Preschool teachers and classroom aides: Same context,similar perceptions of children's behaviors?

This study explored the correspondence and differences between school staff perceptions of preschool children's social skills and behavior problems. One hundred preschoolers were assessed by 14 pairs of teachers and classroom aides with the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales – 2^nd Edition (PKBS‐2 Portuguese version). Indexes of agreement and disagreement were calculated. Risk levels and item analyses of PKBS‐2 scores according to both informants' ratings were compared. A higher level of agreement was obtained for social skills scores than for behavior problems (mean correlation of .62). No statistically significant differences between informants were obtained for the risk levels, and item analyses revealed a similar pattern of behaviors that were most and least rated by both informants. Results indicate that the classroom aides' perspective on preschool assessment represents a reliable input, which justifies that they network with teachers in addressing preschoolers' social‐emotional and behavioral challenges.     

探究CAI课件辅助中学化学教学实践中的问题

目前,中学教师们普遍使用的CAI课件在辅助中学化学教学中存在着课件制作的指导思想陷入误区、CAI课件与常规课堂教学有机结合的误区、CAI课件使用上的误区及课件制作的水平欠佳等问题,对这些问题我们应该进行认真的分析和研究,扬其长、避其短、克服误区,合理整合。这样才能正确发挥现代信息技术在化学课堂教学中的辅助作用。     

Teacher's aides in kindergarten: Effects on achievement for students with disabilities

Over the past 20 years, the number of teacher's aides in the United States has more than doubled, potentially in response to the growth of special education programs now taking place in general education schools. Surprisingly, little research at all has focused on the role that teacher's aides may play in improving student achievement, and no known study had examined this for students with disabilities. The author addressed this void by examining how teacher's aides link to achievement outcomes for students with disabilities in kindergarten. Using nationally representative data, the findings suggest that students with disabilities in full-day kindergarten have higher reading and mathematics outcomes at the end of kindergarten when the classroom has a teacher's aide. In contrast, there was no observed benefit for students with disabilities in part-day kindergarten. The size and strength of this relationship differs by individual characteristics and teacher and classroom characteristics. Implications are discussed.     

In,out or somewhere in between? Disabled students' and teacher aides' experiences of school

Disabled students' entry to the (compulsory) education system in New Zealand is often conditional upon the presence of untrained teacher aides, who are frequently regarded as the ‘solution to inclusion’. This widespread practice has occurred within a research and policy void, despite the growing body of international research literature that contests its efficacy and equity. Drawing from the findings of a qualitative study, the purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the school experiences of disabled students, from their and teacher aides' perspectives. Interpreted within a framework of current disability, social justice and sociology of childhood theorising, the findings are presented as a continuum of educational contexts, in which students (and aides) were (1) fully included in all aspects of school, (2) partly included/assimilated in aspects of school life, and (3) excluded from regular school. The findings are consistent with those of international research in illuminating the pivotal, complex and ambiguous role that aides play in both helping and hindering disabled students' educational presence, participation and achievement. The paper concludes with an outline of changes that may be instrumental in bringing about a more inclusive education system for all students.     

论军阀幕僚的政治功能与弊端

军阀幕僚实质上是传统幕僚政治在民国时期的延续和发展,其政治功能主要有政治运筹、政治执行、政治动员和政治协调等几个方面。军阀幕僚与现代社会的政治智囊机构不同,其“以幕代正”、“以僚代官”特征,与制度化的政治管理体制是根本对立的,明显违背现代政治发展的趋势,阻碍了民族国家中央权威政府的建立,降低国家的整合能力,强化了军阀首领权力人格的“私囊”作用,成为军阀派系斗争的政治工具。     

游幕与清初士人心态及诗风演变——以康熙己未博学鸿儒科布衣处士士人群为考察对象

以康熙己未博学鸿儒科“四大布衣”为代表的布衣处士士人群在清初大都有游幕乞食的经历。作为“谋食”之举,为人作幕被视为降志辱身之举,游幕在影响士人心态的同时,也促使其诗歌内容与诗风发生演变。另一方面,游幕为布衣处士士人群提供了相对安定的薯述环境和广泛的交游范围,大幅提升了他们的诗歌创作和学术水平。通过游幕,布衣处士士人群对社会现实认识的更清楚,对他们应诏博学鸿儒科起到了推动作用。     

Individualized Care in Practice: Communication Strategies of Nursing Aides and Residents in Nursing Homes

Individualizing care in nursing homes can be difficult and complex. The purpose of this study is to characterize the meaning of and experiences with individualized care from the perspectives of both nursing aides and nursing-home residents. Eight focus groups of nursing aides (N =17) and residents (N=15) from two nursing homes generated four dialectical themes related to communication strategies: (a) getting to know versus maintaining a protective distance, (b) mutual respect versus disrespect, (c) avoiding versus addressing conflict, and (d) equity versus perceived favoritism. These findings suggest dialectics in how interpersonal communication affects individualized care from the perspectives of both nursing aides and residents.     

‘I can sort of slot into many different roles’: examining teacher aide roles and their implications for practice

This study utilised role theory to investigate teacher aide roles within regional schools in Queensland, Australia. Twenty primary schoolteacher aides were interviewed; data were triangulated with 27 teacher aides' responses to a follow-up questionnaire and interviews with 6 administrative staff. Data suggest that classroom instructional support roles and small group instruction dominate teacher aide work; they also perform many non-instructional roles and work individually with students with diverse needs. School leaders must reconsider the roles expected of these professionals given their position, professional training and remuneration, better supporting teacher aides through improved communication, collaboration and sustained professional learning opportunities.     

‘You have to be like everyone else’: Support for students with vision impairment in mainstream secondary schools

The experiences of seven Australian senior secondary school students with vision impairment attending mainstream schools in Victoria were explored to gain an understanding of the support mechanisms operating to allow them access to an inclusive education. This qualitative study primarily used the in‐depth interviews of students, augmented by brief interviews with Heads of Education Support, parents, aides and teachers. Students attributed difficulties to time available, accessing e‐print and large format materials, assistive technology and access, and exclusion from classes of science, mathematics, and physical education in particular. In Australia, there is an expectation that legally mandated adjustments for students with disabilities will enable equitable, quality, and inclusive education. This was not evident in the experiences of the students in this study. Having aide support did not prevent exclusionary practices. Educators and support staff need to understand the perspectives of students with vision impairments to better facilitate successful teaching and learning experiences.     

Professional development and teacher aides in inclusive education contexts: where to from here?

During the past 10 years in Australia teacher aides have been employed in mainstream schools as support personnel in special education intervention programmes, and their numbers are increasing. At the same time workplace reform in relation to inclusive education is impacting on their employment and deployment in schools to support students with disabilities and learning difficulties. In Queensland, teacher aides have been offered formal career paths, with increased pay scales, based on the recognition and continuing attainment of qualifications or credentials. However, there is increasing recognition in the educational research community that professional development for any change, and especially the complex changes in culture needed for inclusive education, is about developing and managing a collaborative process of change through reflection on, learning about, and sharing meanings and understandings about effective support of all students, in ways that value the diversities and celebrate the differences of the perspectives of the whole school community. How can we move the process of professional development for teacher aides forward? The experiences and knowledge that teacher aides already can have further inform this process of change through professional development.