The elusiveness of pygmalion and differences in teacher-pupil contacts

Data are presented to show that teachers vary in the extent to which their views of pupils' attributes are related to their behaviour towards them. It is suggested that this variability might be a partial explanation of the inconsistency of teacher expectation effects. Implications of the study for teachers and for future research are discussed.

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Résumé Les indications suivantes sont présentées pour démontrer que les professeurs varient dans le degré d'influence que leur opinion des attributs des élèves exerce sur leur attitude envers ces derniers. Il est suggéré que cette variabilité pourrait être une explication de l'inconsistance des effects des espérances du professeur. On discute finalement la portée de l'étude sur les professeurs et les recherches futures.

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The authors record their gratitude to: the Social Science Research Council, who financed this research; J. E. Brophy, who gave helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper.     

Building Bridges Across Faith Lines: Responsible Christian Education in a Post-Christian Society

The demographic composition of students and employees at many Christian colleges and universities in the United States does not reflect the growing religious diversity of the twenty-first century. While Christian higher education provides a valuable space for students to grow in faith and prepare for lives of service to others, many students leave college with little exposure to, or knowledge of, religious differences. Of particular concern is the infrequency of students developing relationships with religious “others,” leaving them underprepared for constructively navigating a post-Christian society. This reality places a special responsibility on Christian educators to provide sound education and opportunities for healthy encounters with different religious voices, allowing persons from these traditions to speak in their own voices and be hospitably welcomed into Christian communities. Relying on research from the emerging field of Interfaith Studies and the co-authors’ experiences of implementing interfaith initiatives at Bethel University, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, this article presents a rationale for creating interfaith engagement opportunities at Christian institutions. Specific attention is given to identifying core virtues and competencies that educators should seek to cultivate in their students and providing pedagogical strategies for helping students develop interfaith competency. Given that campus-wide support is needed if interfaith work is to be successful, we also provide strategies for working with administration, faculty, and staff across the breadth of campus life.     

Antecedents of Maternal Sensitivity During Distressing Tasks: Integrating Attachment,Social Information Processing,and Psychobiological Perspectives

Predictors of maternal sensitivity to infant distress were examined among 259 primiparous mothers. The Adult Attachment Interview, self‐reports of personality and emotional functioning, and measures of physiological, emotional, and cognitive responses to videotapes of crying infants were administered prenatally. Maternal sensitivity was observed during three distress‐eliciting tasks when infants were 6 months old. Coherence of mind was directly associated with higher maternal sensitivity to distress. Mothers' heightened emotional risk was indirectly associated with lower sensitivity via mothers' self‐focused and negative processing of infant cry cues. Likewise, high physiological arousal accompanied by poor physiological regulation in response to infant crying was indirectly associated with lower maternal sensitivity to distress through mothers' self‐focused and negative processing of infant cry cues.     

Becoming a Secondary Teacher in Germany: A trainee perspective on recent developments in initial teacher training in Germany

