Referral of the child with learning problems: Bridging a communication gap

Successful communication between the teacher and school psychologist is considered a vital factor in providing appropriate diagnostic and remediation services to a child with a learning problem. Although considerable attention has been given to the psychological report, whereby the psychologist communicates with the teacher, only minimal attention has been given to the referral process whereby the teacher provides the psychologist with important behavioral data. Experience in one large metropolitan school system has demonstrated that teacher-psychologist communication is facilitated through: (a) providing the teacher with a clear understanding of her role in the diagnostic and remediation process, (b) employment of a theoretical approach to learning disabilities which is shared by both teacher and psychologist, and (c) use of a specific referral form—theoretically based—in order to communicate data about the child with a learning problem.     

A five level intervention model: division of professional labor and implication for school counseling

Mental-health services can contribute substantially to many areas of school life, but the nature and effectiveness of these contributions depend to a large degree on the willingness of the personnel involved to work as a team and to develop new perspectives and practices. This article presents a five level model of mental-health intervention in the school setting and posits a division of responsibility for that intervention among the school psychologist, the school guidance counselor and the teacher. Implications for a school-counselor preparation program are discussed.     

Getting Ready for School: An Examination of Early Childhood Educators’ Belief Systems

This study examines early childhood educators’ beliefs about what children need prior to before entering kindergarten. Focus group interviews were conducted with early childhood educators from three learning settings: public center-based programs, private center-based programs, and family child care centers. Qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. Across program types, educators said that three levels should be addressed to help prepare a child for school: child, home, and teacher. The child must be physically and emotionally ready to engage with others and participate in learning opportunities, acquire basic skills, such as letter recognition, and have reasoning skills that enable the child to problem-solve. At the home level, emotionally preparing the child for the transition and creating a home environment that promotes learning were reported as key to getting children for school. Teacher relationships with parents also emerged as important school readiness factor. Differences across program types are discussed.     

Easing separation anxiety: Recommendations for parents, families, and teachers

Many children entering school for the first time are anxious and fearful. In the beginning, separation from the parent is difficult for all young children but for some, it is a chronic problem that can disrupt the child's learning alliance with the teacher. Finding strategies to deal with these very difficult separation problems helps parent, teacher, and child.     

校本教师发展与教师专业学习共同体的建构

相对传统教师发展的范式,即自上而下的发展模式——校本教师发展强调教师为改革的中心,教师发展应立足于教师工作的环境和脉络之中,以课堂和学校为本位。教师专业学习共同体则关注教师发展的脉络化,强调通过在学校中建构专业学习共同体,实现教师学习和实践的共享,从而提升教师质素,并实现学校向学习型组织的转变。校本教师发展与教师专业学习共同体在学校脉络这一平台上实现融合,教师在学校的专业学习共同体之脉络中,借由分享领导、集体学习、共享实践,并最终形成教师发展的学校本位之系统建构。     

Boundaries and bricolage: examining the roles of universities and schools in student teacher learning

The literature shows that an active exploration of difference between university‐ and school‐based perspectives can provide important opportunities for student teacher learning in initial teacher education. This paper presents a study that looks at the learning opportunities presented to student teachers as they talk about teaching and learning with their school‐based mentor and part‐time university‐based tutor on a distance education course in initial teacher education in the UK. The study adopts an activity theoretical approach complemented by a broader social learning theory perspective. Content analysis is used in four separate cases to examine and report on conversations that centre around one taught lesson. The study reveals understandings about the way that learning opportunities are presented to student teachers and argues that it can be enhanced by looking at student teacher learning systemically, with a focus on dissonant perspectives.     

Teacher Evaluation, Leadership and Learning Organizations

This article presents the argument that meaningful teacher evaluation in schools can be an important catalyst for organizational learning and school improvement when it is linked to broader conceptions of leadership in schools. A state-of-the-art teacher evaluation, assessment and professional growth system is described and the manner in which this system is linked to leadership density, organizational learning, and school improvement is detailed. Findings from two contrasting case studies of schools implementing this new system are presented and implications of the findings for linking teacher evaluation systems, newer conceptions of school leadership, and school improvement are described.     

