This study examined the behaviors that teachers in eight large urban high schools in a Northeastern state considered important for good teacher-student relationships. A factor analysis of teacher (N = 103) survey responses revealed three factors related to student behaviors: (a) demonstrating engagement and interest in schoolwork; (b) being…

Creating a learning environment where all students can thrive academically requires an understanding of the complexities of classroom management. The notions of "discipline," "conformity" and "obedience" that have littered discussions of classroom management in the past are no longer sufficient to describe the diverse…

The degree to which students think, feel, and act engaged in school plays a vital role in their chances for academic and life success, yet levels of student engagement remain low. In this article, we focus specifically on how engagement works in the classroom, namely as a function of the interactions between students, teachers, and the class…

Based on a small qualitative study, this article focuses on understanding the rules for cell phones and other social networking media in schools, an aspect of broader research that led to important understandings of teacher-student negotiations. It considers the rules that schools and teachers make, the rampant breaking of these rules, the…

Secondary schools continue to face significant challenges as they work to support increasing numbers of students in inclusion settings. Career and Technical Education (CTE) high schools have typically offered students with special needs valuable learning opportunities. Nevertheless, little research has been done to identify the strengths and needs…

A qualitative study with nine Latina/o college students was conducted to determine their experiences with their high school teachers. After careful data analysis, the following themes emerged: (a) some Latina/o students receive high expectations and others receive low expectations, (b) low expectations for non-AP students exist, and (c) some…

This study, conducted in the Southwestern United States, investigated teacher and student uses of tablet laptop computers in a one-to-one initiative involving fifth grade through eighth grade students and their teachers. The campus initiative led to higher than expected technology integration and student-teacher and student-student collaborations.…

This is a study of the retention behaviors of high school seniors in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) elective class. The design involves a multiple case study of eight high schools chosen from California and Texas. Focus groups of high school seniors were conducted in four schools in Texas and in four schools in California. The…

The purpose of this paper is to identify strategies for preventing and managing classroom discipline problems that any teacher, even a student teacher, can use successfully. Sixty-eight student science teachers, during their first weeks of student teaching, each reported, in an account of a well-remembered event about classroom management,…

This article addresses the difficulty of engaging middle school students who don't seem to care about learning. Several classroom vignettes illustrate practical, classroom-based dilemmas generated from a university classroom management course. Three positive engagement principles are proposed to address the challenge of the reluctant learner: get…

When a student tutoring program failed to improve freshmen's achievement, a St. Louis-area high school tried mentoring as a responsibility- and relationship-building model. Almost all freshmen now participate. Many still fail multiple courses, but school atmosphere has improved drastically and disciplinary referrals have declined 40 percent. (MLH)

Problem-focused strategies to motivate students are too teacher-controlled to be effective. In solution-focused settings, the student is asked to be the expert. In problem-focused situations, the teacher describes the problem and decides the strategy. Tips for developing solution-focused motivation strategies are provided. (MLH)

Solution-focused intervention deviates from using negative labels (angry, aggressive, or shy) to describe misbehaving students, and reframes behavior descriptions more positively. Four steps (goal setting, looking for exceptions, visualizing a new life story, and practicing the desired behaviors) are vital to facilitating positive behavior…

Using the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Teaching Techniques (SE3T) instrument, 600 students in five high schools evaluated 14 teachers' performance. Teachers surveyed about students' feedback found these evaluations useful, feasible, and appropriate and felt they should occur twice yearly. Many modified their behavior as a result. (38…

The Hollywood High School mentoring program was developed as part of its career academy to serve students coming home to empty houses. The program provides each qualified student with a caring adult from the community, introduces students to the workplace, and provides cultural and educational activities. Most students surveyed improved their work…