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When mother is a prefix: New directions in youth corrections
Reviews o f S c h o o l Psychological Materials
87
content. It, therefore, cannot be recommended to anyone who wants a very specific, well-elaborated orientation around a certain aspect of learning disabilities. Nor would it be recommended to anyone who has already spent a period of time evolving his own broad base of knowledge and skills in the child area; anyone who has been professionally active with children, particularly children with academic problems, probably is generally familiar with the contents of many of these articles. Conversely, a person who is new to the child development area and wants to develop an eclectic point of view before he specializes will derive much from this book. Finally, for the majority of us who believe (but are not really certain) that we can see both the "forest and the trees" regarding children with learning difficulties, this book would best serve as a readily available reference to diverse articles that continue to play major orienting roles to the various worlds of childhood.
Paul T. Barnes Colorado University Medical Center Denver, Colorado 80220
Henry, N. When mother is a prefix: New directions in youth corrections. New York: Behavioral Publications, 1972. pp. 129; $7.95 cloth. The provocative title of this slender volume hopefully will attzact readers from several professional circle~ The author's objectives appear three-fold: (1) to affirm the importance of, and potential for, counselors' and teachers' influence on youngsters with problems; (2) to provide a model to the workers for positive impact on these youth; and, (3) to evoke self-scrutiny from the directors of correctional institutions for adolescent~ Though directed primarily at youth correction workers, much of the material holds utility for educators who deal with individual and group problems in the classroom. The book is important, ff for no other reason than the us'u~lly overlooked caseworkers and teachers are provided specific content for dealing with'behavior problems. The basic framework presented is called the "Relations Method" of working with young people. Most of the youngsters with whom the author has dealt (and around which the book revolves) come from homes with absent or inadequate parental models. With this assumption, the model is basically one of providing for the ad61escent a more positive example in the person of the counselor or teacher. It is believed that developing this positive relationship will evoke desirable behavior changes from the individual Great emphasis is placed on the personal characteristics of the worker. In a sense, then, the book provides a model for the worker on how to be a model to those with whom he works. The presentation is divided into two major sections: the counselor and the group and the counselor and the individual. The initial section attracts the author's attention for a majority of the book. The group emphasis is placed first on the premise that working with the individual is more effective in the context of a somewhat orderly group. Actually, this first portion deals with more than just the counselor-to-group interaction and process. Intertwined in this material are ideas regarding the need for~:correctionll reform, the concern with institutional directors' taking more responsibility for change, and the imminent danger of losing funds for "rehabilitation" efforts. For this reason there appears some degree of fragmentation in this section during the first several chapter~ The core of the cpunselor-to-grou p material revolves around the process of bringing a group of adolescents from the initial state of anarchy to what the author believes to be a more constructive attitude of self-government. Within the dormitory or dasszoom setting, the author hypothesizes that sandwiched between the almost-natural state of anarchy and the desired climax of self-government is a necessary stage of control. The particular process of movement through the three stages is well presented, and this
88
Journal of School Psychology
portion appears very relevant for educators working with difficulties in a disorderly classroom. The material is down to earth and generously studded with examples of this group process. Of special interest is the section entitled " t h e difficult of the difficult"methods of dealing with excessively aggressive and disruptive behaviors. The other major section emphasizes the counselor-to-individual relationship. Focus is on the counselor as a model to the individual youth and on the basic need satisfactions which the counselor or teacher can provide the youngster. A major percentage of this portion is devoted to four case studies which outline both successes and failures which have occu~ed in the Relations Method of working in institutional settings with youthful offenders. Nelson Henry has delved deeply into his own experience as a basis for PJhen Mother Is A Prefix. The material is well worth the time which educators and correctional personnel might spend in its reading. Although some fragmentation is seen initially, and for professionally minded readers there are no references, the salient content more than compensates. The lowest-paid, hardest-worked, and least-~ained personnel have found a friend and representative. This reviewer is of the opinion that more literature of this persuasion is needed to increase the support to the personnel working most directly with young people.
