Masculinity Politics, Myths and Boys' Schooling: A Review Essay

This essay reviews two recently published American books about masculinity politics—Michael Kimmel's pro-feminist Manhood in America and his edited collection The Politics of Manhood —in order to comment critically on the current debate underway in various parts of the world on 'boys' and their schooling which sees them as the 'new victims' of the educational process.     

Extinction and food-reinforced inhibition of conditioned salivation in dogs

The present experiment compared two methods of eliminating a classically conditioned response in dogs, extinction and reinforcement of nonsalivation, using both a within- and between-subjects experimental design. Eighteen dogs were trained for 16 days in Phase I, 16 days in Phase II, and 8 days in Phase III. In Phase I, each subject received classical conditioning training to two stimuli. In Phase II, Group 1 received extinction training to one stimulus and reinforcement of nonsalivation to the other stimulus. Group 2 received continued classical conditioning training to one stimulus and reinforcement on nonsalivation training to the other. Group 3 received continued classical conditioning training to one stimulus and extinction training to the other. In both the within- and between-subjects comparisons, responding to the stimulus associated with extinction was eliminated faster than responding to the stimulus associated with reinforcement of nonsalivation.     

Impact of a content and methods course sequence on prospective secondary mathematics teachers’ beliefs

In this article, we report on a study of beliefs about mathematics, teaching, and proof conducted with six prospective secondary mathematics teachers as they completed a two-semester sequence of a content course and a methods course. The initial beliefs of the participants were identified using interview and survey data, and potential shifts in beliefs were examined through further interview and survey data combined with classroom observations and written work. While their beliefs about mathematics and proof appeared to be relatively stable, their beliefs about teaching shifted from a more teacher-centered view to beliefs that foreground the activities and understandings of the students. These shifts are analyzed using the construct of belief structures, and activities and events from the courses that may have facilitated the shifts are identified. The results are consistent with the literature in some respects, such as the stability of the participants’ beliefs about mathematics. On the other hand, our results present new information about how prospective secondary mathematics teachers’ beliefs about teaching may be impacted.     

EXAMINING TEACHERS�� STRUGGLES AS THEY ATTEMPT TO IMPLEMENT DIALOGICAL INTERACTION AS PART OF PROMOTING MATHEMATICAL REASONING WITHIN THEIR CLASSROOMS

This study examines the changes in teaching practices during the implementation of a pedagogical model called the mathematics reasoning approach (MRA), which was founded on 2 critical areas in mathematics, problem solving, and writing to learn. Three algebra teachers implemented the approach with their classes, which were divided into control (traditional) and treatment (student-centered approach) groups, with their levels of implementation measured by the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) instrument. The implementation of the model resulted in positive changes in teachers’ pedagogical practices and yet showed the struggles they faced. In the control classes (traditional classes), the level of teaching remained the same throughout the study, whereas in the treatment classes (MRA classes), a significant improvement in the level of teaching was observed. Even though the teachers’ implementation levels differed from each other, the patterns of the change for all 3 teachers showed similarities; that is, their MRA teaching level was initially equivalent to their control teaching, but as the semester progress, there was a separation between the 2 approaches. This separation between the 2 approaches appeared to be dependent upon the pedagogical area on which the teacher put emphasis. The skill of questioning seemed to be 1 which each teacher first changed.     

„Jeder Schule ihre Lehrer“?

Neue Personalauswahl- und Einstellungsverfahren, an denen die Einzelschulen ma?geblich beteiligt werden, kommen bei der Besetzung von Lehrerstellen in zahlreichen Bundesl?ndern seit Mitte der 1990er-Jahre zur Anwendung und haben mittlerweile die herk?mmlichen zentralen Auswahl- und Zuweisungsverfahren zumindest in einigen von ihnen nahezu vollst?ndig abgel?st. Die Praxis und Wirkung der neuen Auswahlverfahren wurde bislang allerdings nicht systematisch untersucht. In diesem Beitrag werden empirische Befunde einer Untersuchung von Schulen in Nordrhein-Westfalen vorgestellt, die im Jahr 2002 freie Lehrerstellen über das neue Ausschreibungsverfahren besetzt haben. Erfasst wurden unter anderem die in der Praxis angewandten Kriterien der Personalauswahl und die Inhalte der Auswahlgespr?che, die Beurteilung des neuen Auswahl- und Einstellungsverfahrens durch die beteiligten Schulleitungen und Mitglieder der Auswahlkommissionen, Einsch?tzungen und Erfahrungen der neu eingestellten Lehrkr?fte sowie der Verlauf ihrer Berufseinstiegsphase und ihre Bew?hrung am neuen Arbeitsplatz.     

Deaf teacher candidates in hearing classrooms: a unique teacher preparation program

An undergraduate teacher education program at Gallaudet University prepares deaf students in "regular" education. This includes a required full-time internship with hearing students (assisted by sign language interpreters). Graduates then continue in a master's degree program in deaf education, thus acquiring dual certification. Several studies indicate that these deaf candidates progress through the same developmental stages as hearing candidates and that they develop high expectations for deaf learners. Issues related to implementing such a program are discussed.     

Student Teachers Meet Ethnic Families

Sixty preservice teachers participated in a program which allowed them to research one ethnic culture, to spend one day as a participant observer in the life of an ethnic family, and to explore the similarities and differences between cultures and within cultures based on their own experience and the feedback of experts. Students self‐reported quantitative gains in empathy, self‐development, understanding of the relevance of multiculturalism in education and confidence to teach the culturally different. Qualitative change in attitudes indicated a decrease in stereotypic thinking, greater understanding of ethnic parents and children and a willingness to make further contact with people from diverse cultures. Benefits to participating hosts are also discussed.