Observation data from 46 classrooms demonstrated the importance of context in understanding teacher behavior. Student-teacher interactions for explaining and giving directions occurred a statistically different number of times in self-paced and other-paced (group or interactive) settings. (Author/GDC)

Studies focusing on the quality of education and equality of educational opportunity in the classroom generally indicated that teachers behave less favorably toward students who (1) come from lower socioeconomic status homes, (2) are lower academic achievers, (3) speak other than standard English, and (4) come from ethnic minority backgrounds such…

To determine how an Individually Guided Education (IGE) school structure may constrain teachers' work, four components of that structure were investigated in this ethnographic study of two five-person teaching teams: the curriculum; the team concept; the use of a team leader; and the open area design. (Author/SJL)

Most educators agree that professional development should promote better teaching, greater understanding of children and youth, and improved curricula. A framework for effective inservice involves the five essential categories of attitude, climate, content, organization, and time. (JN)

Presents results of a study on how accurately instructors in composition identified various kinds of errors. (RL)

Explanations are discussed for the apparent failure of teacher improvement programs. Focus is on the suggestion that a teacher can resist improvement by making it appear that his not improving is due to factors outside his control when, in fact, they are under his control. (JMD)

Discussed are several teacher leadership strategies which can be used to circumvent disruptive pupil behavior and maintain effective student control in the science classroom. Strategies include starting and closing procedures for each class period and late assignment policies. (DS)

Examines individual differences in psychological development among prospective teachers as these affect the adaptive, "person-centered" quality of their communication with students. Discusses implications of the results in terms of the impact of differences in teachers' communicative development upon development of students. (JMF)

Instructor expressiveness and lecture content were combined with instructor reputation in a 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design to assess interaction effects. Results indicated that reputation interacted with expressiveness but not content, in which students rated positive, high-expressive instructors more favorably than negative, high-expressive…

This article considers the question of politically active teachers who express their views in the classroom. Is this openness or proselytizing? Presented are interviews with a lawyer on teachers' freedom of speech rights and with four teacher-activists from the antinuclear, gay rights, local politics, and union movements. (SJL)

Presents an overview of research on the ways in which classroom thermal environment, lighting conditions, ion state, and electromagnetic and air pollution affect learning and the performance of students and teachers. (SJL)

Based on work by H. G. Murray, this study examines relationships between overt classroom teaching behaviors of college instructors and student ratings of teaching effectiveness. Analysis reveals a two-dimensional structure consisting of instructor clarity and student-teacher rapport dimensions. Teaching behaviors loading on these dimensions are…

Teachers viewed interactions with low-expectation students as less controllable than those with high-expectation students and teacher initiations were perceived as more controllable than child initiations. In addition, less perceived control over a student was associated with less feedback from the teacher. (Author/GDC)

Finds that although the classroom behavior of second- grade pupils is, in most ways, statistically independent of their families' income, teachers of low income family pupils criticize more often, are more directive, and seem more concerned with control. Argues that these teachers prepare their students for failure. (Author/GC)

Suggests ways to help teachers implement inservice ideas in content area reading. Includes a planning chart and a series of questions content teachers can ask themselves about upcoming assignments or lessons. (MKM)