Development of student–teacher relationships in rural early elementary classrooms

An increasing body of literature documents associations between student–teacher relationships, children's academic success, and children's social competence in school. Less is known about characteristics and processes involved in the quality of relationships between students and teachers, and little research has examined these issues with populations of young students and teachers living in rural communities. The current study examined the relationships between rural kindergarten and first-grade students and their teachers in spring of the school year, predicted by child demographic factors, child process factors, and teacher characteristics. Using a multi-level model to account for clustering of children in classrooms, children's behavior and literacy skills were examined as contributors to the teachers’ perceptions of the developing teacher–student relationship, focusing on their potential to mediate associations between more distal characteristics and teacher–student relationships. Controlling for relationship conflict in fall, boys and African American students were more likely to have relationships with teachers that were higher in conflict in spring. When behavior and literacy skills measures were added to the model, children's behavior mediated the effect of gender, such that behavior problems accounted for much of the variance in student–teacher conflict associated with gender. However, neither behavior problems nor literacy skills mediated the effects of minority status on conflict; African American students had poorer relationships with teachers regardless of behavior or literacy skills.     

Something ‘Paralogical’ Under the Sun: Lyotard's Postmodern Condition and science education

This article elaborates on a view of human subjectivity as open and intersubjectively constituted and discusses it as a presupposition for student's participation in educational situations. It questions the traditional persistent concept of subjectivity as inner and private, the homo clausus, which puts self realization before recognition of the other and individual cognition before mutual meaning. From the perspective of homo clausus participation is thus limited to mere situated activity. A concept of human subjectivity as open and plural, homines aperti, makes it possible to conceptualize educational situations relationally and to take the in‐between as point of departure for understanding pedagogical relationships. Participation can then be understood in terms of involvement in meaning making, knowledge construction and mutual will formation. The relevance of analyzing discrepancies between concepts in educational theory is that they direct our interest and our attention differently. This is also how theoretical understandings work in the praxis of teaching; teachers’ actions are certainly not guided by their theories, but their conceptions about such basic issues as subjectivity and self (what is a pupil?) make some actions and decisions seem more intelligible than others.     

The development and validation of the emotion labor in families scale: Associations with emotion regulation,feeling caught,and relational satisfaction in parent-child relationships

In this study, we developed and validated a new inventory that assesses emotion labor in parent-child relationships. Participants included 230 young adults who reported on the frequency with which they engaged in emotion labor with both parents. Results produced a 24-item inventory that assesses young adults’ surface acting, deep acting, and emotional effort when having conversations with their mother and father, labeled the Emotion Labor in Families (ELF) scale. Tests of concurrent and discriminant validity supported the construct validity of the ELF scale, although the dimension of emotional effort was largely unassociated with the validity measures included in this report.     

Relationship dimensions in the professional supervision of psychology graduates: supervisee perceptions of processes and outcome

The professional supervision of new graduates to ensure both their effectiveness with clients and their personal learning and development is a common feature of a range of human services contexts. This study investigated psychology supervisees’ perceptions of relationship processes and outcomes in professional supervision. The relationship constructs of supervisor support, challenge and openness were investigated and related to the outcome variables of supervisee anxiety and perceived effectiveness of supervision. Psychology graduates (n=261) involved in the process of professional supervision for registration responded to a mail survey regarding the quality of their supervisory relationship. Findings established the relationship dimensions of levels of supervisor challenge, supervisor support and supervisor openness as independent but related constructs. Supervisees’ perceptions of supervisor support and openness predicted their perceptions of supervisor effectiveness. Supervisees’ perceptions of level of supervisor challenge predicted their self-reported levels of evaluative anxiety or defensiveness in the supervisory process.     

Faculty and staff perceptions of undergraduate mentoring

ABSTRACT

The connection between students and faculty is a recognized component of student belonging and engagement. To better understand how these relationships are formed, we utilized a qualitative design to explore the ways in which faculty and staff at a mid-sized public university perceived their roles in supporting, and connecting with, students. Based on our focus group data, we identified three themes. The first theme defined the mentoring relationship in the university context. The second theme addressed the unique features of mentoring Underrepresented Minority (URM) and First Generation (FG) students. Our third theme focused on perceived barriers to mentoring, including personal, institutional, and student-related barriers. Our findings provide a first step in developing a framework for colleges and universities working to promote a culture of mentoring as a means to support students.     

