To encourage widespread parental participation in schools, both lay persons and professional staff should understand the primary assumptions which undergird shared efforts to create a unified, effective system of schooling. Proposed practice for an effective schooling system must be related to: (1) democratic concepts and their presumed strengths…

A teacher survey was conducted in order to collect information on the cultural background of French-speaking Acadian ("Cajun") students in Louisiana and its possible effects on their school achievement. Teachers in selected predominantly Cajun communities were asked to respond to questions which covered: learning style, language, and…

In the last decade, the rising number of divorces has resulted in large numbers of children lviing in one-parent homes. A review of the literature on the impact of divorce on children's psychosocial adjustment, cognitive development, school peformance, and sex role development revealed several interesting findings. Age of children at time of…

Disruptive behavior, which can range from tardiness to violence against classmates or staff members, is a growing problem in adult basic education (ABE). Many feel that this is because ABE programs have begun serving young adults below the age of 18 who are quite different from their more mature classmates both psychologically and emotionally.…

Concerns about college fraternities and sororities and student values are identified for student personnel administrators. It is noted that fraternities and sororities are exclusionary by practice, sexist in nature, and gender specific by design. They reinforce, without reexamining, the values that their members possess upon entering. Attention is…

Problems of urban high schools, including poor attendance, high dropout rates, low achievement, and poor social relationships, are linked together by a strong sense of alienation among students and teachers. Yet much of the educational research and policy treat these issues separately. In this study a conceptual framework for understanding student…

A project was initiated at one private, liberal arts college to respond to the substance use/abuse issues on campus. As a first step in designing the project, a study was conducted to assess the nature and extent of alcohol consumption and drug use by the students. Students (N=247) completed a 10-page questionnaire addressing topics such as…

To examine whether a professor's reputation affects course selection, a survey was conducted of about 280 students in a junior level marketing class required of all business students at Bowling Green State University (Ohio). The questionnaire listed 25 economics professors and asked what the students had heard about the professors in five…

The five papers in this set describe a research program designed to examine how an intended science curriculum, as described in policy documents and textbooks, is interpreted by teachers and adapted to an established pattern of classroom functioning embodied in what is called a "functional paradigm." The overall objective of the research is to…

This pilot project explored the use of video in an elementary school as a catalyst for group discussion and self reflection in connection with conflict resolution. Subjects were 32 students in an extended day care program for grades K-6; 80% of these students were of Hispanic background. Videos were created with the students, and then played back…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Recognition for special effort and achievement has been noted as a component of effective schools. Schools in the Moreland School District have effectively improved standards of discipline and achievement by providing forty-six different ways for children to receive positive recognition. Good…

Theory is a useful guide for program design and implementation. This paper uses a large-scale school-based delinquency prevention project to illustrate the use of theory in program design and the need for line staff to have a clear understanding of the program's theoretical underpinnings. Evaluation results for the program show that the program…

The Effective-School Scale is presented for addressing student outcomes associated with an effective school or district for minorities. This measurement device is based on the expectations that differences in academic performance need not exist between minority and majority students, and that goals of student equality should be extended beyond…

Findings from indepth studies of discipline policies in three middle schools are summarized. Although all the schools were in a single urban district, significant differences were identified among them. The written policies of each school varied in the elaboration and emphasis of various themes in district policy, and the schools varied in the…

Prevention and problem solving approaches to behavior management in classrooms for behaviorally disordered (BD) students are reviewed. Attention is focused on positive strategies teachers can use to manage inappropriate behavior and to teach students alternative appropriate behaviors. The following components of prevention that contribute to a…