Peer Relationships Across the Preschool to School Transition

Research Findings: The aim of this longitudinal study was to explore peer relationships across the transition from preschool to school. Participants were 35 (17 male) children attending the Irish preschool initiative Early Start (M age = 49.31 months). Sociometric measures were employed on two occasions: at the end of preschool and in the first year of school. Results indicated that most preschoolers (83%) had at least one mutual friend, and by school age all children had at least one mutual friend. Almost one third (29%) of preschools and school-age children had a mutual best friend. Notably, all children made new friends in school. In addition, a number of friendships (18%) survived the preschool to school transition. Correlational analysis also suggested some stability in peer relationships from preschool into the first year of school. Exploratory multiple regression analyses showed that preschool peer variables predicted friendship status and social preference in school. Furthermore, best friendship in preschool uniquely predicted friendship in school, and best friend status in school was uniquely associated with social preference in school. Practice: Results have implications for parents' and early educators' promotion of children's friendships during the transition from preschool to school.     

Students' Perceptions of Teacher Support Across the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

This study examines the degree to which students' perceptions of teacher support are related to school type (primary versus secondary). The sample included 7,205 students from years 5 to 7 in primary school and years 8 to 10 in secondary school. Previous research has concluded that perceptions of school change negatively when students move from primary to secondary school. However, this research has been criticized for not accounting for age‐related changes in students' perception of school. Results from this study show a linear downwards tendency for perceived teacher support, with no obvious abrupt change between primary and secondary school. Our findings do not, therefore, support the idea that the transition from primary to secondary school affects students' perception of teacher support in a negative way.     

家庭环境与同伴关系对幼儿亲社会行为的影响

本研究选取大连市2所幼儿园共240名3～5岁幼儿作为被试,采用幼儿社会行为评定问卷、家庭环境量表、同伴提名法进行测试,考察家庭环境和同伴关系对幼儿亲社会行为的影响.研究表明:(1)4～5岁是幼儿亲社会行为发展的关键期,女孩的亲社会行为水平显著高于同龄男孩.(2)家庭亲密度和家庭矛盾性可以有效预测幼儿的亲社会行为水平.(3)不同同伴地位的幼儿亲社会行为水平有显著差异,其中,被拒绝组幼儿的亲社会行为水平显著低于受欢迎组、被忽略组和普通组幼儿.(4)家庭亲密度与同伴关系交互影响幼儿的亲社会行为水平.随着幼儿同伴地位的不同,家庭亲密度对其亲社会行为水平的影响强度也不同,其中,对有争议组幼儿和被拒绝组幼儿的影响尤为显著.     

Teacher Evaluation, Teacher Effectiveness and School Effectiveness: Perspectives from the USA

This article provides historical overviews of the conceptual and research and development focus of teacher evaluation, teacher effectiveness and school effectiveness research in the USA. Pertinent literature is cited and arguments are made that these lines of inquiry have coexisted for nearly four without adequate integration. With the fourth stage of school effectiveness research in process, there is a recognition that within school context variables, particularly teacher effectiveness, have important effects on school improvement and school outcomes. Similarly, there is the recognition that findings from school effectiveness research have relevance for studies of teacher effectiveness and ongoing developments in teacher evaluation. Examples of: (a) new generation, learner-centered teacher evaluation systems in the USA that are informed by teacher and school effectiveness research; and (b) the fourth stage of school effectiveness research are described. It is proposed that these lines of research should be merged as completely as possible.     

从中小学教师到教师教育者的关键转变——实习指导教师培训:美国做法与有效策略

实习指导不是课堂教学的简单延伸,从中小学教师到教师教育者的关键转变有一个过程。实习指导是看不见的、复杂的专业行为,而非简单的、个人的师傅带徒弟。实习指导教师需要专门支持去开发他们作为教师教育者的知识、能力和性向。因此,实习指导教师培训是必要的,也是必须的。美国的实践表明,实习指导教师培训应该启发思维而非传授技巧、实习指导教师培训应该坚持长期性原则、实习指导教师培训依赖中小学校与大学深度合作。在我国,实习指导教师培训也应该成为教师教育重要组成部分,并尽快建立实习指导教师培训相关制度。     

