Analyzes examples of parent-teacher talk and printed materials sent to parents of students attending various secondary schools in and around a large city. The article focuses on extracts in which responsibility for student surveillance is negotiated. Findings indicate that parents, teachers, and students regulate themselves and each other through…

Explores mentoring as a means of promoting spiritual growth for women in a congregational setting. Surveys the roles and activities of mentors with special attention to utilization in business and educational environments. Proposes four likely components of a mentoring relationship. (MJP)

Analyses of national longitudinal surveys of students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades indicate that general and specific measures of social capital (attending Catholic school, family structure, parent-child and parent-school interactions) are related to likelihood of dropping out, and that social capital interacts with parents' financial and human…

Individual and focus-group interviews explored barriers and motivations to lifelong learning among residents of a disadvantaged area of Glasgow (Scotland). Some participants were motivated to pursue adult education to improve employment opportunities, but motivations related to social and community networks were also important. The current policy…

Surveyed elderly persons (N=l,224) aged 60+ to determine social network ties and awareness of available services. Found following factors predictive of service awareness: having nonkin advisors; club membership; other community agency contacts; and availability of transportation, education, and moderate-sized kin networks. Found following…

Maintains that creative work is sensitive to the social context of the creator. Reports on a nine-month study of how peer social processes influenced children's creative activity in three fifth-grade classes. Finds that variance appears to be related to the structure of the work process established by teachers and students. (CFR)

Although delivery of health and mental health services to American Indian communities is improved by use of community-based paraprofessionals, these workers face conflicts related to kinship obligations. Discusses the role of family networks in Coast Salish community dynamics, and consequent influences on counselor effectiveness and the access of…

Describes and analyzes the establishment of Chicano voluntary associations in California from 1910 to 1930. Refutes early research supporting prejudicial Hispanic stereotypes. Examines how political and social forces produced complex networks of voluntary organizations aiding ethnic consciousness and immigrant and migrant assimilation. Focuses on…

This paper describes a five-step therapeutic technique for childhood sexual abuse survivors which utilizes a videotaped disclosure process to assist in generating a therapeutic constituency for the survivor. The technique has been used in 27 cases, and case histories are given to illustrate the procedure. (Author/DB)

This study compares social relationships of 677 homeless mothers with 495 housed mothers on public assistance in New York (New York). Homeless women had more disruptive social experiences but were more likely to have had recent contact with relatives/friends. Over 75 percent had visited relatives/friends in the past year. (JB)

This article reports on interrelated measures of lifestyle quality for 20 severely mentally retarded adults in community settings. Size of the social networks and the number of family members were associated with frequency and variety of activities across home and community settings. Activity patterns were unrelated to number of members paid to…

A study investigated the ethnocultural composition of the peer networks of 896 suburban high school students. Results indicated that gender mix, setting mix, and frequency of contact significantly differed across homogenous, integrated, and heterogeneous peer structures, demonstrating the mitigating impact of environmental factors on the interplay…

In order to improve post-discharge outcomes for children, it has been proposed that residential treatment centers place a greater emphasis on engaging families and building on strengths of the youths in treatment. This review presents the theoretical and empirical support for several promising strategies for engaging families, such as behavioral…

Online communities are meeting places for learners on the Internet designed to facilitate interaction and collaboration among people who share common interests and needs. Most participants are drawn by an opportunity to share a sense of community with like-minded strangers, regardless of were they live. School communities can be distinguished by…

Over the last 15 years, the rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has facilitated a revolution in how we use language. Online environments have facilitated creative and variable spelling using code hybridization and stylistic use of mechanical conventions such as punctuation and capitalization, lexical coinages, new…