Building Relationships With Our Island Home: Three Stories From Kindergarten in Hawaiʻi

As early childhood educators, we seek to create authentic and meaningful experiences for the children we learn alongside. We must remember that at its core, “education, in its highest form, liberates human potential through transformational teaching and learning experiences” (Meyer, Maeshiro, & Sumida, 2018, p. 17). As a Native Hawaiian early childhood educator in Hawaiʻi, I feel compelled to nurture the children’s emerging sense of place and self to empower them with a strong sense of connection and identity. Although not all the children in my care are Native Hawaiian by blood, they are being raised within a place and a culture that requires each of us to be cognizant of that place and culture. As Meyer (2016) stated, “what will be vital in this century is Culture––a way of being unique to place and people” (p. x). Meyer further clarified that “as a point of history, let it be known that we [Hawaiians] never did privilege” [ideas of race, ethnicity, and blood] as “points of separation” (p. x). There have been efforts to colonize and erase our Hawaiian language and culture for generations (Goodyear-Kaʻōpua, 2013; Kanaʻiaupuni, 2006). My hope as an educator is that each of us––children, educators, and families––will grow to embrace our kuleana, our responsibility and privilege, as people living in this unique and storied place

Science for gifted children in grade four.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

The effect of self-identity alongside perceived importance within the theory of planned behaviour

Self-identity often predicts behavioural intentions after standard theory of planned behaviour (TPB) components are accounted for (Rise, Sheeran, & Hukkelberg, 2010). However, Fishbein and Ajzen (2010) claim this is due to conceptual similarity between self-identity and perceived importance of the behaviour. We examined this claim within the context of recycling food waste. Participants (N = 113) completed questionnaires assessing intentions, attitude, perceived behavioural control, perceived norms, perceived importance, self-identity, and past behaviour. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that self-identity and perceived importance were distinct constructs. Further, after accounting for TPB components and perceived importance, self-identity explained a significant amount of additional variance in intentions. The present findings therefore do not support Fishbein and Ajzen’s (2010) argument against the predictive utility of self-identity

Financial concern predicts deteriorations in mental and physical health among university students

Objective. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether students’ financial concerns predicted subsequent changes in their mental and physical health. In addition the opportunity was taken to test for reverse causality, by exploring whether initial levels of health predicted subsequent changes in financial concern. Design. The study employed a prospective correlational design. Main Outcome Measures. Undergraduate students at a British university (N = 337) completed measures of financial concern and health at two time points, approximately eight weeks apart. Results. Regression analyses indicated that experiencing greater financial concern at baseline was associated with subsequent deteriorations in health on the following outcomes: role limitation due to physical health problems, role limitation due to emotional problems, social functioning, mental health, general health perception and change in health. By contrast, there was no evidence that initial health influenced subsequent changes in financial concern. Conclusion. Findings suggest that financial concern might adversely impact mental and physical health outcomes in student populations

Short-Term Outcomes for Youth Receiving Runaway and Homeless Shelter Services

Objective: Few studies have assessed the outcomes of runaway/homeless youth that seek assistance from shelter or crisis services, which would provide much needed documentation of intervention effectiveness and point to new directions for service provision. The goals of the current study were to: (1) assess short-term outcomes among runaway/homeless youth using emergency shelters and crisis services and (2) compare short-term outcomes achieved by runaway/homeless youth in crisis shelters with similar youth using other, longer-term treatment modalities. Method: The study sampled 261 youth using runaway/homeless shelters from four midwestern states at intake and six-weeks postdischarge and 47 high-risk youth using longer-term services at intake and six weeks postintake; ten key outcome variables were assessed. Results: Every outcome variable demonstrated improvement postintervention: days on the run, school suspension and/or detention, and sexual activity decreased; perceived family support and self-esteem increased; and youth were more likely to be currently employed and less likely to have been fired. In comparing runaway/homeless crisis shelter users with day treatment users on the ten outcome variables, there were no significant differences across any of the outcome variables. Conclusions: Despite limitations, the research provides evidence for the short-term effectiveness of crisis shelter services for runaway/homeless youth