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Our goal at this site is to provide research information (selected articles) and Forums (submitted suggestions/opinions) to help educators improve their classroom environment and teaching methods. We are asking teachers/administrators to share their successful techniques and submit them here so others can benefit. We are particularly interested in hearing about innovative/creative approaches that improve the classroom learning environment. Please fill out our Educators' Form and submit your suggestions/opinions to us. Selected responses will be listed at "Forum - Classroom Environment: Educator Viewpoints".
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Oppositional Defiant Disorders
NIH - Medical Encyclopedia Oppositional Defiant Disorder
"Oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures. To fit this diagnosis, the pattern must persist for at least 6 months and must go beyond the bounds of normal childhood misbehavior.
Symptoms: • Arguing with adults • Loss of temper • Angry and resentful of others • Actively defies adults' requests • Spiteful or vindictive behavior • Blames others for own mistakes • Is touchy or easily annoyed • Few or no friends or loss of previous friends • Constant trouble in school ...
Possible Complications: In a significant proportion of cases, the adult condition of conduct disorder can be traced back to the presence of oppositional defiant disorder in childhood ...
Prevention: Consistency in rules and fair consequences should be practiced in the child's home. Punishments should not be overly harsh or inconsistently applied. Appropriate behaviors should be modeled by the adults in the household. Abuse and neglect increase the chances that this condition will occur. "
Highlighted ArticlesOppositional defiant disorder. (Aust Fam Physician. 2008) “DISCUSSION: Many of the behaviours required to meet this diagnosis are not uncommon in the preschool child or adolescent. However, in children with ODD the behaviours are persistent, cause significant distress to the family system, and impact on the child's social and educational functioning. Oppositional defiant disorder usually presents in the preschool years, although it may become evident during adolescence. There is strong evidence that early intervention to increase positive factors in family relationships and to increase both the parents' and child's skill levels can assist in the prevention of more serious disorders and mental health issues.”
Lifetime prevalence, correlates, and persistence of oppositional defiant disorder: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. (J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007) "Results: Lifetime prevalence of ODD is estimated to be 10.2% (males = 11.2%; females = 9.2%). Of those with lifetime ODD, 92.4% meet criteria for at least one other lifetime DSM-IV disorder, including: mood (45.8%), anxiety (62.3%), impulse-control (68.2%), and substance use (47.2%) disorders. ODD is temporally primary in the vast majority of cases for most comorbid disorders. Both active and remitted ODD significantly predict subsequent onset of secondary disorders even after controlling for comorbid conduct disorder (CD). Early onset (before age 8) and comorbidity predict slow speed of recovery of ODD. Conclusions: ODD is a common child- and adolescent-onset disorder associated with substantial risk of secondary mood, anxiety, impulse-control, and substance use disorders. These results support the study of ODD as a distinct disorder."
Conduct Disorders
NIH - Medical Encyclopedia Conduct Disorder
"Conduct disorder, a disorder of childhood and adolescence, involves chronic behavior problems, such as defiant, impulsive, or antisocial behavior; drug use; or criminal activity.
Causes: Conduct disorder has been associated with family conflicts, child abuse, poverty, genetic defects, and parental drug addiction or alcoholism. The diagnosis is more common among boys and is estimated to be as high as 10%. However, because many of the qualities necessary to make the diagnosis (such as "defiance" and "rule breaking") can be subjective, it is hard to know how common the disorder really is. For accurate diagnosis, the behavior must be far more extreme than simple adolescent rebellion or boyish exuberance. Conduct disorder is often associated with attention-deficit disorder, and the two together carry a major risk for alcohol and/or other drug dependence. Children with conduct disorder tend to be impulsive, difficult to control, and unconcerned about the feelings of others ...
Symptoms: Cruel or aggressive behavior toward people and animals • Destruction of property, including fire setting • Lying, truancy, running away • Vandalism, theft • Heavy drinking and/or heavy illicit drug use • Breaking rules without apparent reason • Antisocial behaviors, such as bullying and fighting ...
Possible Complications: Children with conduct disorder may go on to develop personality disorders as adults, particularly antisocial personality disorder. As their behaviors worsen, these individuals may also develop significant drug and legal problems.
When to Contact a Medical Professional: See your health care provider if your child seems to be overly aggressive, is bullying others, is being victimized, or continually gets in trouble. Early treatment may help."
Highlighted ArticlesA 30-Year Prospective Follow-up Study of Hyperactive Boys With Conduct Problems: Adult Criminality. (J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007)
"CONCLUSIONS: Hyperactive/ADHD boys with conduct problems are at increased risk for adult criminality. Hyperactive boys without childhood conduct problems are not at increased risk for later criminality. An intensive 3-year MMT treatment of 6- to 12-year-old hyperactive boys is insufficient to prevent later adult criminality."
