Traditional tales

Rachel Theilheimer teaches early childhood education at Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York City. Josh R. Allen is a fifth-grader at Dows Lane Elementary School in Irvington, NY, where Rena I. R. Allen is in first grade.     

Numerical Methods in the Electrical Engineer's Education

In this paper the numerical methods course held for students of the Depart-ment of Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest is described. This introductory course combines elements of numerical analysis, programming techniques and the methods for computer analysis of electrical circuits and electromagnetic fields. The structure of the numerical methods laboratory classes is presented. The paper emphasizes the difficulties encountered in interaction with the students.     

Echocardiographic dimensions in trained and untrained 12-year-old boys and girls

The purpose of this study was to compare echocardiographically measured left ventricular (LV) dimensions of 85 trained 11-12-year-old athletes with 106 untrained children matched for skeletal age and fat-free mass. Training status for each group applied to the 3 years prior to the measurements. It was found that 12 min and 100 m runs demonstrated the superior athletic ability of the trained children, but there were no significant differences in LV internal diameters at diastole and systole, in LV posterior wall thickness, or in LV end-diastolic volume and LV mass. These data indicate that little difference occurs in LV size between moderately trained and untrained 11-12-year olds or between boys and girls matched for fat-free mass and skeletal age. It is also evident that consistent but moderate training during late pre-adolescence has little effect on LV development.     

Aggressive Playground Behaviour in Children with Emotional and/or Behavioural Difficulties

This study takes the form of an action research project. The focus is on the aggressive playground behaviour demonstrated by a class of 10 7‐8 year old boys in a special school for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. An overview of the central issues is presented and potential strategies for behaviour improvement are identified. These strategies are evaluated and the most appropriate are identified for implementation in an attempt to remedy the aggressive playground behaviour. A non‐participant observation procedure is adopted and initial observations on the varying frequencies and levels of individual children's involvement in aggressive incidents are recorded. These findings are then analysed in order to identify the main types of aggressive actions and the children's individual roles within the incidents. The most appropriate strategies are then implemented, after which a second set of recordings of playground behaviour is taken. These show a marked decrease in the frequency of aggressive behaviours. Finally, the main findings are evaluated and a summary of procedures and central issues is offered.