Perceptions of Play Therapy in Taiwan: The Voices of School Counselors and Counselor Educators

The current status of play therapy in the elementary schools of Taiwan was investigated in relation to its compatibility with Chinese culture and its potential for wider societal adoption. Seven participants, four counselor educators and three elementary school counselors, in West Taiwan participated in this phenomenological qualitative inquiry. Seven assertions emerged from the interviewing data, implying that the potential for adopting play therapy in Taiwanese school counseling is embedded in the society. However, there are insufficient facilities and a lack of play therapy resources. Further investigation of the infrastructure in school counseling is necessary. Suggestions for practice and research regarding the development of play therapy and child counseling are presented.     

School counselor educators: A grounded theory of career interest and satisfaction

Annually, there are school counseling specific counselor educator positions that remain unfilled. There is a need for more counselor educators with school counseling backgrounds. This grounded theory provides a model of the process by which school counselor educators decide to enter academia and what keeps them in their positions, based on focus groups with 32 participants. Results showed the reasons for leaving school counseling, what factors promote entry into school counselor education, and what keeps school counselor educators in that role. Implications for counselor education are provided.     

Positioning the individual teacher in school-based learning for inclusion

This paper reports on a critical ethnographic case study investigating teacher learning in a primary school in South Africa. A qualitative research methodology within a cultural–historical activity theoretical (CHAT) framework was employed. The learning trajectories of two teachers are presented spawning questions on how the empirical relationship between individual (teacher) and social (school as system) could be represented within CHAT. It is possible to argue theoretically for an agentive positioning for the two teachers allowing for the possibility that elements of this project will be sustained.     

Fostering collaborative teacher learning: A typology of school leadership

Previous research indicates that supportive school leadership is a key condition of collaborative teacher learning. The purpose of this study was to develop a typology of how school leaders foster collaborative teacher learning. We adopted an integrative perspective on leadership by examining both learning-centred leadership and distributed leadership practices that are supportive of collaborative teacher learning. Data were gathered by means of interviews with ten school leaders and a questionnaire that was completed by 39 teachers from six secondary schools in the Netherlands. The aim of the interviews was to identify to what extent school leaders applied learning-centred leadership and distributed leadership practices. The questionnaire measured teachers' perceptions of the role of school leaders in teacher learning. As an outcome of this study, we constructed a typology that provides insights into how school leaders foster collaborative teacher learning. Four types of school leaders were distinguished: (a) integrators of teacher learning, (b) facilitators of teacher learning, (c) managers of teacher learning, and (d) managers of daily school practice. Our findings suggest that integration of learning-centred leadership and distributed leadership practices can help school leaders to support collaborative teacher learning.     

The potential of teaching schools in enabling student teacher learning for the teaching profession

In 2011 the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa was promulgated. This framework proposes the establishment of teaching schools to strengthen pre-service teacher education. This study arises from this initiative. A generic qualitative study was undertaken to explore the views of research participants from selected teacher education institutions and schools in South Africa on the potential of teaching schools to enable student teacher learning for the teaching profession. The key findings are that teaching schools can potentially make a distinctive contribution towards enabling student teacher learning for the teaching profession through student teachers experiencing good teaching in a model environment and through coordinating experiences in coursework and at the school. The discussion of the findings points to the distinctive potentialities of teaching schools for strengthening teacher education. The notion of hybridity and third space is invoked as a heuristic to shed light on the developing of a true collaborative relationship between the teacher education institution and the teaching school for enabling student teacher learning for the teaching profession.     

Blended learning model on hands-on approach for in-service secondary school teachers: Combination of E-learning and face-to-face discussion

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a blended learning model on hands-on approach for in-service secondary school teachers using a quasi-experimental design. A 24-h teacher-training course using the blended learning model was administered to 117 teachers, while face-to-face instruction was given to 60 teachers. The following dependent variables were compared: degree of leaners’ knowledge, self-efficacy and satisfaction with the training course. The results indicated that the experimental, blended learning group showed a significantly higher level of knowledge of hands-on approach and overall satisfaction with the course. However, the self-efficacy and others items related to learner’s learning satisfaction were similar between two groups. Moreover, the findings indicated that access, flexibility, cost effectiveness, improving interaction, formation of teacher network and involving of administrators, instructors and school leaders were factors which contributed to the success of blended learning model. Further implications and suggestions for the blended learning model are presented.     

