The Lion,the Witch,and The Wardrobe as rite of passage

Children's Literature in Education -     

Child care quality matters: how conclusions may vary with context

Three studies examined associations between early child care and child outcomes among families different from those in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Early Child Care Research Network study. Results suggest that quality is an important influence on children's development and may be an important moderator of the amount of time in care. Thus, the generalizability of the NICHD findings may hinge on the context in which those results were obtained. These studies, conducted in three national contexts, with different regulatory climates, ranges of child care quality, and a diversity of family characteristics, suggest a need for more complete estimates of how both quality and quantity of child care may influence a range of young children's developmental outcomes.     

Teaching and Exploring the Social Implications of Twenty-First Century Molecular Biology in a Laboratory-Based General Education Course

At the University of California, Los Angeles The Genome: Blueprint, Controversy, Destiny is an inquiry-based course with a laboratory component, designed for non-science majors. The course explores the many ways in which molecular biology—including the Human Genome Project, genetically modified foods, gene therapy, and forensics—is increasingly permeating society in the 21st century. The laboratory component of the course includes experience in real research—the sequencing of a microbial genome. Students feel, think, and act like scientists while they consider the societal implications of the technology. The course aims to prepare students to be scientifically literate citizens while simultaneously building a major research accomplishment.     

Managerial Implications of Cultural Factors That Influence the Success of TQM Programs in Mexican Maquiladoras

Maquiladoras, border factories and assembly operations in Mexico, are an important source of foreign direct investment and jobs. In the past decade, there has been rapid growth in the number of maquiladoras. It is estimated that in 1999 there were 3,219 maquiladoras employing over 1 million workers. Along with this growth, there has been a structural transformation of the industry. As a result of major investments in the automobile and electronics sectors, there has been a shift from low‐wage manufacturing towards total quality manufacturing [TQM], including flexible manufacturing and just‐in‐time inventory systems. Since their inception maquiladoras have suffered from high turnover and absenteeism. These two problems serve as major obstacles to the successful implementation of TQM programs and increase the cost of recruitment and training. This paper surveys the literature and presents a theory that relates the success of TQM programs to cross‐cultural management. Our hypothesis is that strategic quality initiatives like TQM work best when they incorporate top leadership involvement and worker‐focused human resources policies integrated to provide both salary and non‐salary benefits that increase worker satisfaction. We hold that effective cross‐cultural management based upon top leadership involvement responds to deep‐seated cultural needs by constructing approximations of traditional elements of Mexican culture. Therefore, incorporating and respecting traditional culture and the worker's need for community will positively influence worker acceptance of TQM programs and reduce turnover.     

The effects of the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) on Children's school performance at the end of the program and one year later

The effectiveness of the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)—a two-year, free, home-based, family-oriented, early childhood education intervention-was assessed in a longitudinal, two cohort, randomized experimental evaluation. One hundred and eighty-two low-income families (84 in HIPPY and 98 in the control group) were assessed at baseline, at the end of the program, and one year later. Outcomes included assessments of children's cognitive skills, adaptation to the classroom, and standardized achievement at the end of the two-year program, and classroom adaptation and standardized achievement one year later. Data were collected from objective measures, teacher ratings, and school records. Analyses of covariance were conducted controlling for baseline scores on child and family background variables. Results revealed that for Cohort I there were significant and educationally meaningful differences in children's school performance both at the end of the program and one year later. These results were not replicated in Cohort II. Attrition analyses did not reveal differences between groups and cohorts which would account for the lack of replication. Findings are interpreted as mixed support for the effectiveness of the HIPPY program to improve the chances that poor children will succeed in school.     

Reciprocal Relations Between Maternal Depression and Child Behavior Problems in Families Served by Head Start

This study used longitudinal cross-lagged modeling to examine reciprocal relations between maternal depression and child behavior problems. Data were drawn from 3,119 children (40% Hispanic, 30% African American, 20% White, and 10% other) from the Family and Child Experiences Survey of 2009 (a nationally representative sample of children served by Head Start). Results documented reciprocal relations between maternal depression and child behavior problems across early childhood (i.e., child age 3–5). Furthermore, the effect of child behavior problems on maternal depression was moderated by child race/ethnicity during children’s first year in Head Start, such that the negative effect of child behavior problems on African American mothers’ depression was more pronounced compared to Hispanics and other racial/ethnic groups.