From conduct disorder to severe mental illness: associations with aggressive behaviour, crime and victimization. (Psychol Med. 2007)
"CONCLUSIONS: Men and women with severe mental illness who have a history of CD by mid-adolescence are at increased risk for aggressive behaviour and violent crime. These patients are easily identifiable and may benefit from learning-based treatments aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour. Longitudinal, prospective investigations are needed to understand why CD is more common among people with than without schizophrenia."
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Health - Environment and Learning
General Information
NEWS:
Bad parents 'widen ability gap' “Prof Waldfogel said her findings were "very concerning because with children starting out at school so unequal, it's very difficult to imagine they will end school on an equal footing". She said what surprised her the most was the extent to which the way children were parented and how they were influenced by their home learning environment had an impact on their ability to learn once they reached school. The researchers looked at only how parenting affected children's ability levels in the US. Here, between a third and half of the gap between low and middle income groups were to due to factors related to parenting and the home environment, rather than income itself, she said. These included, for example, how sensitive and responsive a parent was to their child's needs, whether they read to the child and whether they took them on outings. “
Close Ties Between Parents And Babies Yield Benefits For Preschoolers “Having close ties with parents is obviously good for preschoolers, but what does that really mean? It means that the preschoolers are better able to control their own behavior by showing patience, deliberation, restraint, and even maturity. That's the finding of a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Iowa. … The researchers also explored how mutually responsive relationships between mothers and children worked. When mothers and babies develop this closeness in the first two years, the study found, mothers don't need to use forceful discipline later to get their children to do what they ask and refrain from other behaviors. And in turn, subtle control on the part of the mothers leads to better, more compliant, and more self-regulated behavior when the children are at preschool age.”
Delaying School Start Time By One Hour Positively Affects Adolescents' Cognitive Performance
Exercise Helps Overweight Children Reduce Anger Expression “The finding fits with evidence that exercise reduces depression and anxiety in children and with what's considered common knowledge that exercise helps adults manage anger, she said. It also gives parents and other caregivers another reason to get and keep children moving. "I think it's reasonable to encourage children to exercise for a lot of good reasons," said Dr. Davis whose research on overweight children has shown regular physical activity not only reduces fatness but improves cognition and reduces insulin resistance – which can lead to diabetes. "I think if teachers could see that exercise helps kids control their behavior and get along, they would be the top proponents of physical activity for kids," said Dr. Davis, noting that other studies suggests overweight children are more likely to be bullies and to be bullied. High levels of anger and hostility have been associated with delinquency in children, cardiovascular disease in adults and metabolic syndrome - which can lead to heart attack, stroke and diabetes - in adolescents.“
Experts: Lack of playtime is hurting children “Without ample opportunity for forms of play that foster innovation and creative thinking, she argues, America’s children will be at a disadvantage in the global economy.”
Gesturing helps grade-schoolers solve math problems: Using the hands to explain things may tap into knowledge kids can’t otherwise articulate "Are math problems bugging your kids" Tell them to talk back – using their hands. Psychologists at the University of Chicago report that gesturing can help kids add new and correct problem-solving strategies to their mathematical repertoires. What’s more, when given later instruction, kids who are told to gesture are more likely to succeed on math problems. … The findings extend previous research that body movement not only helps people to express things they may not be able to verbally articulate, but actually to think better. At the same time, gesturing offers a potentially powerful new way to augment the teaching of math. Strategies for math problems have focused on externalizing working memory, such as writing things down in certain ways. However, children often find it hard to recall and use those strategies. Gesturing may be more accessible, and help break through the roadblock."
