Learning to read in composite (multigrade) classes in New Zealand: teachers make the difference

This study examined why students in composite, as compared to single-year, classes in New Zealand elementary schools show slightly lower reading performance. Using a multiple case study design, we compared the ranges of students’ reading abilities and the nature of teachers’ groupings, as well as other aspects of instruction, in pairs of composite and single-year classes drawn from each of nine elementary schools. Contrary to our expectations, we found little evidence of a greater range of abilities in composite than in single-year classes, little evidence of less homogeneous ability groups for reading in composite classes, and little evidence that teachers of composite classes had difficulty catering for the needs of individual students. Composite classes do not appear to contribute to lower achievement, at least as far as reading is concerned. Whether a class is composite or single-year matters less than the nature and quality of instruction in the classroom, whatever the within-class variability in achievement.     

Reducing disruptive behaviours and improving classroom behavioural climate with class‐wide positive behaviour support in middle schools

Disruptive behaviour in classrooms is a significant challenge for learning in schools and a risk factor for students’ academic achievement and a significant source of teachers’ work‐related stress. Earlier research shows that clear behavioural expectations, monitoring students’ adherence to them and behaviour‐specific praise are effective practices to reduce disruptive behaviour. Although behaviour problems are common in middle schools, most of the interventions have been developed and studied in elementary schools. This randomised study evaluated the effects of a class‐wide intervention on classroom behavioural climate and disruptive behaviour, on teacher‐experienced stress and on the time needed for behaviour management in middle school. The classes were selected for intervention by their teachers on the basis of poor behavioural climate. The intervention was based on teachers’ cooperation; they collectively agreed on clear behavioural expectations, used positive feedback and, if needed, applied consequences in response to high rates of disruptive behaviour. The results indicated medium to large effects on classroom behavioural climate according to teachers’ evaluations, and somewhat more inconsistent effects on classroom behavioural climate according to student evaluations and in the time needed for behaviour management. The behavioural climate of the classes remained at a constant level during the follow‐up. The intervention was well accepted by teachers and students. The results suggest that an easily applicable intervention may produce significant improvements in classroom behavioural climate in middle schools.     

陕西省中小学体育师资队伍现状的调查与分析

运用调查法对陕西中小学体育师资队伍现状进行调查分析，其结果表明：城镇学校体育教师的数量与质量基本达到国家的有关规定与要求，农村学校（包括陕北城镇学校）体育教师学历偏低，职称评定工作滞后，尤其是农村小体育任课教师配备随意性大，并针对陕西学校体育师资队伍建设与发展的实际需要提出4点可行性建议。     

对攀枝花市农村中小学体育教师队伍现状的调查研究

通过对攀枝花农村中小学体育教师队伍现状的调查研究,发现农村中小学体育教师继续教育存在的问题。正确选择继续教育教学目标、建构合理的培训体系、建立新的培训形式和评价制度,促进攀枝花农村中小学体育教师的发展。     

Principals' relationships with parents: The homogeneity versus the social class of the parent clientele

Parental participation in schools has become a goal for many principals in light of theoretical and empirical work suggesting that increased school-parent interaction can result in significant educational benefits. This study examined the principal-parent relationship in three types of schools: those serving a homogeneous high-SES parent clientele, a heterogeneous middle-SES parent clientele, and a homogeneous low-SES parent clientele. The main question posed in this paper is whether the principal-parent relationship in schools with a heterogeneous parent clientele differs from the relationships in homogeneous schools, regardless of social class, or whether social class is the determining factor in the principal-parent relationship. Discriminant analysis of 250 elementary school principals indicated two significant functions: one according to the social class of the parents and the other according to the homogeneity of the parent clientele. The differences in the relationships, as suggested by the significant discriminating variables, are in the areas of parental involvement, the organization of parent groups, and principals' response strategies to this involvement. The results suggest how principals interact with different types of parents to capitalize on areas where parents can help without allowing excessive interference in the school's functioning.     

关于欠发达地区农村小学教师教学能力的调查

本调查以农村小学校长,各市、区和县小学教研室教师,农村小学教师及小学高年级学生为调查对象,就农村小学教师的教学能力进行调查。调查方式采用问卷、访谈、随机听课等方式,取得了第一手资料,并分析调查结果,结论是:农村小学教师教学能力有待于提高。     

Academic optimism and collective responsibility: An organizational model of the dynamics of student achievement

This study was designed to examine the construct of academic optimism and its relationship with collective responsibility in a sample of Taiwan elementary schools. The construct of academic optimism was tested using confirmatory factor analysis, and the whole structural model was tested with a structural equation modeling analysis. The data were collected from a sample of 1,093 teachers from the 103 schools in Hualien County, Taiwan. The results of this research demonstrated that academic optimism was confirmed as a latent construct manifested by collective efficacy, faculty trust in students and parents, and academic emphasis in Taiwan elementary schools. Furthermore, the research also extended the theory of academic optimism by demonstrating that academic optimism works through collective responsibility to significantly influence student achievement, while controlling for socioeconomic status, school size, and prior student achievement.     

