The Southern Institute on Children and Families is an independent, nonprofit public policy organization founded in 1990 to improve opportunities for children and families in the South with a focus on disadvantaged children. This annual report presents the accomplishments and activities of the organization for 2000. The report begins with…

H. S. Bhola's CLER (configurations, linkages, environments, resources) Model for planned change was used to improve recruitment techniques at an adult learning center. The model organized data about the target audience, and recruitment increased sharply. A follow-up study to determine why students dropped out of the program concluded that…

Reports on an ethnographic project examining an Australian program designed to provide homeless adolescents with access to secondary education. Focuses on the relationships among groups of students within the program and explores the way that education can either reinforce disadvantage or offer access to opportunity. (MJP)

Describes obstacles presented by poverty in the fulfillment of the basic needs of children. Individually addresses Maslow's five basic needs with regard to children reared in poverty: (1) physiological needs; (2) safety needs; (3) belonging and love needs; (4) self-esteem needs; and (5) self-actualization needs. (Author/SD)

A study evaluated the Schoolwide Early Language and Literacy (SWELL) program using four Australian disadvantaged schools. Two schools implemented the program in the kindergarten year, while the other two schools pursued regular kindergarten curriculum. Children in the program outperformed others on words read in context, but not on words read in…

Traces the growing concern and sporadic efforts to address problems of exploitation, education, and neglect among child performers in turn-of-the-century England. Victorian social reformers and the press made the working conditions of English theater children a public issue. True reform, however, only occurred later. (MJP)

Analyzes the "deficit theory," which suggests that children from lower socioeconomic environments enter school without the linguistic resources needed for success. Suggests that teachers avoid labeling children as verbally inept when their language does not conform to the teacher's linguistic model. (MM)

Case histories from the Berkeley Guidance cohort--the Depression experience of middle and working class women and the military experience of their sons--demonstrated that (1) economic adversity enhanced middle class resilience and health while negatively affecting working class women's health and (2) military service gave men of deprived…

Examines reasons for high representation of women and factors influencing their persistence in Kenya's literacy programs. Considers the limited formal learning opportunities available, economic demands, women's multiple social roles, inadequate learning environments, unqualified literacy teachers, and the impact of a male-centered society.…

Two student teachers, one completing her practicum in a rural culturally nondiverse setting and the other in an urban culturally diverse setting, expressed similar concerns about students' impoverished environments, troublesome home lives including abuse and single-parent homes, and difficulties associated with teaching a diverse group of…

Examines the effect of the Appalachian environment and culture on adult learners. Identifies instructional strategies to enhance adult learning. Describes Hocking College's "Women in Transition" course for mature female students, which focuses on improving interpersonal, time management, goal-setting, and life-planning skills through…

Issues facing historically disadvantaged universities in South Africa are examined, focusing on their impact on the cognitive development of students. It is concluded that students' cognitive development is a strategic matter, requiring the coherent effort of a whole institution rather than being the exclusive province of any specialized units.…

The purpose of experiential education is to combine experience and learning in ways that transform both. Students have experiences outside the classroom, and these experiences are integrated into the course curriculum, enriching both the experience and the class material. Successful experiential education assignments must first provide students…

Purpose: This study investigated the conceptions of governance that informed the practices of school trustees, and considered the extent to which those conceptions matched the policy imperatives that shaped New Zealand's school governance framework. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 32 participants in the…

This book of teaching activities is designed to address the issue of hunger and develop a sense of activism and hope among students. It encourages students to discover some of the causes and misconceptions about world hunger. The book contains eight lessons with numerous activities to allow students to study hunger and develop a broader…