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This report from the field presents a field-based program designed to prepare teachers to serve diverse children and families by emphasizing the "actual" practices that inform family-teacher partnerships. We argue that collaborative relationships across and among families and teachers can result in "mining gems" of knowledge that reside in students, families, communities, and schools for the enrichment of teaching and learning. We elaborate on the design of case-based, simulated parent-teacher conferences that provide teacher candidates with opportunities to learn to enact productive partnerships with families. Our design process resulted in a fictitious case featuring a Mexican American student, Marco, and his mother, Mrs. Silva. We designed the case such that Marco's academic knowledge is related to his home-based experiences to emphasize that such experiences can support academic learning. To create this authentic case--a goal of this report from the field--we drew upon school-based observations to describe Marco's academic and social experiences. To authenticate the case, we interviewed informants who had characteristics in common with that of Mrs. Silva or whose professional experience aligned with the teaching scenario. The case includes descriptive information gleaned from the perspective (a) of a teacher who observes the student in her class, and (b) of a mother who knows the child holistically. This information is used by a teacher candidate (playing the role of the teacher) and an instructional team member (playing the role of Mrs. Silva) during a 10-minute simulation of a parent--teacher conference.

In 1890, John Wesley Powell launched a plan to reshape land use polices in the western United States. His proposal, grounded in science, sought to protect vulnerable water rights and garnered US press attention for eight months. Using qualitative historical analysis combined with quantitative content analysis to examine the story frames used by 281 newspapers in some 798 articles covering the debate over Powell's proposal, this study fills a conspicuous gap in researchers' understandings of the history of climate coverage in the US. It discovers that news coverage overwhelmingly focused on a political conflict frame that deemphasized the substance both of Powell's proposal and the alternatives offered by his opponents. Finally, it illustrates the usefulness of applying contemporary frames to historical questions and highlights the partisan sectional identity dominant in the American West in the 1890s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 10 focus groups were conducted with students, parents, teachers, and school counseling and support personnel to investigate the cultural adjustment process of Chinese immigrant youth using an ecological framework. Multi-informant data were analyzed using the grounded theory (A. Strauss & J. M. Corbin, 1998) method. Findings reveal 6 main themes: socioeconomic changes due to immigrant status; English proficiency as a barrier to adjustment; changes in family structure and dynamics, racism, and invisibility; challenges to social support systems; and interdependent strategies for navigating in the United States. Results highlight the dynamic interaction and tensions created across themes and ecological contexts. The need for school- and community-based counseling interventions that address Chinese immigrant youths' losses and foster their resiliency and supportive networks are discussed.

