Young children's feelings about school

This study examined factors associated with young children's feelings about school in kindergarten and first grade, using a new measure, the Feelings about School (FAS). The FAS measures children's perceptions of academic competence, their feelings about the teacher, and their general attitudes toward school. Findings provided support for the reliability and validity of the FAS for kindergartners (N = 225) and first graders (N = 127). Variables presumed to predict children's feelings about school were the classroom structure, academic performance, and relationships with teachers. Feelings about school were expected to predict academic engagement. Correlational analyses indicated that kindergartners' and first graders' feelings about school were associated with their academic skills, as measured by direct assessments and teacher ratings. The evidence for first graders was stronger than for kindergartners. Kindergartners' general attitudes toward school were more negative in highly structured, teacher-directed classroom environments. First graders' perceptions of competence were more negative in classrooms lacking structure and control. First graders', but not kindergartners', perceptions of competence were significantly associated with academic engagement.

Economically disadvantaged preschoolers: ready to learn but further to go

Cognitive competencies and motivation were assessed in 233 preschool and kindergarten children in the fall and again in the spring. Cognitive assessments were given again in the spring of the following year (kindergarten or 1st grade) to a subsample of 88 children. The results revealed much poorer performance among the economically disadvantaged children compared with advantaged children on all 8 of the cognitive tests. For most cognitive measures, gains were roughly equal and the socioeconomic status (SES) differences at the end of 1 or 2 years in school were similar to the differences at the beginning of the year. Only a few SES differences were found on the motivation measures assessing children's self-confidence, attitude toward school, expectations for success, dependency, and preference for challenge; they did not systematically favor either disadvantaged or advantaged children. Classroom observations revealed some differences in disadvantaged and advantaged children's classroom behavior.

Economically disadvantaged preschoolers: ready to learn but further to go

Cognitive competencies and motivation were assessed in 233 preschool and kindergarten children in the fall and again in the spring. Cognitive assessments were given again in the spring of the following year (kindergarten or 1st grade) to a subsample of 88 children. The results revealed much poorer performance among the economically disadvantaged children compared with advantaged children on all 8 of the cognitive tests. For most cognitive measures, gains were roughly equal and the socioeconomic status (SES) differences at the end of 1 or 2 years in school were similar to the differences at the beginning of the year. Only a few SES differences were found on the motivation measures assessing children's self-confidence, attitude toward school, expectations for success, dependency, and preference for challenge; they did not systematically favor either disadvantaged or advantaged children. Classroom observations revealed some differences in disadvantaged and advantaged children's classroom behavior.

Pride and mastery in children with autism

The goal of this study was to compare expressions of pride and mastery in samples of preschool autistic, mentally retarded and normal children. A paradigm was used in which children completed developmentally appropriate puzzles, both with and without praise. Results indicated that compared to the other children, as many autistic children smiled upon completion of the task, but many fewer looked up to share their pleasure with the parent or experimenter or drew attention to the task. Moreover, significantly more autistic children showed avoidant responses, particularly in response to praise. These findings are discussed in terms of theoretical issues regarding the development of pride and mastery in children with significant social deficiencies.

Children's understanding of the implications of causal attributions for emotional experiences

Children's perceptions of how the cause of achievement outcomes affects individuals' emotional responses were studied. In Study 1, children aged 6 and 7, 9 and 10, and 12 and 13 listened to stories describing hypothetical children's achievement outcomes. Success and failure were explicitly attributed to luck, ability, effort, or another person's intervention. After each story subjects rated the story child's emotional reactions. Only seventh graders associated pride and shame exclusively with outcomes attributed to ability and effort. Guilt was strongly associated with effort attributions, and surprise was associated with luck attributions for fourth- and seventh-grade children but not for first-grade children. The attribution-affect linkages assumed by the older children are the same as those found in previous studies of adults. In Study 2, children aged 6 and 7, 9 and 10, and 12 and 13 rated the cause of the outcomes in the same stories according to Weiner's controllability and locus dimensions. Children's placement of specific attributions on these dimensions was used to explain age differences in their beliefs about the effect of the attributions on emotional responses.

A developmental analysis of elementary school-aged children's concepts of pride and embarrassment

Developmental changes in conditions engendering pride and embarrassment were explored. Subjects included 41 adults and 189 5-, 7-, 9-, and 11-year-old children from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Subjects were asked to report events that had made them feel proud, embarrassed, happy, and sad. Content analyses of responses concerning pride and embarrassment indicated that references to noncontingent, uncontrollable events decreased with age, but most 5-year-olds understood that feelings of pride and, to a lesser extent, embarrassment result primarily from outcomes controlled by and contingent on one's own behavior or characteristics. Responses of children in all 4 age groups and adults suggest that an audience is important for both pride and embarrassment, but particularly for embarrassment. An audience and external reinforcement were more important in children's than in adults' reports of pride. Developmental change was found in the standards used to evaluate emotional experiences; references to social comparison increased with age and references to mastery decreased.

Adolescents-Too young to earn, too old to learn? Compulsory school attendance and intellectual development

The desirability of secondary schooling has recently been challenged and a policy of allowing adolescents to enter work environments at an earlier age has been advocated. The potential losses in intellectual development that might result from early school leaving are assessed by reviewing evidence on the contribution of high schools and work to adolescents' intellectual development. The paper concludes that while students who have mastered basic skills may benefit from early work experience, students who have not achieved a level of intellectual development that would allow them to function as responsible adults should remain in an educational setting that is more likely to raise their skill level than a work environment.