The manual describes the differences between low-inference observation and rating scales when evaluating teachers. Procedures for observing are set forth. The body of the manual defines and exemplifies the 115 items used on the observation instrument as well as the use of two other instruments used before and after the observation, i.e., the…

Presents a checklist that principals can use during classroom observation that provides objective information that can be discussed with teachers later. (MKM)

A description is given of the Descriptive Review Process, a method of analyzing a teacher's personal style in order to promote teacher development and improvement. The process combines teacher self-evaluation with evaluation by an observer and a chairperson. The emphasis of the process is on the teacher. The teacher's role in the process involves:…

This paper attempts to discover and describe the salient common factors constituting four high school science teachers' role conceptions. In a year-long ethnographic study, two researchers worked as participant observers in various science classroom settings at an urban high school. Teachers in charge of these classrooms were interviewed on issues…

Use of the Teaching Strategies Observation Differential (TSOD), a 10-category system for observing and classifying teacher classroom behavior, is discussed as it relates to training preservice elementary school science teachers. Contends that skill in the use of TSOD helps preservice teachers become more effective in bringing about desired pupil…

Systematic analysis of classroom disruption and discipline problems can frequently correct undesirable behavior. The approach presented uses outside observers to help analyze problems and construct solutions. (JMF)

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an observation measure designed to capture teachers' use of interactive teaching skills within the delivery of the All Stars substance use prevention program. Coders counted the number of times teachers praised and encouraged students, accepted and used students' ideas, asked questions,…

Examined student behaviors during laboratory activities and the amount of time involved in each behavior. Approximately 89 percent of the student time was spent interacting with others. The amount of time spent on various activities appeared to be dependent on the nature of the activity and on the make up of the laboratory group. (YP)

More information is necessary about constraints placed on teachers before sound classroom performance evaluations can be conducted. Results of an observational instrument utilized in South Carolina, "Describing Practices and Intentions of Classroom Teachers," isolates classroom factors associated with appropriateness of teachers'…

Believes that classroom observation is, and will continue to be, the cornerstone of teacher evaluation. Offers nine suggestions intended to help administrators ensure that their observations are fair and representative. (Editor/RK)

Presents a computer program developed at the University of Cincinnati to transpose and compute sets of raw data from the Flanders' Interaction Analysis, used in investigating classroom teaching behavior. The program is included and its use with student teachers is discussed. (RAO)

Research on elementary teaching practices has provided a list of effective teacher behaviors. This list can be used as a menu from which administrators and teachers can select objectives that will serve the teachers as goals for improvement and the administrators as criteria for teacher evaluation. The behaviors listed in this paper have been…

Attracting top teachers to small school systems involves a different recruiting process: advertise widely, use telephone contacts, get there first, don't overweight interviews, do classroom observations, and keep up personal contact. (MD)

This module, developed by the Research Applications for Teaching (RAFT) project, was written to assist students to write lesson plans that are effective and interactive. Students are given directions for the preparation of behavioral objectives and for the selection of appropriate instructional methodologies to meet the widely varying needs of…

This article describes two types of classroom process research (process-product and descriptive) which are being funded by the National Institute of Education, and it analyzes the trend toward a greater emphasis on descriptive research. (MM)