Inclusion of children with disabilities takes on various degrees in different countries, for example, the concept of inclusion in Germany is in its infant stage. A majority of students are still in segregated special schools (European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education, 2012); whereas, the United States mandates free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. One way to level the playing field is through mobile technology. In 2009, 6.1 trillion Short Message Service (SMS) messages were sent. Research shows there are 4.6 billion mobile phone subscribers across the globe (International Telecommunications Union, 2009). Moreover, mobile technology is portable, readily available, and user friendly. This serves as a catalyst to use mobile devices to include children with disabilities. Text tutoring can be implemented in any part of the world that has mobile devices with a Wi-Fi capability SMS device. The authors of this paper conducted a pilot study of text tutoring with teacher candidates in the United States and students in Germany and Ghana. While data were not extensive enough to warrant a report, they do support further research with the process described here. Installing and using Viber is recommended since it is free, available across platforms, that is, iOS and android device friendly and user-friendly with a low learning curve. For this praxis paper, educators are provided instruction on how to set up text tutoring for students with disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the sequence in which a choir learns the elements of a song (e.g., rhythm, pitch, text, expression) influence the musical expression (e.g., articulation, dynamics) of their performance. We were also curious if learning sequence would affect expressive retention over time. Participants included four intact sixth-grade choir classes from two large middle schools located in the southeast United States. Participants learned two different songs, one with an infused-expression sequence and one with a post-expression sequence. During the infused-expression sequence, participants learned expressive elements alongside rhythm, pitch, and text. During the post-expression sequence, participants learned the rhythm, pitch, and text first, followed by expressive elements. Each participant recorded a performance of each song immediately after the initial learning sequence and again one week later. Results showed that when students learned a song using an infused-expression sequence they performed more expressively both on the initial and retention recording than students who learned the same song using a post-expression sequence. Implications for the use and benefits of infused-expression sequencing as well as future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Accessible and cost-effective interventions for suicidality are needed to address high rates of suicidal behavior among military service members. Caring Contacts are brief periodic messages that express unconditional care and concern and have been previously shown to prevent suicide deaths, attempts, ideation, and hospitalizations.Objective: To test the effectiveness of augmenting standard military health care with Caring Contacts delivered via text message to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors over 12 months.Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted at 3 military installations in the southern and western United States. Soldiers and Marines identified as being at risk of suicide were recruited between April 2013 and September 2016. The final follow-up was in September 2017.Interventions: Both groups received standard care, and the Caring Contacts group also received consisted of 11 text messages delivered on day 1, at week 1, at months 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, and on participants' birthdays.Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were current suicidal ideation and suicide risk incidents (hospitalization or medical evacuation). Secondary outcomes were worst-point suicidal ideation, emergency department visits, and suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation was measured by the Scale for Suicide Ideation, suicide risk incidents, and emergency department visits by the Treatment History Interview; attempted suicide was measured by the Suicide Attempt Self-Injury Count.Results: Among 658 randomized participants (329 randomizely assigned to each group), data were analyzed for 657 individuals (mean [SD] age, 25.2 [6.1] years; 539 men [82.0%]). All participants reported suicidal ideation at baseline, and 291 (44.3%) had previously attempted suicide. Of the 657 participants, 461 (70.2%) were assessed at 12 months. Primary outcomes were nonsignificant. There was no significant effect on likelihood or severity of current suicidal ideation or likelihood of a suicide risk incident; there was also no effect on emergency department visits. However, participants who received Caring Contacts (172 of 216 participants [79.6%]) had lower odds than those receiving standard care alone (179 of 204 participants [87.7%]) of experiencing any suicidal ideation between baseline and follow-up (odds ratio, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.33-0.95]; P = .03) and fewer had attempted suicide since baseline (21 of 233 [9.0%] in the group receiving Caring Contacts vs 34 of 228 [14.9%] in the standard-care group; odds ratio, 0.52 [95% CI, 0.29-0.92]; P = .03).Conclusions and Relevance: This trial provides inconsistent results on the effectiveness of caring text messages between primary and secondary outcomes, but this inexpensive and scalable intervention offers promise for preventing suicide attempts and ideation in military personnel. Additional research is needed.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01829620. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on implementation of Mix and Match groups, which are groups of regional peer consultation groups under the Making Appropriate and Timely Connections for Children (MATCH) project for improving the U.S. child welfare system. Topics include engaging public and private agencies in goal of permanency for children, collaboration between the agencies, an increase in participation of group members in meetings as purpose of groups were defined and working with foster parents.

The history of women is rich, with outstanding leadership in the mist of some of the world's most horrible events. Yet, it has and is the legacy of women to focus on making the world a better place. When reflecting on the numerous struggles and obstacles through which females have already come and those of the future, it is recognized that much remains to be accomplished by women. It is estimated that women make up more than half of the population in the United States and the labor roles in rehabilitation; their positive impact in all walks of life including rehabilitation has not reached full potential. As more and more women enter and remain in the workforce, those who have disabilities and those of color will need to assume increasing leadership roles in order to respond more positively to multicultural issues. Thus, one of the most challenging opportunities of our current time is to focus on supporting and developing women leaders. This article will highlight some of the challenges and opportunities associated with being female in this society. While challenges and barriers will be addressed, the focus will be on the strength of women as current and potential leaders. Recommendations will be advanced that focus attention on assisting women to develop already existing skills and expanding into other areas of possibility. How multicultural variables are viewed, will continue to present opportunities and obstacles that both males and females, need to address regardless of their position in the organization or academy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses creative thinking in the education system in the U.S. It talks about information society, a term popularized by John Naisbett, author of the book "Megatrends." It states that fundamental programs in speech communication are in the position to participate in the focus on cooperation, communication and the creative. It presents a comparison between creative thinking and critical thinking. It cites the five methods for promoting creative thinking that were discussed by Roger von Oech, founder of a technique called Creative Think. An overview of the four principles conducive to increased creativity is offered.

Surveys high school students in West Virginia and Pennsylvania about their preferred media as news source. Factors that contributed to the students' preference for television over other media; Decline in newspaper reading by young people; Dissatisfactions of students with newspapers.

Reports on Portland, Oregon Traffic Calming Program (TCP). Effectivity of TCP; Minimization of the impact of traffic on neighborhood streets; Use of traffic calming devices on neighborhood streets; Increase of emergency vehicles' response time due to traffic calming devices; Performance of research project by the city of Portland; Findings of research project.

The article focuses on iron ore deposits in Clairborne Parish, Louisiana. It cites a survey of Louisiana's mineral wealth conducted by mining engineer Major E. Enderle in the 1880's. It highlights the data collected from geologic surveys of iron ore resources in the parish from 1959 to 1962. The U.S. government's interest in the iron ore deposits in the area, the applications for iron plant construction and the proposed methods to process the iron ore are also discussed.

Explores the trends in the manufacture of paper machinery in the U.S. Emphasis of larger suppliers towards twin-forming technology; developments in cylinder forming; Trends in forming fabrics.