Teachers' expression of mental state talk in Head Start classrooms

This study examined teachers' use of four categories of mental state talk (verbalizations of mental processes using emotion terms, cognition terms, desire terms, and perception terms) in approximately hour-long observations in 34 Head Start classrooms. Transcriptions of teacher-child interactions were coded utterance by utterance for teachers' expression of the four categories of mental state talk terms, the sentence type the term was used within, the referent of the mental state term, and the classroom activity context within which the teacher was interacting with children. Results indicate that teachers used varying amounts of overall mental state talk and categories of mental state talk, and teachers' used of mental state talk differed depending on the sentence type, referent, and classroom activity contexts. Teachers were more likely to use emotion and cognition terms within statements than within questions, and teachers were more likely to refer to their own emotions than to children's emotions. Differences in teachers' use of categories of mental state talk were found to be associated with teachers' characteristics and observed classroom quality as assessed by the CLASS; teachers in classrooms rated higher in Emotional Support (specifically, Positive Climate and Regard for Student Perspectives) used more emotion terms. Future research and implications for teachers' professional development are discussed

Searching for design energy: re-visiting my generative process using selection, evaluation, and morphing to generate new ideas

My interests lie primarily with the energy behind the design of products. In pursuing the question of that energy and its potential, it has become clear to me that prior to any claims regarding transferability it is vital to first document and analyze the components that comprise the whole of design energy. Design Energy, in this case, is the creativity and intellect behind the process of design, from idea generation to production. I have focused on the creation of a method for documenting the design process that incorporates scans and images and other process data by utilizing AutoCAD, 3DMax, Photoshop, Morpheus, and various animation creating software. Through this method I re-visited my generative process in three phases; one by searching and selecting snapshots of my creative work, two by manipulating these found images using morphing software, and three by comparing and mimicking aspects of other design processes as explained by Nigel Cross. By looking back at my process I was able to reevaluate my steps through comparing them to other processes and through my analysis method of using morphing software which led to new idea generation

The artist's emotional response to environment as reflected in painting

This paper will describe the process of painting as being a consequence of the artist's individual emotional response to her environment. The artist's response is reflected in her work. The effect the response has on the process of painting is the major concern of the writer at this time. An attempt will be made to describe the beginning of the emotional response and how it leads to the process of painting. The observation is carried to the point at -which a given painting began to take shape. The forming of an idea from such emotional response coincides with the impulse to paint. The description of the process of painting will be made through an analysis of ten of the artist's paintings

Predictors of teachers’ emotion language and its association with toddlers’ social emotional competence

The current study examined teachers’ emotion language (verbalization of emotions using labeling, questioning, explaining, and minimizing language) within naturally-occurring teacher–toddler interactions with 28 teachers and 115 toddlers in 28 toddler early childhood education classrooms. First, this study explored relationships between teachers’ beliefs about toddlers and their emotions, teachers’ knowledge about toddlers’ development, and teachers’ characteristics (such as education, experience, and ethnicity) predicting teachers’ use of emotion language. Second, this study assessed associations between teachers’ emotion language and toddlers’ social emotional competence. Analyses controlled for program quality, child age, and child gender. Results suggest that aspects of teachers’ beliefs about toddlers and their emotions, teachers’ knowledge, and teachers’ characteristics are predictive of teachers’ emotion language. Toddlers in classrooms with teachers who used emotion minimizing were rated as exhibiting less social emotional competence in toddler classrooms. Implications regarding the connection between teachers’ beliefs and knowledge to their practice, and the potential effects of teachers’ emotion language on toddlers’ social emotional functioning in classrooms are discussed

An investigation of the effects of two training programs on selected cardio-respiratory variables of college women

The total fitness of an individual should be the aim of every physical educator. Physical fitness, in particular, has been emphasized as an accepted objective of physical education throughout its history(2). Only through exercise and training can one's fitness level be raised. Extensive research has been conducted using various types and methods of training to improve levels of fitness. According to Morehouse and Miller(15), the method of training should be related to the dominant feature of the event. The training in this study stressed endurance as the primary factor being developed. Endurance may be defined as "the ability to continue work.” (16:26) In order to increase the capacity of the individual to continue work, the theory of overload was practiced. This advocates developing the individual by increasing the intensity of the activity. Morehouse and Rasch state that endurance is limited by two factors: "the willingness to work on in spite of the pain of fatigue, and the capacity of the homeostatic mechanism to make rapid and extensive adjustments within the functioning organism.” (16:25) in light of the latter of these two limiting factors, the cardio-respiratory functions were studied to observe the effects of the training upon the body

Relationship of the order of presentation of vegetables to amount selected and consumed by nursery school children

The primary purposes of the study were: (a) to determine which vegetables from a selected group of raw and cooked vegetables twenty-four preschool children selected to eat; (b) to determine the apparent amount of vegetables selected and the apparent amount of vegetables consumed by twenty-four preschool children; and (c) to determine the relationship which existed between the order of presentation of the vegetables and the amount of vegetables selected or consumed by the children. Subjects for the study were the twenty-four three and four year old children enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Nursery School during the 1966-67 school year. A comprehensive study of foods selected and consumed by nursery school children was conducted for twenty consecutive school days. The children entered die dining room in random order each day and selected their lunch from the foods that had been randomly arranged in groups of raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, meats and meat substitutes, and desserts

The effectiveness of developmental education at Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

The purpose of this study was to gain information about the effectiveness of the developmental program at Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC). Specifically, this study compared the academic success of students placed in developmental programs before entering a curriculum with the success of those curriculum students who did not require developmental courses. Academic success was measured by grade point average (GPA) at the end of four quarters in the curriculum. In addition, this study included a questionnaire designed to measure the students' perception of the developmental program, an analysis of demographic variables of developmental students, a comparison of entrance examination scores and grade point averages, and an analysis of attrition rates

Fast fashion fiasco: the high cost of cheap

Research, artistic exploration and development were used to create a thesis body of artwork consisting of six artworks, ranging from print-making/mixed media to sculpture to installation. Aspects of the problems and challenges associated with fast fashion included psychological effects, environmental effects, farming and garment manufacturer/labor effects and historical changes. The artist sought to create works that would be both beautiful and poignant, inspiring and at the same time address difficult subject matter

A search for determinants of the authoritarian parenting style

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to find determinants of the authoritarian parenting style and to develop a model of how determinants contribute to the expression of the style. To accomplish this goal, a five-stage, semi-structured, intensive interview procedure was developed. The general research question was: How do authoritarian parents come to utilize the authoritarian style? Three research questions were formed: (a) Have authoritarian parents experienced authoritarian parenting themselves? (b) How have authoritarian parents reacted to conflict with their own parents? (c) Is the dominant conflict style that children adopt in interaction with their parents linked to the later demonstration of the authoritarian style