Four alternative approaches to the family/school liaison role

Psychologists in the public schools traditionally have spent a small portion of their time working with parents. There is, however, a need for the psychologist to act as a family/school liaison agent whose function is to promote collaborative problem-solving efforts regarding problematic child behavior. Four different approaches to working with school personnel and/or family representatives are presented, including information imparter-gatherer, facilitator, consultant/educator or consultant, and counselor/educator. Advantages and disadvantages of each approach as well as trends in the research relevant to these approaches are discussed.     

Secondary agricultural education from a “learning to learn” perspective

Abstract

This article argues the importance of adopting a “learning to learn” perspective in secondary agricultural education: school organisational development should take place in the perspective of active learning by students. Three factors affecting innovation processes are discussed: school policy-making capacity, school in-service training policy, and professional orientations of teachers. Moreover, a program to support schools for secondary agricultural education while implementing a “learning to learn” approach is presented. The implementation process is tuned to the individual teacher and teacher coaching and in-service training are provided. In this respect, the need for school management and school policy reflecting a clear educational perspective is stressed: fostering the quality of students' independent learning should take a central position on all levels in the school. Therefore, the school organisation as a whole should become a “learning organisation”.     

Shyness and School Adjustment Among Chinese Preschool Children: Examining the Moderating Effect of Gender and Teacher–Child Relationship

Research Findings: The current study examined the moderating effects of gender and teacher–child relationship on the association between shyness and school adjustment (school liking and avoidance, cooperative and independent participation). The sample consisted of 524 preschool students from 3 cities of Shandong province in northern China. Mothers reported children's shyness, school liking, and school avoidance, whereas teachers rated children's cooperative and independent participation and reported perceived teacher–child relationships. Overall, findings indicated that shyness was associated with lower teacher–child closeness, lower school liking, and higher school avoidance. Child gender moderated the relationship between shyness and teacher–child dependency. Moreover, teacher–child relationship and child gender moderated the shyness–adjustment relationships. Practice or Policy: These findings point to the potential for improving teacher–child relationships to facilitate shy preschoolers’ school adjustment and the importance of taking child gender into consideration in such intervention programs.     

Knowing me knowing you: building valuable relationships outside the classroom

This small-scale case study begins with some background to outdoor education and residential trips. The article then moves on to look at some of the research around the importance of the child as person and the nature of pupil–teacher relationships in the working environment of the classroom. It then investigates the development of pupil–teacher relationships on a residential trip by discussing the range of interactions which took place. How these interactions may enhance learning back at school is considered as are the benefits of these interactions to newly qualified teachers and to more experienced teachers. The conclusion suggests that outdoor learning should have a stronger place in primary and middle school activity to challenge labeling and create a more effective ‘working consensus’.     

Engaging pre-service middle-school teacher-education students in mathematical problem posing: development of an active learning framework

Although official curriculum documents make cursory mention of the need for problem posing in school mathematics, problem posing rarely becomes part of the implemented or assessed curriculum. This paper provides examples of how problem posing can be made an integral part of mathematics teacher education programs. It is argued that such programs are a good place to start the process of redesigning mathematics curricula so that school mathematics will pay more than lip service to problem posing. Data are presented and analyzed showing that teacher education students can recognize the need for problem posing both in their own programs and in school mathematics curricula. Examples of problems posed by teacher education students are presented and discussed. An active learning framework for interpreting the role of problem posing in mathematics classrooms is presented.     

Les Langues Étrangères: apprenant,enseignant, situation

What determines the success of individuals when learning foreign languages in school? This article describes briefly the most important factors. These are grouped in three categories according to their relevance for the learner, the teacher or the learning situation. Factors such as intelligence, attitude, personality, age and sex are presented in a model which attempts to determine their comparative importance and their interrelations.