From the perspective of the student audience, the general results of the study suggest that, as teacher custodialism increases, the more robust are acts of student brinksmanship, the less robust is the teacher's pupil control behavior, and the less the teacher is liked by students. (Author)

Investigates the relationship between environmental robustness, student behavior, and the openness of the school structure. Offers some tentative suggestions for increasing robustness in open schools. (IRT)

Describes a field study that found that student "brinkmanship" (assertive behavior attempting to challenge the school's authority system yet avoid negative sanctions) is related to organizational routinization and student-teacher rapport. When rapport is poor, high routinization and control is correlated with low brinkmanship. (Author/JM)

Correlations among students', teachers', or principals' perceptions of environmental robustness suggest that dramatic classroom and school environments are characterized by clear goal structure, friendly and supportive relationships, diverse interests and activities, positive supervisory relationships, student involvement, retention of learning,…

Ideally, teacher confidence in the principal's instructional or supervisory expertise can overcome concerns about professional autonomy and bureaucratic control. This study focuses on elementary teachers' perceptions of the relationships among the principal's supervisory expertise, teacher sense of autonomy, and the robustness of school climate.…