Job satisfaction of Jamaican elementary school teachers

This study investigated correlates of job satisfaction among public (N=190) and private (N=100) Jamaican elementary school teachers. Emphasis was on the identification of factors that could be affected through administrative intervention. Results indicated that the quality of school working conditions and respondents' relationships with other teachers were significantly related to satisfaction for both public and private school teachers. School prestige and parental encouragement were also significant predictors for public school teachers; leadership style, organizational structure, and teacher-parent relationships predicted job satisfaction for private school teachers. Implications of these findings for Jamaican education are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Diese Studie untersuchte Gründe für Zufriedenheit im Beruf unter Lehrern an öffentlichen (N=190) und privaten (N=100) Schulen in Jamaica. Besonderer Wert wurde auf die Herausarbeitung von Faktoren gelegt, die durch das Einwirken des Verwaltungsapparates beeinflußt werden könnten. Die Ergebnisse wiesen darauf hin, daß die Qualität der Arbeitsbedingungen in der Schule und die Beziehungen zu anderen Lehrern sowohl bei den Lehrern an öffentlichen als auch bei den Lehrkräften an privaten Schulen in besonderem Maße auf die Zufriedenheit im Beruf einwirkten. Für Lehrer im öffentlichen Bereich waren zudem Prestige der Schule und elterliche Anerkennung von großer Wichtigkeit; bei Lehrern im Privatschulbereich lassen Führungsstil, organisatorische Struktur und Lehrer-Eltern Beziehung Zufriedenheit im Beruf erwarten. Die Auswirkungen dieser Ergebnisse auf das Erziehungswesen in Jamaika werden betrachtet.

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Résumé Cette étude présente une comparaison de la satisfaction professionnelle des enseignants des écoles élémentaires publiques (N=190) et privées (N=100) à la Jamaque. L'accent a été mis sur la détermination des facteurs qui peuvent être touchés par une intervention administrative. Les résultats obtenus ont indiqué que la qualité des conditions de travail à l'école et les rapports des personnes interrogées avec les autres enseignants dépendaient en grande partie de la satisfaction des enseignants des écoles publiques et privées. Le prestige de l'école et le soutien des parents étaient également jugés comme des indices importants pour les enseignants des écoles publiques; le mode de direction, la structure organisationnelle, les relations entre enseignants et parents accusaient la satisfaction professionnelle des enseignants du privé. On examine ensuite les implications de ces résultats pour l'enseignement jamaïcain.

     

构建本科层次新型小学教师教育体系--基础教育新师资专业化培养的新举措

教育全球化是当今世界发展进程中无法阻挡的历史潮流.根据全球化时代教师教育的特征和我国基础教育改革与发展过程中新师资供求关系的结构性变化,教师教育尤其是本科层次小学教师教育面临着新的困境.创新和构建既具有中国西部边疆少数民族地区特色又能与国际教育接轨的新型小学教师教育体系,是云南省楚雄师范学院初等教育系多年来探索实践的主要课题.这个具有西部民族地区特色和职前职后一体化专业特色的教师培养体系,对高师院校本科层次小学教师教育具有极大的借鉴意义和社会应用价值.     

教师的专业化与专业化小学教师的培养

教师专业化是现代教育发展必然趋势,不断提高我国教师专业化水平也是实现中华民族伟大复兴事业的现实需要。若想实现教师的专业化,关键是在教师教育专业化建设问题。因此,我们必须转变教育观念,屏弃"以学科为中心,对事物进行分割教育"的教育思想的影响,实现我们提出的"以人为本,整体教育;一个宗旨,两个重点;两个平台一线贯穿"的24字培养模式。培养出具有专业化水平的小学教师,以提高基础教育的质量。     

Gender-related beliefs of teachers in elementary school mathematics

In this quantitative study, questionnaire data of fifty-two third- and fourth-grade teachers were analyzed using MANOVA tools. Teachers were asked to consider boys' and girls' achievement in mathematics, giving their views on the reasons for the students' successes and failures and describing their learning characteristics. Teachers thought that their average achieving girls were less logical than equally achieving boys. The girls were thought to profit less than boys from additional effort and to exert relatively more effort to achieve the level of actual performance in mathematics. Teachers rated mathematics as more difficult for average achieving girls than for equally achieving boys. With regard to girls, teachers attributed unexpected failure more to low ability and less to lack of effort than with boys. The results increase our understanding of stereotypical teacher beliefs that might help explain gender differences in achievement and in subsequent occupational choices.This revised version was published online in September 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

中小学教师教育科研课题选择问题探析

选择教育科研课题是整个教育科研活动的起点和难点，决定了教育科研活动的方向、价值和可行性，直接关系到教育科研工作的成败。许多中小学教师在选择教育科研课题时存在不知道选择什么、不知道从何选择、不知道怎样选择、不知道为什么要选择等问题。要正确选题，中小学教师应当理解教育科研课题的内涵、把握教育科研课题的来源、掌握选择教育科研课题的标准以及明确选择教育科研课题的目的。     