Classroom Popularity Hierarchy Predicts Prosocial and Aggressive Popularity Norms Across the School Year

This study examined the coevolution of prosocial and aggressive popularity norms with popularity hierarchy (asymmetries in students’ popularity). Cross-lagged-panel analyses were conducted on 2,843 secondary school students (N_classrooms = 120; M_age = 13.18; 51.3% girls). Popularity hierarchy predicted relative change in popularity norms over time, but not vice versa. Specifically, classrooms with few highly popular and many unpopular students increased in aggressive popularity norms at the beginning of the school year and decreased in prosocial popularity norms at the end of the year. Also, strong within-classroom asymmetries in popularity predicted relatively higher aggressive popularity norms. These findings may indicate that hierarchical contexts elicit competition for popularity, with high aggression and low prosocial behavior being seen as valuable tools to achieve popularity.     

Behavioral and Neural Pathways Supporting the Development of Prosocial and Risk-Taking Behavior Across Adolescence

This study tested the pathways supporting adolescent development of prosocial and rebellious behavior. Self-report and structural brain development data were obtained in a three-wave, longitudinal neuroimaging study (8–29 years, N = 210 at Wave 3). First, prosocial and rebellious behavior assessed at Wave 3 were positively correlated. Perspective taking and intention to comfort uniquely predicted prosocial behavior, whereas fun seeking (current levels and longitudinal changes) predicted both prosocial and rebellious behaviors. These changes were accompanied by developmental declines in nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) volumes, but only faster decline of MPFC (faster maturity) related to less rebellious behavior. These findings point toward a possible differential susceptibility marker, fun seeking, as a predictor of both prosocial and rebellious developmental outcomes.     

论学校组织变革中的教师认同

学校组织变革的最终目标在于学校组织文化的重建，但由于文化形成的长期与稳固的特性，使得学校组织的深度变革异常困难，其具体表现为教师出于对自身价值观念的维护而怀疑、否定，甚至抵制变革。研究发现，激发教师对学校发展愿景和变革目标的认同，将有助于在学校里建立起改革取向的强势文化，动员教师投身改革的信心和动机，进而促进学校组织变革的顺利进行。     

学校组织变革中的教师团队

在学校组织变革研究中,许多人尝试在学校中采用扁平化管理、创建学习型组织等做法,力图通过重组管理部门、重新定位管理机构的功能而激活学校组织内的活动;还有人研究了公立中小学组织结构出现的柔性化、网格化的趋势和非正式组织的作用。[1]不过,就笔者所了解到的诸多学校的现实来看,要使这些探索取得更好实效,而不是流于笼统或者流于形式,有可能还需从两方面推进研究。第一更深入。不仅仅将一所学校笼统地看作一个组织而是更深入地关注学校内部的组织结构、各部分的功能及运作机制。第二,更具体。不仅仅在形式上采用扁平化管理等方式、或…     

Academics and a Culture of Caring: The Relationship Between School Achievement and Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviors in Four Urban Middle Schools

Researchers and practitioners attest to the importance of school culture for school effectiveness, however, critics contest that school culture is neither measurable, nor manipulable. Results from the present study suggest otherwise. The frequency of prosocial and antisocial student behaviors were rated by 1503 students and 92 teachers in four urban middle schools rank ordered by achievement. The highest achieving school combined an emphasis on academics with a culture of caring that was reflected in higher rates of prosocial behaviors and lower rates of antisocial behaviors among students. The second ranked school had a law and order environment but lacked the synergy that a culture of caring achieved. The lower achieving schools had significantly lower rates of prosocial behaviors and higher rates of antisocial behaviors among students. Both student and teacher perceptions supported these findings.     

The CASE Programme Implemented Across the Primary and Secondary School Transition in Ireland

In the Irish education system, there is little continuity between the primary and secondary education systems. The transfer between these systems is particularly problematic in the area of science. In order to alleviate some of these problems, as well as to enhance the cognitive development of students, the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education programme was adapted for use and implemented across the primary–secondary school transition in Ireland. The programme was delivered in a variety of ways across the two levels, including the teacher and researcher teaching the programmes individually and team-teaching arrangements. The results on cognitive development measures showed that the students who were taught the programme in primary and secondary school made significant gains, when compared to the non-intervention group. There were also gains evident for students who only received one part of the programme (i.e. in either primary or secondary school). The greater gains, in terms of effect size, were evident at secondary school. The rationale, methodology and results are detailed in this paper.     

