Teaching, Bearing the Torch 2/e   Pamela J. Farris
	For the Student

You, as teachers in the twenty-first century, will face problems never dreamed of by those who taught you. The challenge of poverty and homelessness, the need for strategies to reach diverse populations, the struggle to embrace, engage, and empower at-risk students all face you. Chapter 8 will increase your knowledge and awareness of issues such as:

• The numerous social problems children must deal with
• Learning problems experienced by disadvantaged children
• The ever-changing definition of the "family unit"
• The increasing numbers of abused children living in the United States
• The diverse population living in the United States
• The mounting threat of violence in our schools

After reading Chapter 8, you should be able to:

• Identify and describe the ramifications of the main social issues for children.
• Define "at-risk" children and explain how they can be helped.
• Identify and describe basic types of family units and the problems associated with each type.
• Explain the definitions of child abuse, and discuss the prevelance of child abuse in today's society.
• Describe the most common type of violence in today's schools, and its impact on students.
• Discuss the problems associated with diverse populations.

Quiz Questions for Chapter 8

Quiz Help! Check here for related page references and feedback.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

1. Visit the website of the Diversity Training Group (see Other Sites to Explore) to test your awareness of social issues by taking one of their quizzes.

2. Research the incidence of violence in the schools in your region by looking up the statistics on the National Center for Education Statistics' website (see Other Sites to Explore).

3. There is much concern over how to help students at risk of dropping out of school. Find out more about this social issue at the website of Youth Indicators 1996:Trends in the Well-Being of American Youth (see Other Sites to Explore).

4. Visit the website of your home town's school district to research the statistics of the percent of the school population receiving special education services. Does the site also explain the types of services available?

5. The American Association of University Women has done extensive research in the area of sexual harassment and gender bias. Find their website and learn more about what you, as an educator, can do to alleviate this social problem.

OTHER SITES TO EXPLORE

http://diversitydtg.com/index.html
The Diversity Training Group
The Diversity Training Group specializes in the planning, design, and implementation of organization-wide diversity, gender equity (sexual harassment prevention), and mentoring training initiatives. This site offers many resources, web links, and quizzes such as the Diversity IQ Quiz, the Global Diversity Quiz, and the Gender Equity Quiz.
Textbook links: see pages 219-224.

http://www.ofps.dpi.state.nc.us/OFPS/sb/sr/srdc.htm
Financial & Personnel Services: Statistical Research and Data Center
(State of North Carolina) This site provides more information on high school dropout rates.
Textbook links: see pages 204, 211, and 223.

http://www.nofas.org/
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome website gives information and statistics on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and includes suggested strategies for working with children with FAS.
Textbook links: see page 208.

http://www.nolo.com/ChunkSP/SP.index.html
Spouses and Partners: Divorce, Living Together, and More
Spouses and Partners is part of the Nolo Press website, providing parents with information on helping their children when their parents divorce.
Textbook links: see pages 213-215

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/violence/index.html
Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools: 1996-97
The National Center for Education Statistics created this site of statistics regarding violence in today's schools.
Textbook links: see pages 225-232

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs/yi/
Youth Indicators 1996:Trends in the Well-Being of American Youth
The Youth Indicators website provides a statistical compilation of data on family structure, jobs, education, and other elements that comprise the world of young people. This edition gives information regarding the transition of young adults from high school into the work place and includes demographics and statistics concerning high school dropouts.
Textbook links: see pages 204, 211, & 223.

OTHER RESOURCES

Anselmi, D.L., and A.L. Law. 1998. Questions of Gender: Perspectives and Paradoxes. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Adler, A.J. 1990. Divorce Recovery: Healing the hurt through self help and professional support. New York: PIA Press.

American Association of University Women. 1993. Hostile hallways: the UUAW Survey on sexual harassment in America's schools. Washington, D.C.: American Association of University Women.

Bear, T., S. Schenk, and L. Buckner. 1993. Supporting victims of child abuse. Educational Leadership 50 (4): 42-47.

Blankenhorn, D. 1995. Fatherless America: Confronting our most urgent problem. New York: Institute for American Values.

Bucci, J.A., and A.F. Reitzammer. 1992. Teachers make the critical difference in dropout prevention. The Educational Forum 57 (1): 63-70.

Burgess, D.M., and A.P. Streissguth. 1992. Fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects: Principles for educators. Phi Delta Kappan 74 (1): 24-26,28,30.

Curio, J.L., and P.F. First. 1993. Violence in the Schools: How to proactively prevent and defuse it. Newbery Park, CA: Corwin Press.

Paley, V.G. 1992. You Can't Say You Can't Play. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Stevens, L.J. and M. Price. 1992. Meeting the challenge of educating children at risk. Phi Delta Kappan 74 (1): 18-23.