This paper describes an instance of a disadvantaged (urban) Australian government school that realized it had little alternative but to try new approaches; "old ways" were not working. The paper describes an ensemble of school reform practices, philosophies and strategies that give young adolescents genuine ownership of their learning.…

This document discusses an Israeli project which targeted intelligent students in disadvantaged areas for special help with the objective being to encourage their college attendance. The introduction describes problems which confront any educational system in a democratic society, such as fostering adolescent development and encouraging quality…

Teaching in an impoverished Mexican village requires an inexhaustible will to help children learn. This article describes Felicitas Sanchez Ochoa's struggle to make education possible for children living in an isolated rural area of Mexico. (PP)

A creative writing program for disadvantaged women in Chicopee, Massachusetts, is described. The program's effects in empowering the women resulted in the women making a number of specific changes in their lives. Reasons for the workshop's success are discussed, as is the power of the arts to effect social change. (DB)

Describes collaboration between Phineas Bates School and Washington-Beech Community Preschool in Boston, which links public housing families with preschool children to nearby elementary school. Lack of child care often prevents parents from working or furthering their own education. By integrating early childhood education with child care, program…

As students file into the library media center for orientation during the hectic first weeks of school, Mrs. Greene, a veteran media specialist with fifteen years experience, wonders how she can make a difference in an environment governed by No Child Left Behind and state-mandated tests. Some students are disadvantaged because they are struggling…

This study examined two pilot mentoring programs which were designed to provide information on the feasibility of integrating mentoring relationships into the juvenile justice system. Each program, one in St. Louis, Missouri and one in Atlanta, Georgia, sought to recruit, train, and match 100 adult volunteers (half over the age of 55) with 100…

Many adolescent clients of the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA) in Washington come also with psychiatric problems, are involved with the legal system, live with someone who abuses drugs or alcohol, have poor social support networks, or live in poverty. This report describes a sample of adolescent clients who received treatment and/or…

Discusses the organization and functions of the Soho Family Centre. The centre's long-term goal is to provide fully integrated and free health, education, social, and community services for families with children under five years of age. (RJC)

Children who enter foster care typically have had little or not experience with play. This article describes the impact of play deprivation on early development. It provides guidelines for recognizing play deprivation and describes ways to help babies and young children develop a repertoire of play behaviors that is based on secure relationships…

This paper explores and questions some of the evidence used to support early childhood interventions in the UK, and reports on discussions with three rural Mini Sure Start project leaders in Devon. Sure Start funding in the UK has been repeatedly increased to provide more centres for 0-3-year-olds and their parents. It is increasingly linked to…

Increasingly, schools serving large numbers of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are creating a community school that addresses health, social, and recreational needs. Some schools function as health delivery sites, while others provide referrals to caregivers. (MLF)

Presents an evaluation of the effectiveness of video conferencing as a teaching and learning medium in early childhood studies, based on experiences at Stranmillis University College (Northern Ireland) with women who are new to higher education and live in a disadvantaged area. Discusses interactivity, tutor responses, and student responses.…

The Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) program was established in 1995 to make a significant long-term positive impact on the educational attainment of children and families in disadvantaged areas of the United Kingdom. This report examines the work of the PEEP program for the period April 1998 through March 1999. The sections of the…

Describes the One to One program, which mobilizes communities to support mentoring, pioneers new mentoring approaches, and leverages resources by taking a business approach; leveraging support from diverse sectors; creating a partnership of catalysts; capitalizing on diversity; helping communities think and achieve big; reaching hard-to-reach…