Child AD/HD severity and psychological functioning in relation to divorce,remarriage, multiple transitions and the quality of family relationships

Both Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and divorce are very prevalent in western societies, and they may occur together. AD/HD is generally viewed as a neurobiological disorder, which has led to a commonly held belief that social-environmental factors play little role in the symptom profile of children diagnosed with the disorder. This study investigated the association between parental divorce, remarriage, multiple transitions, the quality of relationships with family members and the psychological well-being of children and adolescents with AD/HD. First, differences in children’s AD/HD symptom profiles in relation to parents’ divorce status (single/multiple divorce) and family composition (single parent/stepfamily) were examined. Second, the association between the quality of children’s relationships with each family member and parents’ marital status (divorced/non-divorced) and family composition was investigated. In addition, age, gender and AD/HD subtype differences were assessed. Third, the association between the quality of children’s interactions with family members and children’s AD/HD symptom profile was explored. No significant differences in children’s behavioural profiles were found in terms of parents’ divorce status. Living in stepfamilies was associated with greater AD/HD severity and social malfunctioning. Disruptive parent–child and sibling relationships were found to be related to children’s age, gender, AD/HD subtype and parents’ marital status. Further, poor interactions with family members correlated with children’s AD/HD severity and psychological well-being. In summary, divorce, remarriage and the quality of relationships with family members are important correlates of the symptom profile of children with AD/HD, and this emphasises the need for special treatment modules for these families.     

Sex and relationships education and gender equality: recent experiences from Andalusia (Spain)

Despite recent advances in sex and relationships education (SRE), the Spanish education system still lacks coherent policies in this field. This paper provides an overview of the current situation, focusing specifically on Andalusia, and discusses the importance of providing SRE for young people. It first describes current Spanish education policy on gender equality and shows how this leaves little space for SRE. It then presents data on young people's sexuality and relationships collected in the course of an action research project utilising different qualitative techniques. Data deriving from 27 in-depth interviews focusing on values, norms and practices relating to young people's sexuality and relationships, conducted in two secondary schools in Granada, Andalusia, are then analysed in order to identify the degree of gender equality present within them. The results suggest that in sexual relations young people tend uncritically to accept and reproduce many of the patriarchal dimensions of gender and sexuality. Findings highlight the importance of linking more closely SRE to gender equality education policies in Spain.     

历史的迷思:海外华文“文革”叙事中的家庭关系——以严歌苓小说为例

对"海外华文文学"有多种落实到创作主体和特征的概念解释。但在"以海外华人作家为主体、华文写作为方式"的定性之外,乡土题材能否作为海外华文文学题材的一个方面,则是争议最大的地方。无论如何,乡土题材在海外作家笔下,都必定会带有本土语境之外强烈的特殊性:"海外"文化的冲击使得他们拥有更为复杂的历史观,在脱离"纯粹"的集体记忆之外,还多了一层现代性的文化迷思,充满历史的"穿透力"和"洞察力";而异域"他者"的时空条件也为他们创造了自如的表达环境,但这又会或多或少地打上居住国身份认定和文化殖民主义的媚俗色彩①[1]1。严歌苓文革题材小说中的"家庭关系"视角,则深刻地投射出海外华文领域对"文革"记忆的特殊表达。     

大学英语课堂沉默现象的影响因子分析及解决策略

在大学英语课堂教学中,学生消极沉默是极其普遍的现象,这对学习英语是十分不利。文章通过对大学英语课堂观察、学生问卷以及典型学生访谈等多种途径,发现导致这种现象的原因,除了学生本身的英语水平高低,既有来自教师的因素、也有学生因素、以及课堂教学环境和传统文化因素等,笔者最后提出缓解该现象的策略,以期提高大学英语教学质量。     

高校师生关系的嬗变趋势及应对策略

当前,我国高校师生关系的主流是健康的,但也出现了令人担忧的不和谐现状,高校师生关系正呈现出以下五个方面的嬗变趋势:隔离化、冷漠化、庸俗化、等级化和代沟化。本文在系统分析高校师生关系的嬗变趋势之后,又提出了相应的应对策略。