The purpose of this qualitative research study was to evaluate the readiness of educators to implement classroom discipline interventions and strategies after attending an equity-based professional development (PD) and identify effective action steps that address the disparity in discipline referrals towards students of color and sanctions through…

Background/Context: As part of a nationwide initiative that re-conceptualized teacher evaluation, Virginia issued the Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers on July 1, 2012; these guidelines marked a significant overhaul of the state's approach to teacher evaluation. Previous studies examined the impact…

This manuscript shares how one teacher education program is working to interrupt racist, xenophobic, homophobic, antisemitic, ableist, and sexist microaggressions and other forms of discrimination that occur in P-12 field experiences. In this article, we share our context, actions, and examples (i.e., critical cases) of microaggressions from…

Based on the emotion socialization and bioecological models, the present study examined the contributions of teacher emotion socialization (i.e., teacher reactions to child emotions) on children's social-emotional behaviors, and the moderating effect of child temperamental surgency on these relations in the preschool context. A total of 337…

This article describes how the Virginia Beach schools have embraced differentiation as its new instructional philosophy, in part by adding it to teacher evaluation. The heart of guiding everyone in the district from novice to expert in the work focuses on these four essential questions: (1) Are we clear about what matters in curricula?; (2) Is the…

Virginia Beach City Public Schools had decided to embrace differentiation as its philosophy of instruction. Differentiation was added to the teacher evaluation rubric, and by 2003 Virginia Beach launched full force into a division-wide focus on Carol Ann Tomlinson's model for differentiation. (Tomlinson is the author of several books on the…

All students are entitled to a respectful and meaningful education in this decade of No Child Left Behind, and yet attention to the gifted wanes with the emphasis on standards-based education and testing. Educators of the gifted have wrestled with this dilemma for many decades, even as early as the 1920s when Leta S. Hollingsworth, noted…

Despite advances in the development and implementation of school-based interventions, aggression in American schools remains a significant problem for educators. The present study examines the influence of teacher preparation on responses to classroom aggression. A sample of 121 teachers employed in 11 public schools across Southwest Virginia…

Since the state board adopted the Standards of Learning, Virginia high-school teachers maintain tighter schedules and more often use direct instruction instead of group activities to cover the new curriculum. A two-edged sword, the SOL has engendered an increased interest in professional collaboration. (MLH)

More high schools are experimenting with block schedules to provide longer class periods and decrease faculty workload. Since a Colorado Springs high school adopted the new schedule in 1990, daily attendance, honor roll participation, college enrollments, and earned course credits are all higher. Benefits for schools in Maine, Illinois, Ohio,…

The third party evaluation examines the activities of the 1974-75 school year. Results of the evaluation are organized around four major areas of interest: student self-concept, career awareness, student attitudes toward career development, and teacher use of career education resources. Evaluation instruments used with the students were…

A Virginia Department of Education survey of urban, suburban, and rural schools using block scheduling revealed fewer disciplinary problems, a strong teacher preference for this format over traditional scheduling, and positive effects on standardized test scores in reading and mathematics. When time is used well in schools, school climate improves…

Assessed status and progress of environmental education (EE) in Virginia's public schools using classroom teachers' (N=595) responses to questions concerning their instruction and school's curriculum. Among the findings are those indicating few well-coordinated EE programs and little pressure/support to develop such programs. (JN)

This third party evaluation examines the activities of the 1975-76 school year, which were part of a 3-year program in Bedford County, Virginia, to implement the Career Education NOW! Model for Career Education Curriculum, K-14, for a Rural-Urban School District. Results of the evaluation are organized around three major information areas of…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 15 titles deal with the following topics: methods for teaching students of English as a second language and remedial students in freshmen composition courses; Maryland community college English teachers' backgrounds and attitudes…