Children in Appalachia Conference 1990

Building a Constituency for Children Keynote Address

We all know there are a lot of things that need to be done to improve the lives of children. We have a public child welfare system in this country in chaos: it is almost unmanageable and doing badly for children.The traditional approaches won't work. For instance, more coordination and more in-service training are not going to substantially improve things for children.

TEACHING AT-RISK STUDENTS AN ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICES USED BY TEACHERS IN APPALACHIA

The purpose of this study was to determine which teaching practices are most frequently used by teachers in Appalachia with at-risk students and which are perceived as most effective by them.

FORWARD IN THE FIFTH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD SELF-ESTEEM AND TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO LEARN

The Learning Skills Project began in 1988 as a partnership between Forward in the Fifth and the University of Kentucky's Ccunseling and Testing Center. to continue teaching learning skills and consulting in Fifth District school systems. Dr. Taylor travels to schoolls in the District at the invitation of school administrators and teachers who wish to expose their students to learning skills instruction. The partnership expanded in 1990 to indude Barbra Peterson of Lindsey Wilson College.

FAMILY STRENGTHS AS VIEWED BY NATIVE APPALACHIANS PRACTICING IN THE HELPING SYSTEMS

The following script was accompanied by a collection of personal photos and slides and background music by Bill Monroe. By publishing this script as a valuable part of the conference preceedings we hope to encourage children to share in the level of insight we believe we have gained through personal and professional experiences in the Appalachian region. Our ultimate goal is to have a positive image of  Appalachians and others.

SAVING THE CHILDREN: AN APPALACHIAN CONSORTIUM FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN

Several years ago the Fifth Dimension sang a beautiful song
entitled "Save the Children." The project that is the locus of
this paper is a West Virginia effort designed to be a rejoinder
to that message. Although the song is dated, the need is not A
1990 report issued by Columbia University's National Center
forChddreninPoveny indicated thatoneinevery four children
under the age of six lives in poverty.

HELPING PARENTS HELP CHILDREN: AN OUTCOME OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED PRIMARY CARE IN MADISON COUNTY, N.C.

As children across the nation suffer from the breakdown of the family, so do they in Madison County, a rural mountain county on North Carolina's western border with Tennessee.

Madison is one of the state's more economically troubled counties, its small family farm agriculture and manufacturing in decline. The above quotes suggest that here, as elsewhere, children of troubled parents become victims and witnesses of neglect and violence which is often compounded by alcohol use.

MIDDLE GRADE STUDENTS OF IRIS COUNTY A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY FROM SOUTHERN APPALACHIA

What is known about the middle grades students of rural Southern Appalachia? Conventional wisdom would tell one that they are at-risk educationally because of low socioeconomic levels and high dropoutrates in the region.

Any study of the characteristics of "tweenagers" or "transescents" would further lead one to conclude that these middle grades students are experiencing a uansition period in their physical, social, and emotional maturity during which they will make many decisions which will effect their educational and career future. But what are these youth really like?

AN INVESTIGATION OF PLAY TIME AMONG EVEN START CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS A PARENT EDUCATION MODEL TO ENHANCE THE BENEFITS OF EVEN START

Disenfranchised parents enrolled in an Even Start program (HR 5 - PL 300-297) were given five play materials for use with their children.

A PROGRESS REPORT ON FAMILY RESOURCENOUTH SERVICES CENTERS FOR KENTUCKY SCHOOLS: MOTIVES, MODELS, AND METHODS

My presentation will seek to answer these questions: 1) What societal forces exist creating the need for the concepts of Family Research Services Centers - or, what is their motive? 2) What are the components and assumptions of Family Resource/Youth Sewices Centers - or, what are the models? 3) Where is Kentucky today in establishing these centers - or, what methods are emerging?

AMERICAN SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR APPALACHIA'S CHILDREN

First, issues related to social justice are considered. Next, policies forincome support, health and mental health, child welfare, and housing are discussed. lhe policies in each of themes are examined in light of theirimpact of children and families within the Appalachian context. Finally. a set of alternatives is proposed.