Use of an independent group contingency management system in a regular classroom setting

This paper examines the usefulness of an independent group contingency system for decreasing inappropriate behaviors. Twenty-five fourth-grade students enrolled in a regular class setting participated in this intervention, which involved a public posting system using positive reinforcement for desired behaviors. The program involved identification of target behaviors, collection of baseline data, program implementation, and follow-up. Targeted behaviors showed marked decreases across the 8-week treatment period and remained at this level through the end of the school year. Positive and negative factors influencing the effectiveness of the independent group contingency approach are reviewed. A second aspect of this paper is to discuss teacher-related variables that can influence the success of a management program developed by a psychological consultant.     

Catching Up: Gender values at a Canadian independent school for girls, 1978-93

Many studies over the past decade have examined the adverse ways in which gender differences inculcated by educational institutions have shaped girls' lives. This article begins by identifying the negative effects that traditional gender norms still have on even privileged young women who study in single-sex environments designed to foster their education and personal development. It goes on to examine the transformation over 15 years of the gender values at a Canadian independent school for girls and their effect on the students and the school structures. The article concludes that despite the progress in breaking down destructive gender divisions made by individual girls' schools, the gender-stereotyped realities of the outside world continue to influence the school environment and the students' thinking. Single-sex schooling for girls, therefore, becomes an even more important antidote to our society's tradition of gender bias.     

Responsible Eclecticism: Using a Structured Analysis Process to Facilitate Curriculum Discourse with Graduate Preservice Early Childhood Students

Teaching from an informed and culturally responsive philosophy of education is critical for teaching in the 21^st century and engagement in reconceptualizing the field of early childhood. This article describes a process used with graduate preservice early childhood education students over a two-course sequence, to generate a personal philosophy through structured synthesis of (a) personal beliefs, (b) major schools of Western thought, (c) non-Western educational traditions, and (d) widely known and used early childhood curriculum models. Five key questions, numerous graphic organizers, criterion-referenced rubrics, and examples of student work are provided to illustrate the process used for content analysis and reflective activities.     

Mathematics in Secondary Psychiatric Schools: Curricular and Assessment Policies and Practices

The current study focuses on results from a national survey of special education mathematics teachers in secondary psychiatric schools. A total of 115 (33.04%) respondents completed a mail or online survey concerning school-level mathematics curriculum and assessment policies and practices. No statistically significant differences existed between respondent and nonrespondent schools on demographic variables. Results indicate a disconnect between the mathematics curriculum and state assessments. Approximately half teachers responded that their school relies on standard district or state curriculum, and the curriculum and instructional materials are aligned with assessments to a great extent. Only about 40% and 30%, respectively, reported that schools are supervised and teachers are provided professional development to facilitate the alignment of curriculum with state assessments to a great extent. Additional results and implications are discussed.     

Increasing Access for Economically Disadvantaged Students: The NSF/CSEM & S-STEM Programs at Louisiana State University

Increasing college degree attainment for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is a prominent component of numerous state and federal legislation focused on higher education. In 1999, the National Science Foundation (NSF) instituted the ??Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships?? (CSEMS) program; this initiative was designed to provide greater access and support to academically talented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Originally intended to provide financial support to lower income students, this NSF program also advocated that additional professional development and advising would be strategies to increase undergraduate persistence to graduation. This innovative program for economically disadvantaged students was extended in 2004 to include students from other disciplines including the physical and life sciences as well as the technology fields, and the new name of the program was Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM). The implementation of these two programs in Louisiana State University (LSU) has shown significant and measurable success since 2000, making LSU a Model University in providing support to economically disadvantaged students within the STEM disciplines. The achievement of these programs is evidenced by the graduation rates of its participants. This report provides details on the educational model employed through the CSEMS/S-STEM projects at LSU and provides a path to success for increasing student retention rates in STEM disciplines. While the LSU??s experience is presented as a case study, the potential relevance of this innovative mentoring program in conjunction with the financial support system is discussed in detail.