The use of a traveling instructional team to provide local inservice workshops to assist New Jersey vocational teachers and administrators in reducing and dealing with discipline problems is described and the effectiveness of the training seminars evaluated. (TA)

Critically reviews the quantitative literature on culturally sensitive parent education programs, discussing issues of research methodology and program efficacy in producing change among ethnic minority parents and their children. Culturally sensitive programs for African American and Hispanic families are described in detail. Methodological flaws…

Offers experience-based insights on building relationships of trust and respect with hard-to-reach youth. Describes a program, designed for 12- to 14-year olds on juvenile probation, which emphasizes love and respect. Argues for the futility of fixating on problem behaviors and the importance of providing youth a challenging and fun environment.…

Describes the success of the Academy of Holy Angels' Theater School, which has earned the reputation of producing quality original productions. Discusses aspects of the theater program, including a discussion of the required courses and the ways in which plays are scheduled. Describes the plays that have been produced. (AJL)

Outlines characteristics of effective alternative programs for at-risk middle schools students, noting organizational, instructional, and interpersonal components. Describes a successful drop-out prevention program which operates as a school-within-a-school for sixth- through eighth-grade students, emphasizing multicultural education and…

In response to perceived need, the University of Pretoria (South Africa) implemented a stress management program for students using relaxation and visualization techniques and emphasizing development of study skills. Case studies of six participants in 1986 found both quantitative and qualitative improvement in all stress management areas except…

Describes a schoolwide project at Central Elementary School in Morgantown, West Virginia, called the "Worlds of a Reader's Mind." Describes the deliberations among both students and teachers that went into establishing the project, how the project is run, and the "enormously beneficial" impact on students' achievement and self-esteem. (SR)

Saint Louis University has achieved a no-cost expansion of its staff and services by implementing a graduate-level Research Administration Practicum. The practicum has a dual focus: to enhance the graduate experience by integrating research skills and theory with practice; and to provide more staff at minimal expense. (MLW)

A program combining pediatrics and internal medicine is described. The four-year program, focusing on ambulatory care, alternates six-month rotations in each field and includes clinic training. Success factors include comparison of outpatient and inpatient care, developing an ambulatory practice to support resident salaries, and preparation for…

This paper compares first-grade education projects in rural India and Pakistan that have attempted to shift from rote learning of texts to an active, experiential, child-centered approach to literacy learning. Examples of successful approaches and techniques, as well as implications for literacy programs in general, are discussed. (MDM)

University of Virginia medical student evaluations of teachers at the end of clerkships are compiled into a detailed annual report containing constructive criticism and recommendations. Teaching faculty then respond by addressing the comments and initiating proposals for improvement. Experience with the system has been encouraging, and wider…

A British program for multicultural librarian training aims to develop understanding of Europe's cultural and ethnic diversity, historical roots of racism, and political and institutional structures that sustain racist attitudes and practices and to equip librarians to provide services to all patrons in ways not supporting discrimination. (MSE)

Three university programs of continuous quality improvement, based on the Total Quality Management approach, are described. The institutions are the Georgia Institute of Technology; Pennsylvania State University; and University of Maryland at College Park. The report attempts to look beyond the mechanics of the programs to discover what is being…

The techniques and experiences of two private elementary and secondary schools and three higher education institutions with fund raising by phonathon are described. Institutions include the Columbus School for Girls (Ohio), Centre College (Kentucky), Kansas State University, Whitman College (Washington), and the Eaglebrook School (Massachusetts).…

The 1989 California Medical School Matching Program pilot study illustrated that the technical aspects of a matching program for medical school applicants can be successful, paralleling the current admission process to a reasonable degree. The process is designed to solve the problem of multiple acceptance within an applicant pool. (Author/MSE)