Our department has experienced a significant culture transformation in its approach to teaching. This change is primarily the result of sustained focus on reforming two heavily coordinated sequences, Applied Calculus and Calculus. Initially catalyzed by pilot projects introducing a flipped-class format to these courses, the reforms led to broader…

This appendix provides additional characteristics of the studies of "Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT)" that meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) single-case design standards, including six studies that contribute to the findings in the "CW-FIT" intervention report and six studies that do not contribute to…

This report examines teachers' perceptions about Professional Development Units (PDUs), an optional component of the REACH program, as well as the effects of participation on instructional practice and student growth.

Professional Development Units (PDUs) were new to the AISD REACH program in 2010-2011. This report summarizes participants' experiences with PDUs and the influence of PDUs on student performance on the state academic tests (TAKS) and Student Learning Objectives.

In the fragmented out-of-school-time sector, defining and measuring quality in terms of staff behaviors at the point of service provides a common framework that can reduce obstacles to cross-sector and cross-program performance improvement efforts and streamline adoption of data-driven accountability policies. This chapter views the point of…

Describes several types of literature-based language arts programs, and addresses major issues related to implementing such programs. Specifies the most significant characteristics of successful programs: those related to the classroom and the school, those related to the teacher and parent/caregiver, and those within the learner. Presents some…

The objectives of the Gender Expectations and Student Achievement (GESA) program are to reduce the disparity in the frequency distribution of teacher interactions with males as compared to those with females; to reduce stereotyping by teachers; to increase non-stereotypical interaction with students; and to produce an increased achievement in…

The Eco-Behavioral System for the Complex Assessment of Preschool Environments (ESCAPE) has been developed for the evaluation of preschool environments by way of the interactions of students with such aspects of the classroom ecology as activities, materials, and grouping configurations, as well as teacher behaviors. The system follows a momentary…

The purpose of this book is to help practitioners and policy makers understand how important it is to assist beginning teachers, and what it involves in terms of policy, procedures, pitfalls, personnel, price in time and money, and prospects. The book is divided into the following chapters: (1) "Beginning Teacher Assistance Programs: An…

A brief description is given of a small school district in which the Mastery Learning approach to instruction has been operative since 1971. This study examined the teacher evaluation records written by the school principals in the District in order to determine the behaviors, attitudes and actions that these school administrators encourage in…

A description is given of the Classroom Organization and Management Program, designed to help teachers in grades 1-9 and staff developers improve their overall instructional and behavioral management skills through planning, implementing, and maintaining effective classroom practices. It also seeks to improve student task engagement and reduction…

Successful experimental programs, in which teachers have been trained to increase their students' academic achievement, were analyzed to identify common teacher functions. Six recent studies in which teachers implemented training and in which students had higher achievement were examined. Conclusions drawn from the analysis include: (1) Students…

In discussing the importance of a competency based approach to teacher education and potential concerns for program integrity, four points are emphasized: (1) In Competency Based Education (CBE), stated competencies define all other program elements; (2) Many programs do not possess internal consistency, integrity, or external validity; (3) CBE…

Assertive Discipline (AD) advocates a systematic approach which enables teachers to set firm, consistent limits for students while remaining cognizant of students' need for warmth and positive support. This article describes effective and ineffective teacher disciplinary behaviors, AD competencies, and the implementation of AD at Rice Elementary…

The QUILT (Questioning and Understanding to Improve Learning and Thinking) program tested the hypothesis that well-designed staff development would positively affect teachers and students. QUILT increased and sustained teacher use of classroom questioning techniques to produce higher levels of student learning and thinking. QUILT participants…