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success “The tutors say their main focus is organizational skills because boys seem generally to have more difficulty getting organized and multitasking than girls do. … Some educators think the tutors are on the right track, whether or not there is science to back them up. “The guys just don’t seem to develop the skills that involve organization as early,” said Judith Kleinfeld, a psychology professor at the University of Alaska and founder of the Boys Project, a coalition of researchers, educators and parents to address boys’ problems. Mrs. Goldberg, Ms. Homayoun and other private tutors say boys must learn not only how to organize, but also how to manage their time and even how to study. “
Heavy Cell Phone Use Linked To Cancer, Study Suggests “Those who used a cell phone heavily on the side of the head where the tumor developed were found to have an increased risk of about 50% for developing a tumor of the main salivary gland (parotid), compared to those who did not use cell phones. The fact that the study was done on an Israeli population is significant. Says Sadetzki, "Unlike people in other countries, Israelis were quick to adopt cell phone technology and have continued to be exceptionally heavy users. Therefore, the amount of exposure to radiofrequency radiation found in this study has been higher than in previous cell phone studies. … Sadetzki predicts that, over time, the greatest effects will be found in heavy users and children. … She recommends that people use hands-free devices at all times, and when talking, hold the phone away from one's body. Less frequent calls, shorter in duration, should also have some preventative effect. While she appreciates the ease of communication that cell phones allow between parents and their children, Sadetzki says that parents need to consider at what age their children start using them. Parents should be vigilant about their children's using speakers or hands-free devices, and about limiting the number of calls and amount of time their children spend on the phone.“
Important Precautionary Advice Regarding Cell Phone Use “1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone, except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields. 2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetooth headset, which has less than 1/100th of the electromagnetic emission of a normal cell phone. Use of a hands-free ear piece attachment may also reduce exposures. …”
Improving Preschoolers’ Skills “Researchers say playing numerical board games seems to be an effective and inexpensive way to improve preschoolers’ math skills and to help make more equal the numerical knowledge low-income and middle-income students bring to schools.”
Kids From Juvenile Justice System 7 Times More Likely To Commit Criminal Acts, Study Finds
Kids should work with hands for brains' sake “British children's brain development is being threatened by their failure to work with their hands in school and at home, said a report released on Monday. With woodwork, metalwork, craft, music or car mechanic classes dropped by many schools and children wanting to play computer games at home the UK is becoming a "software instead of a screwdriver society", said the report, commissioned by the Ruskin Mill Educational Trust. "Working with one's own hands in a real-world 3-D environment is imperative for full cognitive and intellectual development," said the report's author Dr. Aric Sigman. "Research is showing that increasing time spent in the virtual world of computers is displacing hands-on play and hands-on learning.”
Learning From Mistakes Only Works After Age 12, Study Suggests “Eight-year-old children have a radically different learning strategy from twelve-year-olds and adults. Eight-year-olds learn primarily from positive feedback ('Well done!'), whereas negative feedback ('Got it wrong this time') scarcely causes any alarm bells to ring. Twelve-year-olds are better able to process negative feedback, and use it to learn from their mistakes. Adults do the same, but more efficiently. “
Low Childhood IQ Tied to Risk of Later Mental Disorders
Low Maternal Education Linked To Intellectual Disabilities In Offspring “The authors speculate that in addition to direct genetic effects, prenatally, maternal education may impact cognitive development through awareness and avoidance by the mother of certain risk behaviors and access to early and comprehensive prenatal care. Likewise, the authors theorize that, postnatally, low maternal education can influence mental development of the child through poor nutrition choices by the mother, less cognitive stimulation in the home environment, less knowledge of and access to early intervention services, and increases in childhood injuries.”
Many U.S. Public Schools In 'Air Pollution Danger Zone'
Mastery of Early Math and Reading Skills by Kindergarten Linked to Better School Performance Later
Men teachers 'face more problems' (UK)
Orphaned Children Show Higher Intelligence And Fare Better In Foster Care Than In Institutions “Newly published research in the journal Science confirms that institutionalized orphans placed into foster care have much better intellectual development than those who remain behind. The authors say the results have implications for countries "grappling with how best to care for abandoned, orphaned and maltreated young children." “
Screening toddlers' language cuts special ed needs “The screening assessed how well the children could understand simple words and sentences, how well they could express what they needed, and how many words they knew for things like animals, food and toys. Children who scored relatively poorly were referred for further testing by a speech and hearing specialist and, if necessary, received language-skills therapy. “
Study Shows Better Parenting Skills Sharpen Minds of Kids in Poverty “Growing up poor has insidious effects on kids' mental abilities, beginning when they are very young. But there is new evidence that parents living in poverty can improve their children's chances for a better life by changing how they relate to them at home. … The parents learned to introduce "predictability where there were power struggles," Stevens says, and they were coached on how to converse with kids, "allowing the child a chance to contribute to and direct that communication experience. … It has been known for a long time that living in poverty damages children's intellectual abilities. Scientists have recently begun to understand why. It's not because of money, per se, and it's most certainly not a matter of being somehow inferior. It's the effect of unending stress and lack of proper social support. At a critical time in early childhood when the brain is developing, stress inhibits the formation of connections between brain cells and restricts blood flow to the brain. … Shonkoff argues that the importance of programs to aid poor children and their parents can't be underestimated because the effects last a lifetime. "The earlier we intervene, the better," Shonkoff says.” “
Study: Family Behavior Key to Health of Gay Youth “Among other findings, the study showed that teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as vulnerable to severe depression and more than three times at risk of drug use. More significantly, Ryan said, ongoing work at San Francisco State suggests that parents who take even baby steps to respond with equanimity instead of rejection can dramatically improve a gay youth's mental health outlook. One of the most startling findings was that being forbidden to associate with gay peers was as damaging as being physically beaten or verbally abused by their parents in terms of negative feedback, Ryan said. “
Teachers Become Nurses as Schools Get Squeezed
Teen girls may skip school more often than boys “Students who were fearful of school had more "internalizing" problems, or psychological problems like depression and anxiety in which negative feelings are directed inward. The truant students, on the other hand, had more "externalizing" problems, such as aggression, and were also more likely to be delinquent. The survey also showed that adolescents who feared school had less self-esteem than control students who didn't report absenteeism as well as their truant peers, while truants and those with school fears were actually more self-aware than control kids. “
Teen Stress at Home Lingers in School “Researchers found the negative effects of stress at home linger and affect teenagers' academic performance at school for up to two days. Meanwhile, stress over grades and other demands at school may also spill over into the home life of teens.”
