A review of research shows that, while supervisory job prescriptions focus on classroom observation for the purpose of improvement of instruction, job descriptions differ from the prescription and there is a gap between the classroom supervision that occurs and the supervision prescribed in the literature. (FL)

Examined the roles of 11 school psychologists in an urban school in a time sampling study conducted by trained observers. Results generally confirmed the findings of self-report studies showing that 30-40 percent of the psychologists' time was spent in assessment. (JAC)

An English methods student personally reflects back on 10 days of preteaching laboratory experience in a secondary school English classroom. (HOD)

Since thinking is most often performed in problem-solving situations, teachers can become observers by providing situations in which students can practice and demonstrate intelligent behaviors. Some indicators include: perseverance, precision of language, problem finding, decreased impulsivity, metacognition, checking for accuracy, transference,…

Examines the immediate and long term effects of sociometric testing on preschool children's peer interactions. Positive and negative nomination as well as rating-scale sociometric measures were administered individually to children from two preschool classrooms, and behavioral observations of peer interactions were conducted before, after, and…

The natural rates of teacher approval of appropriate student behavior and off-task student behavior were determined in middle school classrooms. Mean rates of teacher approval were found to exceed rates of disapproval. Inappropriate approval also appeared to be a relevant factor in managing classroom behavior. (Author/ DWH)

An ethnolinguistic study of a native group in Mali provides a French teacher interested in teaching "civilization" some insights into techniques of cultural observation and analysis outside the usual realm of mass media and printed materials. (MSE)

Work behavior of high school teachers was studied using a structured observation technique. This method of observation offers information on how individuals spend their time and allocate their attention. Findings are discussed. (DF)

Examines the reciprocal relation of community organization and family patterns by participant observation techniques in two isolated fishing communities, similar in ecology and cultural background. Even though work organization in both is small scale, substantial differences in patterns of family life are found. (JAC)

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)

Focusing on "interpreting speaker/hearers" as a method to show how classroom discourse facilitates or fetters education, the author suggests that the key issue is the type of elicitation a question might apprear to be to students. (MD)

Presents a checklist designed to measure the reading attitudes of beginning readers. Discusses the methods used to develop the instrument. (FL)

Examines groups of conduct-disordered and normal children in order to (1) test the potential usefulness of observational techniques in assessing therapeutic outcomes and (2) identify possible differences between deviant children and normal peers in aggressive and prosocial behavior. (RH)

An "ideal lesson" method was used to observe how teachers were providing instruction in text summarization. Teachers prepared a lesson and audiotaped the presentation. Although teachers were prompted to assist students in improving text summaries, only two teachers actually discussed more than one summarization rule. Staff development…

Presents five lessons to help secondary level art students see the subjects they draw as they actually appear. The lessons involve portraits, void/solid drawings, surface textures, detailed drawings, and figure drawings. (RM)