Discusses the controversial work of Maurice Sendak, a popular, yet controversial children's author and illustrator. Examines the oral responses of a class of first graders to "We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy," with the purpose of demonstrating that children can act as their own agents in constructing meaning through complex…

Highlights Web sites school library media specialists can use to help children deal with crisis and loss. Sources include: government; authorities in the field; media access and support; professional associations; and centers/other support groups. Includes suggestions provided on Web sites of the American Psychological Association, the National…

Research indicates significant levels of burnout in academic teaching librarians. This article describes parallels with other "helping professions" and examines characteristics, causes, and solutions of burnout, inside and outside the classroom. Solutions should be sought in research on similar professions and their effectiveness should…

How do sexually reactive youth differ from other delinquents or from nonoffenders? This research demonstrates that all three groups were similar on measures of emotional expressiveness. Sexual offenders were unique mainly in the training they had experienced. The environment in which children are raised appears to have great influence on how they…

Examines preservice teachers' developing conceptions of reader response theory, specifically focusing on the importance of aesthetic response to students' engagement with and motivation for reading. Finds that the aesthetic reader stance predominated in students' written responses and discussions; and that written response did not influence the…

Argues that the way teachers and students transact with a piece of literature needs to change if teachers are to change the way students read and see themselves as readers. Suggests teachers need to support a variety of responses and avoid the tendency to reduce discussion to a search for a single main idea. Includes a brief response by Susan…

This article offers a glimpse into the life of Frank Peretti, who as a child suffered abuse because of his physical disfigurement. He was bullied and physically assaulted by peers and sometimes adults. Now well known for his novels, Peretti suggests that people who cause others to suffer also suffer from a wounded spirit. (Author)

In this intervention, Anne, a 15-year-old girl in residential treatment, is helped to sort out her conflicted feelings of anger and attraction to a female staff member. Through the Massaging Numb Values Reclaiming Intervention, she finds more productive ways of expressing emotions and managing her interactions with the staff person. (Author)

A review of 27 studies that examined effects of childhood physical abuse and exposure to partner violence found that the children who were victims or witnesses to violence in the home were at risk for experiencing both behavioral and emotional problems and somewhat at risk for impaired social functioning. (CR)

Investigates the prevalence and antecedents of burnout in a large sample of school psychologists from North Carolina. Approximately 40% of school psychologists reported high levels of emotional exhaustion, 10% reported depersonalization reactions, and 19% reported a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Results suggest personality variables…

Documents the methodology of the second follow-up interview of the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study, describing sample design, instruction development and data collection, response rates, efficacy of the survey instrument, and weights and design effects. (Author/SLD)

Describes the development of the Readiness Inventory (RI), a measure of readiness for first grade. The RI was completed on 139 first-grade children and analyzed using a model of Item Response Theory. Findings indicate that behaviors dealing with academic skills are less indicative of readiness than abilities dealing with role-governed behaviors or…

Describes examinee-centered method for setting multiple cutscores on a test involving both objective and extended-response items. Judges evaluate a representative sample of examinee performance using a rating scale that is defined in terms of performance standards, and these ratings are linked to examinee's test scores to generate a functional…

Presents an interview with Dr. Martha Maxwell, author of five books on student learning skills, regarding the field of developmental education. Discusses how developmental education began and where Dr. Maxwell sees it going. Describes her feelings about the recent attempts at privatization; the chronic funding problems; and the ongoing question of…

Examines whether students engage in biased assimilation during in-class debates. Finds that biased assimilation only occurs when the student is arguing for her or his existing position on an issue. Concludes that, in order to eliminate biased assimilation, teachers should encourage students to debate the opposite position of their preconceived…