Joseph Mintz

Psychodynamic perspectives on teacher stress

Abstract There is a well-developed literature on the phenomenon of teacher stress. There has, however, been little consideration of the place of unconscious processes in relation to teacher appraisal of pupil behaviours in the classroom. This paper presents a first-hand account of the experience of being a teacher with practical knowledge of stress in the classroom at the same time as attending a psychodyamically-orientated seminar group for teachers. The discussion is framed in terms of the literature on teacher stress and the presented case study material is used to illustrate how an understanding of psychodynamic concepts can lead to alterations in teacher appraisal of potentially stressful events in the classroom, leading to more space for thinking and improved outcomes in terms of the incidence of teacher stress. A case is made for the inclusion of psychodynamic theory in teacher training.

Working with children with Asperger's Syndrome in the mainstream classroom: A psychodynamic take from the chalk face

There has been considerable discussion by those involved in teaching children with special educational needs (SENs) about how to appropriately categorize children with difficulties in learning. Increasingly, a social inclusion model of SEN has come to the fore in mainstream schools across the developed world. Aspergers Syndrome (AS), however, has presented a challenge to inclusionary approaches. This paper, based on the experiences of a teacher working with a child with AS in the mainstream classroom, explores the role of emotions in relation to the obsessional interests of children with AS. Particular reference is paid to the work of later object relations theorists on the emotional role of rigid patterns of thinking, behaviour and obsessional interest in AS. The possibility that an implicit deficit model may at times be relevant to the development of ‘live’ communication and learning for children with AS in the mainstream classroom is considered. Possible management strategies in the classroom in relation to obsessive interests are discussed.

Touching the Future Technology for Autism

Periodontal disease has been recently linked to a variety of systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, preterm delivery, and oral cancer. The most common bacteria associated with periodontal disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) has not yet been studied in the malignant gingival tissues. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of P. gingivalis in specimens from squamous cell carcinoma patients. We have performed immunohistochemical staining to investigate the presence of P. gingivalis and Streptococcus gordonii (S. gordonii), a non invasive oral bacteria, in paraffin embedded samples of gingival squamous cell carcinoma (n=10) and normal gingiva (n=5). Staining for P. gingivalis revealed the presence of the bacteria in normal gingival tissues and gingival carcinoma, with higher levels (more than 33%, P<0.05) detected in the carcinoma samples. The staining intensity was also significantly enhanced in the malignant tissue by 2 folds (P<0.023) compared to specimens stained for the non-invasive S. gordonii. P. gingivalis is abundantly present in malignant oral epithelium suggesting a potential association of the bacteria with gingival squamous cell carcinoma.

Understanding of Special Educational Needs Terms by Student Teachers and Student Paediatric Nurses.

There has been a growing emphasis in recent years on inter‐agency working in respect of the care and development of children. This is of particular relevance when considering the needs of children with special educational needs (SEN). Teachers and healthcare professionals are two groups who need to have a clear understanding of the meaning and implications of diagnostic terms used in relation to SEN. This study reports on an evaluation of this understanding in two cohorts of student teachers and student nurses. Results indicate that while for certain conditions, both cohorts had a reasonable level of understanding of both the meaning and implications for practice of these terms, for other conditions student nurses had high levels of uncertainty. For both cohorts, where positive responses were given, these were often of a general nature and lacking in specificity. Recommendations are made for an increase in focus on SEN education by initial training providers in both disciplines.

Erratum to Key factors mediating the use of a mobile technology tool designed to develop social and life skills in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders [Comput. Educ. 58 (2012) 53-62]

The publisher regrets that citations referring to “Author and Other” appearing in this article were not updated with the full referencedetails. The citation on page 55, (Author and Other, 2009), should read “(Mintz and Devecchi, 2009)”. The citation on page 59, (Author andOther, 2010), should read “(Mintz and Aagard, 2010)”. The corresponding references should have appeared in the Reference list as follows:Mintz,J.,&Devecchi,M.(Eds.).(2009).HANDSprojectreport(D6.2.1)testprerequisitesreportHANDSprojectconsortium.Retrieved25.11.10,from http://www.hands-project.eu.Mintz, J., & Aagaard, M. (2010). The application of persuasive technology to educational settings: some theoretical perspectives from theHANDS Project. In P. Hasle, T. Plough, H. Oinas-Kukkonen, & T. Raisanen (Eds.), Proceedings of poster papers for the fifth internationalconference on persuasive technology. Oulu, Finland: Oulu University Press.The publisher would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Psychodynamic counselling with children and young people

Psychodynamic counselling with children and young people, by Sue Kegerreis, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, 198 pp., £21–99 (paperback), ISBN 978-0230551961 This book is clear about its key ...

Reconceptualizing lifelong learning: feminist investigations, by Penny Jane Burke and Sue Jackson

‘bounded’ resistance. This analysis highlights the passive and invisible roles that are enacted by the female characters in Harry Potter, even though these characters are intrinsically woven through the storyline and sit next to the male ‘hero’ characters who are central to the storylines. The analysis highlights the absence of a female ‘hero’. The female characters are bounded by traditional gender convention and construction. The analysis illustrates how the female characters are positioned as the caring, nurturing female who supports the male characters in their adventures but is never placed as the hero. Chapter Five discusses the implications of gender construction and women’s agency represented in literature within a school and curriculum development context. This chapter urges teachers to become change agents by illuminating and examining social justice issues with students through the use of text. Mayes-Elma argues that it is through critical discourse analysis and critical theory that children’s literature can support children to read critically. This book has been written in a way that makes critical theories and issues of gender equity and social justice accessible to a varied audience. This book could be used by undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as by teachers working with children from early childhood to secondary school. The use of popular culture also draws the reader to consider the analysis of text from other ‘children’ and ‘adult’ literature, and how this might support children to read critically.