African American males are three times more likely than their White male counterparts to be suspended or expelled in public schools. Changing these odds requires not only addressing disparities in discipline practices, but also lifting up a new narrative of hope, possibility, and brilliance so that young Black men can see and realize their…

Many have observed the increasing severity of mental distress among college students over the past several decades. Very little, however, has been said about what has contributed to this increase. The purpose of this opinion piece is to highlight a trend that the author has witnessed as director of a university counseling center and social justice…

Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration (K. Dabrowski, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1973) has been the subject of a number of research projects in the gifted field over the past 20 or so years. Most of this research has focused on Dabrowski's idea of overexcitability and has not discussed the broader context or implications of his theory or…

Due to the eroding family composition of American families today and other important variables contributing to children's lack of social skills and inappropriate behaviors, the implementation of a Character Education curriculum is a greater need in schools today. This need is much more pressing than during the middle of the last century. Some…

In this article, I reflect on my personal experiences of racial queerness. In an effort to speak my secrets, I explore my identity production as a Multiracial person by critically examining my positionality throughout various key stages in my life. I present Multiracial microaggressions--those accumulated moments that underscore my racial…

This commentary focuses on the promises and challenges facing the Social and Character Development (SACD) consortium in evaluating the effectiveness of seven universal SACD programs designed to enhance student behavior and school climate under conditions of real world practice. In this commentary, we highlight that the opportunity costs associated…

A case study of one child, Alicia, is used to explore how children's identities as readers are constructed across time as they move thorough school. Attention to time helps us attend to how students draw on ongoing, familial, and historical resources in ways that are both recursive and future-oriented as they construct themselves as readers across…

Considers the importance of role relationships in the elaboration of personal construct systems. Discusses possible limitations in the ability of an individual to enact a role in such a way as to enable personality development. (PCB)

Clarifies intentions and basis of remarks made in Macfarlane (1963) concerning the relationship of early character structure to later character structure and life outcomes. (Author/RH)

Describing self image as a cumulative process, learned from one's environment and relationships with others, the author lists specific classroom activities and behaviors whereby teachers can help students change their self concepts. (SK)

Comments on criticism of the author's conception of stages of ego development for failing to make explicit the logic and consequent dynamics of successive stages of ego development. Indicates how Kegan's exposition does not provide the only attempt to capture the inner logic of ego development. (Author)

By being exposed to others with different backgrounds, children can develop open, flexible personalities that will allow them to cope with change and to assimilate changes into a satisfying personal lifestyle. (CB)

Discusses the term "humanism" as regularly understood within the context of a liberal arts education and as the contemporary foreign language teaching platform. Gives the roots of current humanistic principles and techniques and examines some ramifications of adopting personality development as one of the goals of foreign language programs. (EKN)

Discusses the impact of John Ruskin on the early development of Mahatma Gandhi's thought and outlines Gandhi's basic education scheme. (JOW)

Finds that Erikson's model of ego development fails to see the relationship between individual crises and the modern postmetaphysical world view, where the meaning of life is in question. Suggests that Erikson's description of crisis and ego integration remains sound but should be tied to the specific problems associated with living in modern…