Don Lollar Tri-County Mental Health Center Shelbyville, Kentucky 40065
87
content. It, therefore, cannot be recommended to anyone who wants a very specific, well-elaborated orientation around a certain aspect of learning disabilities. Nor would it be recommended to anyone who has already spent a period of time evolving his own broad base of knowledge and skills in the child area; anyone who has been professionally active with children, particularly children with academic problems, probably is generally familiar with the contents of many of these articles. Conversely, a person who is new to the child development area and wants to develop an eclectic point of view before he specializes will derive much from this book. Finally, for the majority of us who believe (but are not really certain) that we can see both the "forest and the trees" regarding children with learning difficulties, this book would best serve as a readily available reference to diverse articles that continue to play major orienting roles to the various worlds of childhood.
Paul T. Barnes Colorado University Medical Center Denver, Colorado 80220
Henry, N. When mother is a prefix: New directions in youth corrections. New York: Behavioral Publications, 1972. pp. 129; $7.95 cloth. The provocative title of this slender volume hopefully will attzact readers from several professional circle~ The author's objectives appear three-fold: (1) to affirm the importance of, and potential for, counselors' and teachers' influence on youngsters with problems; (2) to provide a model to the workers for positive impact on these youth; and, (3) to evoke self-scrutiny from the directors of correctional institutions for adolescent~ Though directed primarily at youth correction workers, much of the material holds utility for educators who deal with individual and group problems in the classroom. The book is important, ff for no other reason than the us'u~lly overlooked caseworkers and teachers are provided specific content for dealing with'behavior problems. The basic framework presented is called the "Relations Method" of working with young people. Most of the youngsters with whom the author has dealt (and around which the book revolves) come from homes with absent or inadequate parental models. With this assumption, the model is basically one of providing for the ad61escent a more positive example in the person of the counselor or teacher. It is believed that developing this positive relationship will evoke desirable behavior changes from the individual Great emphasis is placed on the personal characteristics of the worker. In a sense, then, the book provides a model for the worker on how to be a model to those with whom he works. The presentation is divided into two major sections: the counselor and the group and the counselor and the individual. The initial section attracts the author's attention for a majority of the book. The group emphasis is placed first on the premise that working with the individual is more effective in the context of a somewhat orderly group. Actually, this first portion deals with more than just the counselor-to-group interaction and process. Intertwined in this material are ideas regarding the need for~:correctionll reform, the concern with institutional directors' taking more responsibility for change, and the imminent danger of losing funds for "rehabilitation" efforts. For this reason there appears some degree of fragmentation in this section during the first several chapter~ The core of the cpunselor-to-grou p material revolves around the process of bringing a group of adolescents from the initial state of anarchy to what the author believes to be a more constructive attitude of self-government. Within the dormitory or dasszoom setting, the author hypothesizes that sandwiched between the almost-natural state of anarchy and the desired climax of self-government is a necessary stage of control. The particular process of movement through the three stages is well presented, and this
88
Journal of School Psychology
portion appears very relevant for educators working with difficulties in a disorderly classroom. The material is down to earth and generously studded with examples of this group process. Of special interest is the section entitled " t h e difficult of the difficult"methods of dealing with excessively aggressive and disruptive behaviors. The other major section emphasizes the counselor-to-individual relationship. Focus is on the counselor as a model to the individual youth and on the basic need satisfactions which the counselor or teacher can provide the youngster. A major percentage of this portion is devoted to four case studies which outline both successes and failures which have occu~ed in the Relations Method of working in institutional settings with youthful offenders. Nelson Henry has delved deeply into his own experience as a basis for PJhen Mother Is A Prefix. The material is well worth the time which educators and correctional personnel might spend in its reading. Although some fragmentation is seen initially, and for professionally minded readers there are no references, the salient content more than compensates. The lowest-paid, hardest-worked, and least-~ained personnel have found a friend and representative. This reviewer is of the opinion that more literature of this persuasion is needed to increase the support to the personnel working most directly with young people.
Don Lollar Tri-County Mental Health Center Shelbyville, Kentucky 40065