Increasing job mobility amongst secondary teachers within Europe, as well as the relentless pursuit of quality, prompted me into studying the training of graduates in Germany. It is the aim of this study to draw conclusions in relation to Initial Teacher Training programmes in England through the critical analysis of the German system in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. It focuses on the following aspects: the statutory framework, preparation for teaching, assessment of trainee competence and support available to trainee teacher (mentor, tutor). This study raises issues, which do not exclusively relate to the German situation, but are equally relevant within an English context. The points considered are: the role of the mentor, assessment of trainee competence and the ratio of theory and practice as elements of the course content. La mobilité croissante des enseignants du secondaire au sein de l'Europe ainsi que la recherche incessante de qualité, m'ont poussée à étudier la formation professionnelle en Allemagne. Le but de cette étude est de tirer des conclusions sur la formation professionnelle des enseignants du secondaire en Angleterre à travers une analyse critique du système dans l'état fédéral de Baden-Württemberg. Cette étude se concentrera sur les points suivants: la structure officielle, la préparation à l'enseignement, l'évaluation des compétences pédagogiques et le support disponible aux professeurs en formation. Cette étude met à jour des problèmes qui existent aussi bien en Allemagne qu'en Angleterre. Les aspects considérés sont: le support du mentor, l'évaluation de l'aptitude des stagiaires et le temps attribué à la théorie et à la pratique pendant la formation. La creciente movilidad de profesores de secundaria en Europa asícomo la incansable búsqueda de calidad me sugirió un estudio sobre la formación pedagógica en Alemania. Es la intención de este estudio el evaluar la formación pedagógica en Inglaterra a través de un análisis crítico del sistema alemán en el estado federal de Baden Württenberg. El estudio se centra en las siguientes áreas claves: el sistema de estatutos, la preparación para la enseñanza, la evaluación de la competencia del profesor aprendiz y el apoyo del mentor/tutor. El estudio discute temas que no se refieren exclusivamente a la situación alemana pero que son igualmente relevantes dentro de un contexto inglés. Los puntos considerados son: la función del mentor, la evaluación de la competencia del aprendiz, y la relación entre la teoría y la práctica como elementos del contenido del curso. Die zunehmende Mobilität der LehrerInnen auf dem europäischen Arbeitsmarkt sowie ein ständiges Streben nach Qualitätsverbesserung haben mich zu einer Studie über das Lehrpraktikum an weiterführenden Schulen in Deutschland veranlaßt. Das Ziel dieser Studie besteht darin, durch kritische Analyse des Systems in Baden-Württemberg, Schlußfolgerungen über das Ausbildungsprogramm in England zu ziehen. Die folgenden Schwerpunkte sind dabei berücksichtigt worden: Gesetzliche Rahmenbedingungen, Vorbereitung auf die Lehrtätigkeit, Beurteilung der LehrpraktikantInnen, Unterstützung durch MentorInnen und Lehrbeauftragte. Diese Studie rückt folgende Diskussionspunkte in den Vordergrund, die sich nicht ausschließlich auf die Situation in Deutschland beziehen, sondern in gleichem Maße auf England zutreffen: die Mentorenrolle, die Beurteilung der Lehrfähigkeit und das Verhältnis von Theorie und Praxis im Ausbildungsprogramm.     

An Argument in Search of Evidence: A Response to Camara et al. (2019)

This article offers a critique of the validity argument put forward by Camara, Mattern, Croft, and Vispoel (2019) regarding the use of college‐admissions tests in high school assessment systems. We challenge their argument in two main ways. First, we illustrate why their argument fails to address broader issues related to consequences of using admissions tests as an achievement indicator in high school accountability systems. Second, we find the evidence put forth by Camara et al. argument incomplete and/or overstated, even if evaluated against a more limited set of claims. We offer several additional comments regarding the construction of their validity argument, the lack of transparency for evaluating many of the claims, and the potential unintended negative consequences associated with the use of the ACT or SAT as the primary achievement indicator in a state accountability system.     

Sexual and reproductive health education: opinions of students and educators in Bolgatanga municipality,northern Ghana

There have been few assessments of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education programmes in sub-Saharan Africa from the students' and educators' perspective. This study examined students' opinions on an SRH programme in northern Ghana and explored the facilitators and barriers for educators regarding the implementation of the programme. The sample comprised 147 students and 3 educators. Questionnaires were used to collect data from students, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with educators. According to the students, the SRH programme was both important and interesting. Their expectations were moderately well met. They agreed that the main objectives of the programme and most of the objectives regarding the ‘family planning’ sessions had been achieved. Significant differences were found for school type, age and religion, but not for gender. For the educators, important facilitators were a clear manual, the presence of foreign volunteers working as educators, the increased influence of new media, students' eagerness to learn, and the feeling that the SRH programme really benefited students' lives. Important barriers were traditional and cultural influences, lack of funding and poor scheduling of the programme within the schools. The paper concludes by offering recommendations regarding the implementation of future SRH programmes in Ghana.