小学课堂教学中的问题设计与呈现

小学课堂教学中,教师总会呈现一些问题,它们一般以提问、作业、质疑、讨论的形式出现在课堂教学活动中。课堂呈现的这些问题一般都是教师事先设计好了的,它的出现有助于学习者学习的成功。     

Managing peer relations: A dimension of teacher self-efficacy that varies between elementary and middle school teachers and is associated with observed classroom quality

This study examined the nature of teachers' self-efficacy, differences between elementary and middle school teachers' self-efficacy and the implications for observed classroom quality. Teachers (N = 101; 61% female and 85% European American) completed a survey and 96 were observed teaching two different classes. The sample included 6th grade (n = 44) and 7th grade (n = 30) teachers from six middle schools and 5th grade teachers (n = 27) from twelve feeder elementary schools. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that teachers' self-efficacy for managing peer relations is a distinct dimension from teachers' self-efficacy for classroom management, instruction and student engagement. Teachers felt less efficacious about managing peer relations compared to classroom management and instruction. Further, middle school teachers reported lower self-efficacy for classroom management and managing peer relations compared to elementary school teachers. For elementary and middle school teachers, their self-efficacy for classroom management and for managing peer relations was associated with some aspects of observed classroom quality.     

Beliefs von Studierenden sonder- und grundschulpädagogischer Studiengänge

The implementation of inclusion in schools currently requires new reflections of competence profiles of the teachers involved. Especially in elementary school, which can so far be considered as the most developed institution of inclusive schooling in Germany, questions of differences in the profiles of elementary and special education teachers have been raised. As professional skills also have motivational and volitional aspects, a beliefs model (domain overlapping) was developed based on the construction of the TEDS-M research project, which aims to study specific special educational beliefs. Using a quantitative questionnaire designed in the context of a corresponding preliminary investigation a three-factor-solution for mapping a special supportive belief profile among student teachers and teachers in the field of elementary and special education was tested. Initially this profile model was confirmed by the results of a subsequent analysis based on a nationwide sample of elementary school and special education students (N = 951). In addition to these findings different manifestations of the beliefs model could be identified among student teachers for elementary schools and student teachers for special education.     

辽中县教师和学校干部培训工作的探索与实践

论述了“十一五”期间是辽中县全面推进素质教育,创建义务教育均衡发展示范县的重要阶段。结合师干训工作的重要性和辽中县开展师于训工作的实践,提出了制定规划,组织落实,责任到位,完善制度,强化过程管理是开展培训师干训工作的关键;介绍了辽中县教师学校组织开展全员培训、校本培训、骨干教师培训、学历提高培训、中小学教师教育技术应用能力的培训、短急学科的培训、中小学校长提高培训的具体做法。     

新课程背景下的课堂教学反思

随着新课程改革的不断深入,中小学课堂教学取得了可喜的成绩,然而也呈现出了不少的问题。课堂教学注重了过程、方法,情感和态度目标,却忽视了知识和能力目标;教师设计了课堂教学情景,却冷落了教材;学生进行探究学习,却缺乏探究之内核;教学手段现代化,却丧失了教学艺术。     

Longitudinal analysis of the trajectories of academic and social motivation across the transition from elementary to middle school

School transitions are important phases in students’ educational experiences. The current study aimed to explore the trajectories of academic and social motivation across the transition from elementary to middle school. Participants (N = 415) were sampled from six elementary schools; 55% transitioned after sixth grade (transition) and 45% remained at the same school (no-transition). The students reported academic and social goals and perceived teacher goal emphasis at four time points over two successive years. A growth curve analysis revealed that students who transitioned reported a greater decline in mastery goals and an increase in performance-approach goals. Students from no-transition schools reported higher initial levels for all social goals, with a steeper decline in seventh grade. Perceived teacher goal emphasis was associated with social development goals over time. Practitioners should be aware that school transitions may influence academic motivation but may not similarly influence social motivation.     

Teachers’ perspectives of lower secondary school students in streamed classes – A Western Australian case study

Streaming in secondary schools is not beneficial for improving student outcomes of education with vast amounts of educational research indicating that it does not improve academic results and increases inequity. Yet teachers often prefer working in streamed classes, and research shows that teachers mediate the effects of streaming on students. This study sought to add to the understanding of teachers’ role in student learning by investigating how teachers conceptualise the students in streamed classes. A qualitative case study approach was used, where 18 teachers were interviewed in-depth to create narrative examples, three of which are presented here. These narratives summarise the research findings that teachers saw students in high and low streams as having homogenous characteristics according to five dichotomous categories: approach to learning, attitude to learning, learning style, autonomy and background. Students in mixed-ability classes were viewed along these same continua, but as more heterogeneous groups. Furthermore, these views of students had direct implications for how teachers planned for learning and the expectations that they held of their students. The discussion links streaming research with teacher expectation research, suggesting that teachers of streamed classes in this secondary school hold specific whole-class ideas that affect student learning. The article concludes with recommendations for further inquiry that links these two important fields of educational research.     