小学教师教育模式改革的设想

当前小学教师教育面临基础课程改革和教师教育发展的挑战,高等师范教育和教育管理部门面临重组教育资源、课程设置、教材建设等方面的诸多问题。因此,要通过全面深入地改革创新小学教师培养模式,转变教育观念,优化小学教育专业课程设置,强调教学实践环节,加强教材建设,努力培养适应基础教育改革与教师教育发展需要的优质的小学教师。     

Language arts in the elementary school: A challenge to teachers

According to Dr. Cooper, the students of some teachers are still spending most of their time filling in blanks, labeling parts of speech, and even diagramming sentences. The result is that most students dislike language and develop a meager facility in oral and written communication.     

小学教师"三二分段"培养模式研究

本文探索"三二分段"小学教师培养模式,即通过综合化的课程设置,转变学生的学习方式,突出学生实践能力的训练,努力培养适应我国基础教育改革的专业化的小学教育新师资.     

Student achievement and elementary teachers’ perceptions of school climate

Teachers’ perceptions of school climate in 59 elementary schools were assessed using a modified version of the School-Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ). Using structural equation modelling, a statistically significant, positive relationship was found between school mean teachers’ perceptions of school climate and school mean student achievement. A second model showed that school and community context variables mediated that relationship. In schools in high socioeconomic status (SES) communities, the influence of school climate on student achievement was stronger than it was for schools in lower SES communities. Recommendations for further examination of the relationships are also made.     

Resisting punitive school discipline: perspectives and practices of exemplary urban elementary teachers

Drawing on the literature related to classroom management, and culturally relevant critical teacher care, and effective teaching for students of color, this paper uses interview and observation data to explore the perspectives and practices of two exemplary fifth-grade teachers who refuse to rely on punitive discipline with their students of color. Findings revealed that the teachers did not view students’ behavior as challenging – they viewed behavior simply as one of the many areas they believed it was their responsibility to teach. Their instructional practices focused on coaching students to reach their potential and liberating them from barriers that limit their access to successful life paths. The study helps both researchers and practitioners reflect on the concept that discipline assumes and provides portraits of teacher practice central to dismantling the school-to-prison-pipeline.     

Needs of elementary and middle school teachers developing online courses for a virtual school

Eight teams of elementary and middle school teachers developed pilot online courses for the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) in the USA. A qualitative case study with focus groups and a follow‐up survey helped to identify common needs of these non‐traditional course designers during course development efforts. Findings suggest virtual schools can better support non‐traditional course designers by providing leadership components such as technical expertise, regular feedback, and clear expectations, including an understanding of the target students. Findings further suggest designers need a range of bite‐sized professional development on replicating model courses, using course management systems, assessing learners online, designing with copyright and safety issues in mind, integrating Web tools, and developing course documentation for deployment. The article concludes with a discussion of support structures that may aid instructors tasked with online course development.     

The development of mathematical competence in Flemish preservice elementary school teachers

A large-scale longitudinal study was conducted in which the elementary mathematical knowledge and skills of a large group of Flemish preservice elementary school teachers from 15 different institutes was assessed by means of a paper-and-pencil test that was administered both at the beginning and at the end of their 3-year training. The 30-items test covered the new standards for mathematics in the elementary school curriculum in Flanders. The test was divided in six subsets differing in terms of the curricular subdomain and of the cognitive operations being addressed by the item. The results confirmed the frequently heard concern that at the beginning of their training preservice elementary school teachers have rather weak mathematical competencies. At the end of their 3-year training, the overall test performance had become substantially better, although there were still reasons to be seriously concerned about the readiness of some student teachers to teach mathematics to elementary school children. A number of more specific comparisons helped to identify the relative role of two different factors—selection and instruction—in student teachers’ gain from pretest to posttest. Besides documenting the development of elementary mathematical competence in preservice elementary school teachers, the study also resulted in an instrument for (self-) assessment of elementary school mathematical competence. This instrument is now being used in many institutes for elementary school teacher training in Flanders.     

Infusing assessment into mathematics content courses for pre-service elementary school teachers

The present study aims to explore the use of assessment in mathematics content courses for future elementary school teachers. Analysis of self assessment data on mathematical understanding and peer assessment data on oral mathematical presentation showed that pre-service teachers had a balanced understanding of procedural knowledge and problem solving. Conceptual understanding was not in the structure of pre-service teachers’ mathematical knowledge. Understandings of conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and problem solving had no meaningful effects on gains in mathematics performance. Aspects of oral mathematical presentation were associated with improved understanding of procedural knowledge and in particular conceptual knowledge. The result of the study calls for a conceptual approach to mathematical knowledge and sufficient mathematical problem solving in college-level mathematics content courses and in particular the infusion of assessment into college-level mathematics education for pre-service teachers.