was obvious the classroom needed serious changes, but I did not know where to begin. Our interactions were polite, but brief. Our work was always done, but separately. After two months of attempting to solicit her input and begin a reflective conversation about the happenings of our classroom, the most I would get is a shaking of her head or “They're playing you.” When I would ask her to explain how they were “playing me,” she would just shake her head. One day I confronted her unwillingness to engage in a conversation with me. She simply stated, “You're the teacher.” We stopped speaking unless absolutely necessary. (Cicetti-Turro, Personal Correspondence, 2001)     

Cognitive development of intellectually gifted: A Piagetian perspective

This article explores some of the materials prepared for parents of gifted children and examines the explanatory language and concepts used in terms of their potential for shaping parental attitudes and affecting the adjustment of gifted children. The author argues that the conceptual frameworks used to explain giftedness, nongiftedness and the nature of differences have powerful effects on societal and educational attitudes, including the willingness to provide differentiated services for gifted children. A strong plea is made for professional sensitivity and responsibility in describing giftedness in ways that do not isolate gifted children or their parents and which potentiate shared advocacy with other educational advocacy groups.