新形势下大学教育学院的功能

我国的教师教育制度、形式、体系正发生深刻的变化,大学教育学院的功能定位关系到开放的教师教育体系的健康发展。民国时期大学教育(师范)学院功能是:培养多方面的教育人才(学科教师、教育科教师,教育研究人员、教育行政人员);承担教育研究和服务地方教育。发达国家和地区大学教育学院的功能主要是:培养中小学教师;学术研究和传递;社会服务。当前我国大学教育学院的功能应该是:直接培养学科教师和社会需要的各种教育人才;繁荣和深化教育科研;加强社会服务。     

Coordination between Head Start and Elementary Schools to Enhance Children’s Kindergarten Success

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: This study examines efforts by Head Start programs to coordinate with elementary schools and seeks to better understand how coordination practices may support children’s transition to and success in kindergarten. Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of Head Start children (N = 2,019) followed through kindergarten. Findings suggest that Head Start programs are engaging in a variety of activities to coordinate with elementary schools around the transition to kindergarten. Results of lagged OLS regression analyzes found that coordination efforts were significantly related to children’s language and mathematics skills in kindergarten for children attending elementary schools engaging in limited school transition practices to support school entry, suggesting that coordination practices initiated by preschools may play a compensatory role for children. In addition, results suggest that direct meetings between Head Start and kindergarten teachers are predictive of higher language skills in kindergarten. Policy or Practice: Efforts by Head Start programs to coordinate with elementary schools may be particularly important for children’s academic skills when their elementary schools are less engaged in transition practices. In addition, meeting in person and having a key person responsible for the kindergarten transition may be key ingredients to coordination that yields better outcomes for children.     

New Directions in Social Skills Assessment and Intervention for Elementary and Middle School Students

Social skills are important to the successful social and academic functioning of all students and play a significant role in avoiding or preventing negative responses from others. Social skills also are important aspects of effective schools. In this article, we emphasize the assessment and intervention of the academic side of social skills. That is, we examine the role that social skills play in facilitating individuals' learning and creation of a school environment where others can feel supported and motivated to learn. As a basis for this examination, we first review several key studies documenting interrelations among social skills and academic competence. Next, we briefly review current assessment practices focusing on rating scale methods for documenting students' social skills and perceptions of social support. Finally, we introduce an instructional approach called the Responsive Classroom (Charney, 1992) that has been shown to advance the development of elementary and middle school students' social skills and academic achievement, and result in supportive school environments for learners and teachers. We conclude with recommendations for researchers and practitioners to continue to consider the strong interrelations among social skills, academic functioning, and social support when working with all students in elementary and middle schools.     

Mainstreaming in an urban middle school: Effects of school organization and climate

Mainstreaming in an urban middle school was examined for three years by a participant observer. It was hypothesized that the school's organization and culture would affect mainstreaming. Findings confirmed this hypothesis. Homogeneity of academic classes and the requirement that students fit into academic groups limited access for special education students to classes where they could function academically as the students did in general education. Criteria for selecting students were not delineated; special and general education teachers communicated informally and irregularly about their students' functioning in mainstream classes; and students received little help with their academic mainstream responsibilities. Students from special education were added to regular classes that were already very large and teacher permission was necessary to include a mainstream student in a general education class. Some school factors facilitated mainstreaming. The principal advocated it and supported its implementation. Special education teachers initiated mainstreaming through their social networks in the school. Heterogeneous groups in minor subjects offered classes with a wider range of ability within which special education students could function, and low track homogeneous classes provided environments that were more like special education classes.     

Tackling California’s Class Size Reduction policy initiative: an up close and personal account of how teachers and learners responded

This chapter examines some effects of California’s Class Size Reduction (CSR) policy on teachers and pupils in four elementary schools over a two year period using interviews and participant observation. Among the main findings from the interviews, confirmed by the observations, was that while teachers found classes with 20 pupils easier to teach, they did not initially consider the possibility of changing practice in order to maximize the advantages of the smaller classes. In the second year there were slight increases in the amounts of individual attention pupils received, particularly feedback, and teachers expressed greater confidence when making assessments. Pupils’ reactions were generally positive although some expressed the view that in larger classes they got more help from friends. There were several unanticipated effects; for example, some older grade teachers with larger classes expressed resentment because of their higher administrative and marking loads.