Current research on school effectiveness concludes that differences among schools affect students' academic achievement. An important characteristic of effective schools is providing a safe and secure environment. An example of programs that address this issue are peer mediation or conflict resolution programs. These programs require the combined…

This newsletter, created for teachers, parents, and others interested in current educational themes, addresses the issue of mentoring, what it is, how it works, and why it is needed; and provides some examples of current mentoring programs. It explains that there are two types of mentoring: natural, such as through friends, relatives, and…

This document examines support for students in open learning systems (OLS) by clarifying the concept at the theoretical level, looking for empirical support for its potential value, and identifying key variables that constrain approaches to support. Part 1 clarifies two key concepts--support and effects. Part 2 presents the definition of OLS. In…

This report contains results of a survey at Bronx Community College (New York) that queried career placement counselors on how their field had changed over the past 5 years and what changes they foresaw for the future. Questions were open-ended and directed toward identifying problems and shifts in career planning and placement. More than half of…

School-to-Career describes a system of integrated school-based and work-based learning that integrates academic and occupational learning in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas). Between August 1997 and May 1998, 9,662 students were enrolled in career and technology courses in the district. During the 1997-98 school year, the AISD…

This book covers the developmental benefits of athletics. It provides a step-by-step model for setting up a comprehensive high school program, a guide for college-bound athletes, seven case studies, and an outline of counselors' responsibilities. The book is divided into three major parts: the athletic environment and the athlete's participation…

This monograph presents 61 articles, complemented by introductory and summary material, on the topic of student self-esteem. Some of the articles have appeared previously in journals and were published from 1980s to 1992. The articles are grouped into 17 chapters with the following titles: (1) How This Book Will Help You to Help Students Build…

The New Mexico School Health Advisory Committee adopted a model of comprehensive school health programming that incorporates the following eight components: (1) health services; (2) health education; (3) school health environment; (4) physical education; (5) student nutrition; (6) counseling; (7) integrated school and community health promotion;…

This assessment of the status of computer assisted school automation (CASA) in Japan begins by describing the structure of the Japanese educational system and the roles of CASA in that system. Statistics on various aspects of computers in Japanese schools and the findings of several surveys are cited to report on the present state of educational…

The first-semester orientation course at Irvine Valley College (IVC), in California, a non-required course taught by counselors, covers time management, study skills, academic policies, career and academic major exploration, and support services. In an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the course, a study was conducted of the 1990 freshman…

This publication combines four sets of guidelines developed in 1980 to give direction to guidance program development in the public schools of Virginia. It consists of loose-leaf sheets color-coded according to whether the items are applicable at all levels (white), for elementary school guidance (beige), for middle schools (blue) or for secondary…

This practicum addressed the self-concept and self-esteem problems of 10 upper elementary grade students with learning disabilities through development, implementation, and evaluation of a group counseling program. The program involved educating students about their learning disabilities as well as using counseling strategies which stressed…

This book is designed to help groups of individuals on campuses initiate and conduct focused discussions of the role of ethnic diversity in the daily lives of students at colleges and universities. The volume contains a variety of discussion materials including extended case studies; short case studies and exercises termed "thought…

Two studies evaluated a technique for combining perceptions family members have of their families into measures of the family as a unit. Study 1 tested the reliability of an individually administered measure of family support and affiliation created to serve as a basis for aggregated family indices. Two existing family-assessment methods were…

This publication, aimed at persons in pastoral work in religious settings, reviews a large number of works on the topics of vocation, the meaning of work, unemployment, and underemployment. It provides suggestions for pastors and others to use in working with the unemployed and with persons at transitional periods. It is also suitable for persons…