RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT AGE AND COUNSELOR TRAINEES’ PERCEPTIONS OF PRESENTING PROBLEMS,THERAPEUTIC METHODS,AND PROGNOSES

Research has indicated that counselor perceptions of older adults may influence therapeutic methods. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between client age and counselors’ perceptions of presenting problems, severity of problems, prognoses, and use of therapeutic techniques. Recommendations for client‐counselor compatibility were also evaluated. Counselors were presented with introductory counseling situations that varied by age of client. Participants were then asked to complete questionnaires designed for the purposes of the study variables. Results indicated a significant relationship between the age of the client and the recommended age of the counselor. Other significant differences included therapeutic strategies employed and number of client problems identified. Implications for counselor education are discussed.     

Reweaving the tapestry of teacher education

Abstract

This article describes what happened to an elementary education preparation program when a few faculty members started asking questions, looking at practice, making changes, and collecting data based on the changes. The current program has many outstanding attributes; but when student perceptions were examined, holes were found and ways to mend these holes have been implemented. The authors describe the process of weaving concept Strands throughout the entire four‐year program.     

Rejoinder: A Further Discussion of Job Analysis and Use of KSAs in Developing Licensure and Certification Examinations: A Response to LaDuca

In his commentary to our paper on the use of knowledge, skill, and ability statements in developing credentialing examinations ( Wang, Schnipke, & Witt, 2005 ), Dr. LaDuca set forth his concerns while commending our paper for providing helpful insights into the importance of careful delineation of KSAs. We believe that there is little substantive disagreement between our position and Dr. LaDuca's. Based on the counterarguments offered in his commentary, we believe that some misunderstanding occurred regarding our main point. Our response here further clarifies our main point to address Dr. LaDuca's criticisms. Additional explanations are provided to indicate that our paper is intended to address job analysis issues over a broader and diverse array of professions/occupations/fields, and our perspective is not limited to the context of credentialing physicians. We recommend that, for such professions/occupations/fields for which task inventory constitutes an appropriate approach to job analysis, the use of KSAs should be considered to establish a linkage between the credentialing examination and the job tasks.     

Finding for teacher development

Dr. Jones urges that we respond to the challenge of the times by making education more meaningful to children, by honoring creativity more than conformity.     

The Role of Teacher Efficacy in Strengthening Classroom Support for Preschool Children with Disabilities Who Exhibit Challenging Behaviors

Challenging student behaviors are a prominent factor in the development of teacher stress and burnout. When classroom-based teachers of preschool children with disabilities were surveyed to identify their training needs in one North Carolina county, the most frequent request was how to address behavior challenges of preschool children with disabilities. This study examined how instructional support to teachers of preschool children with disabilities and challenging behaviors affected three teachers’ classroom practices. The teachers received training and mentoring in classroom behavior management strategies and engaged in an online community of learners discussion group. Interviews and interactions from an online learning community were used to disclose whether the participants had implemented effective intervention strategies in their classrooms following the training. Teachers felt more competent in managing challenging behaviors after the online interaction with their colleagues. Teachers’ online interactions were a highly effective way to impact teacher efficacy. Therefore, special education preschool programs should consider providing more opportunities for the teachers to build their own learning communities to interact and support one another.     

Men’s Perceptions of Pregnancy-Related Weight Gain: A Psychosocial Firestorm (Upheaval) Intertwined With Supportive Intentions

In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 men who had a significant other who had given birth within the last 5 years. Men were asked about their perceptions of pregnancy-related weight gain, and content analysis was used to identify themes from the interviews. Men described nine themes related to perinatal weight gain: (a) negative perceptions, (b) eating behaviors, (c) exercise habits, (d) health impact, (e) body changes, (f) weight-loss success, (g) “it bothered her more than me,” (h) “the weight gain wasn’t a problem,” and (i) intimacy. Together, these themes offer a glimpse into men’s experiences and highlight the discord and balance between experiencing negative feelings/perceptions and being a supportive partner. This information on how men perceive pregnancy-related weight gain can be used to develop interventions to assist men to support their significant others in meeting weight loss goals following pregnancy.     

Managing Inquiry-Based Science: Challenges in Enacting Complex Science Instruction in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms

Effectively enacting inquiry-based science instruction entails considerable changes in classroom management practices. In this article, we describe five interconnected management areas that need to be addressed when managing an inquiry-oriented K-8 science classroom. We introduce a pyramid model as a framework for thinking about these management areas and present a brief review of what the research literature says about each area. We propose that enacting inquiry-based instruction requires a different kind of approach to classroom management that takes into account the close-knit relationship between management and instruction. This perspective recognizes the pervasive nature of managing the classroom for inquiry learning.