Though students enjoy tasteless topics, teachers must set classroom standards that reflect community standards and tolerance levels. Strategies for moving students beyond tasteless topics in writing include: not making them feel bad about their interests; not being afraid to change the rules when there are unhealthy writing ruts; and letting…

The Georgia Preschool-Postsecondary Initiative was started in 1995 to bolster student achievement and classroom teacher preparation. Program success will be measured by increasing numbers of high-school students successfully completing algebra and geometry, raising postsecondary admission requirements, and having a qualified teacher in every…

A study examined five teachers' perspectives in a ninth grade class that included students with disabilities in regular classes. Teachers who supported inclusion of a student with Down syndrome differed in their expectations of him and the other students with and without disabilities. Variable standards for classroom attendance were a primary…

Outlines particular moments in the author's recent experience as the instructor of a course called "Teaching English Language Arts in the Secondary School" when she was forced to examine her expectations about the course, about the students and about herself as the instructor. (RS)

A study of entry-phase agriculture teachers (n=90, one-third female) identified personal, professional, and situational characteristics that would explain how long they expected to remain in teaching. Gender and agricultural work experience were significant predictors. (Contains 28 references.) (SK)

This study explored relationships between Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Outcome Expectations and Intention Certainty. Intention Certainty is a new variable created for this study and comprised of existing conceptions of intention and decision certainty. The purpose of this study was fourfold. This study attempted to expand our understanding of…

The report card grade has come to serve a variety of purposes: (1) Substantiation for state funding; (2) A public relations opportunity to help generate positive feelings between a school and the community; (3) A vehicle used by the teacher to increase a student's self-esteem; (4) An opportunity to reward a student's likability; and (5) A chance…

Behavior analysts assume that private events like thinking and feeling have the same kinds of physical dimensions as other events in the world. They still claim, however, that private events can never be initiating causes of behavior. I point out that this position seems theoretically inconsistent, though exactly what qualifies as an initiating…

As the publication of picture books that contain meta-fictive or postmodern elements increases, research concerning how intermediate grade readers respond and construct meaning in transaction with these texts is important. This study explores readers' responses and discussions focusing on the picture book Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne.…

In this article, the author stresses that teachers need to teach their students to think critically and to reason their way. One prerequisite for teaching critical thinking is a classroom climate of high expectations, teacher warmth and encouragement, and pleasant physical surroundings. Schools should see to it that students become progressively…

Although lightness perception is clearly influenced by contextual factors, it is not known whether knowledge about the reflectance of specific objects also affects their lightness. Recent research by O. H. MacLin and R. Malpass (2003) suggests that subjects label Black faces as darker than White faces, so in the current experiments, an adjustment…

Although conservative Christians have been shown to have rates of mental health problems comparable with the general population (King, 1978), research has found that conservative Christians hesitate to seek counseling from a counselor who does not label him- or herself a "Christian counselor" and often drop out of counseling early when…

Examines factors affecting teacher expectancy through hierarchical linear modeling of data from two large-scale surveys of teachers working in schools with high-stakes accountability programs. Finds following significant predictors of teacher expectancy: Teacher perceptions of program fairness, student performance feedback, lack of goal conflict,…

Working within a methodological framework that identified four focus groups, high-achieving boys and girls and underachieving boys and girls, this article presents teachers' perceptions of how gender identity is seen to influence achievement levels. Beliefs about gender identity informed the teachers' perceptions in relation to each of the four…

The impact of childhood on success in adulthood has been much researched. This paper discusses how parental expectations, social class, childhood experiences and gender influenced the career success of disabled people. For respondents with congenital disabilities, disability was perceived as a primary factor influencing parental expectations, but…