Contributors to this volume use their own stories to demonstrate success of one institution, the Catholic school system, in educating many African Americans who have gone on to make important contributions to the community. Their own experiences are the starting points for their reflections on the historical and sociological treatment of the…

Researchers have long sought to enhance the academic achievement of low income, minority children. To understand adolescents' achievement motivation and persistence, investigations must focus on both the contexts of achievement and the characteristics of adolescent participants. In line with this aim, this study investigated a group counseling…

A pilot study was conducted to examine the information with respect to the modes, referents, and relationships that a given teacher acquires through the examination of her students' written responses to open-ended tasks and how the teacher uses this information. The participating teacher taught sixth grade in a public elementary school in a…

Sixteen graduates of rural high schools were interviewed and asked to describe specific interactions with adults during their high school days that had significantly affected their thoughts about themselves or their future. Brief discussions examine the reasons that teachers have an impact on rural adolescents, what constitutes a "rural"…

The research reported followed groups of young women from large national samples to begin to understand the complexities that explain the loss of scientifically talented young women from the sciences. The study explores women's experiences in diverse areas of science and presents a picture of the successful woman scientist. Data sets used are the…

This study describes the development of the Attitude Toward Grades (ATG) survey instrument, a brief internally consistent measure of college student attitude toward grades and reports on selected behavioral correlates of that attitude. An initial item pool of approximately 50 attitude statements was created and the Thurstone equal appearing…

For the past 2 years, a pilot program to reduce student absenteeism has been implemented in a medium-sized city participating in the New Futures Initiative. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the outcomes of the Chronic Absenteeism Pilot (CAP) project. The New Futures Initiative engaged in interagency efforts to provide…

This study examined background factors in children that influence teachers' ratings on the Classroom Adjustment Rating Scale (CARS). Sixteen classrooms in five schools were selected to include a range of socio-economic and cultural groupings from Inner London, England Primary Schools. Teachers used the CARS and an additional short scale of overall…

This digest identifies some of the cultural factors that can influence learner and teacher behavior during classroom English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. Four topic areas are discussed: roles of learners and teachers, gender-related issues; appropriate topics for instruction, and behavior at the site of instruction. Given the diversity…

This guide presents questions that parents frequently ask about their children's school along with answers to those questions. The questions and answers were prepared based on the results of studies conducted by the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education, the U.S. Department of Education, the GTE Foundation, and by the National Center for…

Although education in England is dominated by the rhetoric of "standards," this paper attempts to show that the overall shape and drive of English education reform has remained largely consistent. The annually published School Performance Tables continue to be assigned a special place in the reforms, as a means to and as an index of…

This manual, written by a classroom practitioner, addresses concerns frequently voiced by beginning teachers. It is designed as a practical approach to what works in the classroom. The chapters focus on the following issues: Classroom Management; Classroom Discipline (student behavior, easy ways to establish control, major issues, calling home,…

Although Allan Bloom in "The Closing of the American Mind" and Mike Rose in "Lives on the Boundary" reveal an almost endless list of obvious differences of perspective on literacy and higher education in America, both take divergent yet similar routes to create a permanent place for liberal education. Both Bloom and Rose use…

In the process of classroom teaching and learning, feeling something in one's body, as a basis for thinking, represents the uncertain area which can never be physically seen. Yet, this area calls for reaffirmation as "knowledge" and needs to be recognized as one of the major factors composing a knowledge base for the promotion of teacher…

This publication is intended to serve as an ongoing source of teaching fundamentals benefiting aspiring teachers as well as those who periodically feel something is missing from their day-to-day teaching. It also acts as an aid to teachers in order to improve their skills, jobs, and lives. The text suggests student-centered teaching methods and is…