中学生的道德判断推理水平，同伴关系和亲社会行为关系研究

以286名上海市普通中学的学生（初一、初三、高二）为研究对象，利用道德判断推理量表、班级戏剧量表和社会测量法进行研究。结果发现中学生的亲社会行为与道德判断推理不存在显著相关，但它与同伴关系的相关显著，同伴关系与道德判断推理之间不存在显著相关，中学生同伴关系是其亲社会行为的一个有效的预测因素。     

Stability of Teacher Value-Added Rankings Across Measurement Model and Scaling Conditions

Value-added assessment methods have been criticized by researchers and policy makers for a number of reasons. One issue includes the sensitivity of model results across different outcome measures. This study examined the utility of incorporating multivariate latent variable approaches within a traditional value-added framework. We evaluated the stability of teacher rankings across univariate and multivariate measurement model structures and scaling metric combinations using a cumulative cross-classified mixed effect model. Our results showed multivariate models were more stable across modeling conditions than univariate approaches. These findings suggest there is potential utility in incorporating multiple measures with teacher evaluation systems, yet future research will need to evaluate the degree to which models recover known population parameters via Monte Carlo simulation.     

新课程与小学数学教师教学行为转变的调查研究

研究农村地区小学数学教师教学理念和教学行为的转变情况,由此找出新课程改革中存在的问题,为下一步的课程改革提供参考.     

Teacher Evaluation of Student Behavior and School Dropouts

Abstract

An investigation to determine if on the basis of behavioral trait “classroom teacher” could Identify students who would later quit school. Two groups were established from Ss entering: the ninth grade during: a two-year period (N = 96). One group graduated four years later. The second group left school prematurely. Ratings were obtained from 506 teachers on Ss in seven areas of behavior. The findings Indicated that male dropouts were rated significantly less favorably on all criteria when compared with male graduates. Similar findings were obtained with female dropouts and graduates. Teacher evaluations of student behavior were reliable predictors of future school attendance and reflective of pupil adjustment.     

A Developmental Perspective on Peer Rejection: Mechanisms of Stability and Change

This study examines factors associated with the relative stability of peer rejection among elementary school-aged children. Forty-four initially rejected children (some of whom improved their social status while others remained rejected over a 2-year period) were recruited from a larger sociometric sample. Prospective analyses were conducted to determine whether peer nominated aggression and children's perceptions of their own status in fourth grade were predictive of status improvement by the end of fifth grade. In addition to prospective analyses, initially rejected children and their mothers were invited to participate in a retrospective interview about their social experiences over the past 2 school years. Results of prospective and retrospective analyses suggested that perceived social status, participation in extracurricular activities, locus of control, and parental monitoring were all positively related to status improvement among initially rejected children. Surprisingly, aggressive behavior also was positively related to status improvement among initially rejected boys.     

Restructuring,Teacher Engagement and School Culture: Perspectives on School Reform and the Improvement of Teacher's Work 1

ABSTRACT

Recent educational policy reports in the U.S. have called for significant changes in teachers’ work to increase their effectiveness. The paper examines the relationship between the restructuring strategies in two comprehensive high schools and teachers’ engagement, which is defined as a multi‐dimensional construct. In one school, the restructuring strategies focused on creating a supportive climate for students, and in empowering students and teachers; in the other, emphasis was on developing professional skills of the faculty and strengthening group cohesiveness. The implications of the strategies for teacher engagement are illustrated with case study data. The discussion points to several conclusions: (1) the effects of restructuring are more bounded than is often assumed; (2) a quality of work life framework drawn from the social scientific literatures is useful for analyzing the effects of reform policies on teachers’ work; (3) teachers make trade‐offs between different types of engagement in order to increase their work satisfaction; and (4) restructuring has potential for increasing teachers’ engagement in schools with mixed socio‐economic and racial populations.