Boys struggle academically and behaviorally more than girls and are more likely to have difficulty with social skills. It seems likely that boys and girls do not perceive social skills in the same light. Past research has not investigated this or its relationship to academic and behavioral performance. Using data from a cohort of 9th-grade…

The design of a classroom space can make a big difference in student behavior and learning. The use of color, sound, light, furniture arrangements and more can help foster community and culture and promote understanding. Dillon discusses some easy ways to transform the classroom space that can help with classroom management.

As education communities grow more interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), schools have integrated more technology and engineering opportunities into their curricula. Makerspaces for all ages have emerged as a way to support STEM learning through creativity, community building, and hands-on learning. However, little…

Thousands of schools across the United States, and worldwide, implement School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). SWPBIS provides a framework whereby teams of educators engage in data-based decision making to select, implement, and monitor a continuum of behavioral supports and build sustainable systems to promote…

An increasing number of English schools are embracing an extreme approach to student behaviour dubbed 'no excuses' discipline, inspired by charter school chains in the United States. Proponents argue the approach is necessary to allow "all" teachers to teach and that it places responsibility where it should be: on the student. However,…

This paper explores white pre-service teachers' understandings of racism by focusing on their understanding of one moment in a field-based social studies methods course. Using interview and journal data from two pre-service teachers, this qualitative study brings a nuanced perspective to the response of these two pre-service teachers to the racist…

This study examined the perceptions of mentors and teachers of "The Change-A-Life Mentoring Program" in the areas of student behavior and academic growth. The rationale for the study was to identify recurring themes that reflect the reported perceptions of the mentors and teachers. The research interview protocol examined components of…

The purpose of the study included a comparison of academic achievement scores for reading and mathematics to the implementation of positive behavior intervention supports (PBIS) among fifth-graders attending three different types of schools in Georgia. This descriptive comparative study included the collection of academic achievement scores from…

The concern about problematic, disruptive student behavior, declining academics, and their relationships at an inner-city elementary school in the southeast United States had persisted despite positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation for two years. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to explore…

This Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school status report provides a summary of the current status of all schools implementing PBIS in Minnesota, including participation in the Minnesota Department of Education's training sequence, implementation fidelity assessment scores, and outcomes. In particular, this report highlights…

Connectivism has been studied primarily in online college classes and was shown to increase the self-regulated learning behaviors of tertiary students. It was not known how Arizona public middle school teachers from a single metropolitan school district perceived the influence of connectivist learning networks on the self-regulated learning…

School choice may allow schools to "cream skim" students perceived as easier to educate. To test this, we sent emails from fictitious parents to 6,452 schools in 29 states and Washington, D.C. The fictitious parent asked whether any student is eligible to apply to the school and how to apply. Each email signaled a randomly assigned…

University life is widely publicized as an adventure--a chance to engage with new ideas, people, and opportunities. While these vibrant interactions can be part of the college experience, participation in a competitive, high-stakes academic environment like University of Michigan (U-M) can pose very real challenges. Students must learn to navigate…

This topic brief is one in a series on personalized learning prepared for Conversations with Innovators, 2018. Norming is an important factor in developing positive classroom and school culture. Norms are specific expectations that teachers and students establish to manage behavior toward one another and the school environment. They are part of…

Disproportionality in disciplinary actions for certain racial groups has been well documented for several decades. In an effort to support all students, specifically those who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), many have called for adopting a multi-tiered system of support framework that is considerate of student culture and school…