Ten Minutes Of Talking Improves Memory And Test Performance "The higher the level of participants' social interaction, researchers found, the better their cognitive functioning. This relationship was reliable for all age groups, from the youngest through the oldest. … "To our knowledge, this experiment represents the only causal evidence showing that social interaction directly affects memory and mental performance in a positive way.""
Want to boost kids’ grades? Get them moving “Experts speculate that exercise may boost academic performance in various ways, including: burning off pent-up energy and allowing kids to pay attention better and focus on their work; boosting self-esteem and mood; and increasing blood flow to the brain, helping with memory and concentration. Studies in older people have found that cognitive function is significantly better among those who are active, Pivarnik notes. “This is the other end,” he says. “This is the developmental end.” “
ARTICLES:
"Darn It, Professor. Just Tell Us What We Need to Know to Pass Your Course" “Many of today's college students come to class expecting the professor to tell them exactly what they need to study for the exam. They have little interest in reading the textbook, drawing answers from analogies, or coming to conclusions from case studies or scenarios. Instead, most of today's learners expect the professor to write information they need to know on the chalkboard or on a PowerPoint slide so they can copy it word-for-word into their notebooks. There are a number of factors that contribute to this growing trend at the college level, which are discussed in this editorial.”
Finnish Students Score High (video) “Finland's students are the brightest in the world, according to an international test. Teachers say extra playtime is one reason for the students' success.”
Helping children cope with stress
The Montessori Paradigm of Learning: So What?
JOURNAL ARTICLES:
ACADEMIC LOOPING: PROBLEM OR SOLUTION? “Students in Waldorf schools stay with the same teacher for eight years, Italian preschoolers three, some German elementary students for as long as six. Yet looping, the practice of keeping students with the same teacher for multiple years, happens so infrequently in North America that it is still considered innovative. Benefits Those involved extol looping’s many virtues. Teachers estimate they gain an entire month of instructional time because they don’t have to redo classroom rules and ‘getting to know you’ activities at the start of the second year. The increased time together means more in-depth knowledge of learning styles, more time for students to master skills and, in one frequently cited study,1 substantially higher scores on standardized tests in reading and math. Looping also seems to influence teacher behaviour. In a case study of eleven teachers who looped, McAllister found that they had higher professional expectations for themselves and higher academic expectations of their students.2 Looping teachers may be more comfortable trying out new instructional strategies simply because they know their students or because they have time to experiment. Relationships also benefit. Students, parents and teacher develop a sense of community and stability. Shy students have time to get comfortable. Difficult students have time to get used to consistent expectations. Teachers note an improvement in classroom discipline. Parents report having more confidence in their children’s teachers and feeling more respected by the teachers.”
Depression and school performance in middle adolescent boys and girls (Journal of Adolescence 2008)
[Indoor air quality in school facilities in Cassino (Italy).] (Ig Sanita Pubbl. 2008) “The various discomfort situations observed in both types of school buildings point toward a need for greater attention toward indoor air quality of schools as this can have affect students' attention, concentration, productivity and comfort.”
Making Children Gesture Brings Out Implicit Knowledge and Leads to Learning (JEP: General 2007)
Negative peer perceptions of obese children in the classroom environment. (Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008 )
The negative effects of poverty & food insecurity on child development. (Indian J Med Res. 2007) “As development experts learn more about the importance of the first three years of life, there is growing recognition that investments in early education, maternal-child attachment and nurturance, and more creative nutrition initiatives are critical to help break the cycle of poverty. Even the slightest forms of food insecurity can affect a young child's development and learning potential. The result is the perpetuation of another generation in poverty”
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