Theoretical and practical implications of the proposition that teachers' differential behavior toward high and low expectation students serves a control function were tested. As predicted, initial performance expectations were found related to later perceptions of control over performance, even when the initial relationship between expectations…

The relative effectiveness of three measures of teacher expectations for predicting students' achievement was studied. Teachers' perceptions of student ability and the discrepancy between teacher-perceived ability and student-tested ability were related to achievement change. The amount of improvement the teacher expected was unrelated to the…

A study in Columbia, Missouri, revealed that many teacher and student background characteristics correlated weakly but significantly with teachers' perceptions of the frequency of discipline infractions and the effectiveness of disciplinary techniques. The data (derived from school records and from a questionnaire to which 162 elementary teachers…

Fourteen classrooms were grouped according to environmental format (open/mixed/traditional) and differences in teacher-student interaction patterns and perceptions of responsibility for outcomes assessed. As predicted, open classrooms showed the highest percentage of dyadic interactions. Also as predicted, open classrooms tended to show the lowest…

Surveyed elementary school teachers (N=162) to examine the relations between teacher perceptions of discipline, teacher education, teacher experience, student social class, student ethnicity, and student grade level. In general, more experienced and educated teachers preferred confronting students about misbehavior, while less educated teachers…

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)

Tested a model of the influence of homework on classroom performance using a sample of 429 students in grades 2 and 4, their parents, and their 28 teachers. Data reveal the critical role of parents in both the homework process and the success of elementary school students. Positive parent involvement in homework was the strongest predictor of…

A review of 39 studies indicates that achievement-test scores decline over summer vacation. Meta-analysis results from combining the 13 most recent studies indicate that the summer loss equals about one month on a grade-level equivalent scale. Discusses implications for school calendar changes. Contains 68 references. (SLD)