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Descriptors:
Acceleration (Education); Rating Scales; Urban Schools; Academically Gifted; Rural Schools; Suburban Schools; Rural Urban Differences; Teacher Attitudes; Social Influences; Emotional Experience; Student Needs; Teachers; Longitudinal Studies; Extracurricular Activities; Teacher Surveys; School Policy; Parent Attitudes; Measures (Individuals); Focus Groups

Abstract:
Despite extensive research supporting its use, including the 2004 publication of "A Nation Deceived," acceleration is an underutilized strategy for meeting the academic needs of gifted and talented students. Parents' and educators' attitudes and beliefs about acceleration influence the extent to which it is implemented in schools. This study investigated gifted and talented educators' attitudes toward acceleration using a 7-point rating scale measuring concerns about acceleration, beliefs about acceleration, and support for specific acceleration strategies. Data indicated there were no differences in attitudes among teachers from rural, suburban, or urban school districts. Overall, the least popular acceleration strategies were also the easiest to implement, but caused the greatest change in students' environments (i.e., grade-skipping and early entrance to kindergarten). As expected, the educators were most troubled by social issues and least concerned about academic issues related to acceleration. (Contains 6 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academically Gifted; Student Attitudes; Play; Rural Schools; Focus Groups; Online Surveys; Talent; Urban Schools; Suburban Schools; Socialization; Barriers; Attention Control; Learning Motivation; Retention (Psychology); Teamwork; Problem Solving; Cognitive Development; Social Development; Physical Development

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore the concept of play through the eyes of talented and gifted (TAG) fifth- and sixth-grade students. Three focus groups consisting of fifth- and sixth-grade TAG students were conducted in one urban, one suburban, and one rural school district in the Midwest. Students were asked to describe the value of play in the cognitive, physical, and social domains. Additional open-ended questions were asked about the importance of play and its relevance to their lives. From these results, an online survey was created. Data from an additional 162 fifth- and sixth-grade TAG respondents substantiated that play is a significant activity for learning and socializing in the general classroom, gifted programs, and outside their classrooms. Despite its importance, students experienced structural barriers for time to play. Putting the Research to Use: Results of this study hold implications for teachers to acknowledge the value of play as a tool for learning. Children see play as a renewal activity. They see play as motivating and as a way to increase attention, retention, and focus in learning. Children emphasized that play develops teamwork and problem-solving skills. Play enhances meaningful activities in the talented and gifted program as well as the general classroom. Results of this study suggest that parents should acknowledge their children's need for play in all three domains (cognitive, physical, and social) and allow time for self-directed play after school with limits on scheduled activities. (Contains 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Indigenous Populations; Females; Educational Quality; Foreign Countries; Self Determination; Politics; Interviews; Racial Bias; Feminism; High School Students; Disadvantaged; Role; Secondary School Students; Suburban Schools; Justice

Abstract:
This paper presents data from a study of secondary school for girls, the majority of whom identify as Indigenous Australian. "Gamarada" High School is located in a suburban area of Queensland (Australia) and was established to provide quality education for disadvantaged girls. The paper draws on student and teacher interview data from a broader study that was concerned with examining how the school addressed the economic, cultural and political dimensions of Indigenous girls' disadvantage. The focus here is on issues of political justice in relation to Indigenous representation and, more specifically, how such representation at the school supports the key Indigenous equity priority of self-determination. Feminist post-colonial theories are drawn on to argue the importance of educators engaging with a politics of representation that initiates theory from the social location of Indigenous experience, reflects an anti-racist/anti-colonial agenda and recognises and values the central role relationality plays in Indigenous lives. (Contains 2 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Behavior Problems; Suburban Schools; Emotional Disturbances; Intervention; Screening Tests; Goodness of Fit; Parent Attitudes; Teacher Attitudes; Elementary School Students; Delivery Systems; Models

Abstract:
Schools have begun to adopt a population-based method to conceptualizing assessment and intervention of students; however, little empirical evidence has been gathered to support this shift in service delivery. The present study examined the fit of a population-based model in identifying students' behavioral and emotional functioning using a district screening of first- through fifth-grade students (n = 2,706) in a diverse suburban school district. Teacher ratings of students' emotional and behavior difficulties appeared to fit a population-based model well. Parent ratings of students' difficulties (n = 1468) did not fit the model but indicated students having fewer difficulties. There was significant agreement between parent and teacher ratings for those students rated by both informants. These findings further support the use of population-based models in conceptualizing service delivery for students in schools. Limitations of the study, as well as implications for school screenings, are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Boards of Education; Leadership; Educational Policy; Policy Formation; Politics of Education; School Districts; Public Schools; School Segregation; Equal Education; Suburban Schools; Public Support; Cultural Pluralism; School Demography

Abstract:
As the demographic make-up of public schools (and neighborhoods) shift and schools become increasingly segregated, the role of school boards becomes critically important in maintaining policies designed to remedy segregation and promote equal opportunity, policies which may challenge the status quo. Specifically, in school districts and communities where politics are fluctuating, longstanding diversity policies that have assisted in creating integrated learning environments can be overturned by a single school board election. Further, as suburbanization within countywide school districts creates distinct enclaves--where student populations are significantly whiter and more affluent than the district as a whole and political fragmentation is perpetuated--school board members representing elite enclaves may be less supportive of policies that would lessen the privilege of these residents. This paper explores school board leadership and policymaking in two Southern school districts where politics are currently in flux: Jefferson County (Louisville), Kentucky and Wake County (Raleigh), North Carolina. Specifically, we seek to: (1) understand how demographic change--particularly the creation of suburban enclaves--influences public support for and implementation of integration policies; (2) examine the politics of diversity in a larger environment skeptical of race-conscious policies; and (3) analyze local policymaking and leadership. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
English (Second Language); Foreign Countries; Multilingualism; Language Planning; Disadvantaged Schools; Native Language; Suburban Schools; Second Language Learning; Native Language Instruction; Socioeconomic Status; Language of Instruction; Ethnography; Literacy; Cultural Context; Educational Environment; Teaching Methods; Poverty; Textbooks; Access to Education; Content Area Reading; Memorization; Translation; Multigraded Classes

Abstract:
India is home to 1652 languages, but only 22 are officially recognized. And while the Constitution requires local authorities to provide mother tongue instruction in schools (Article 350A, Constitution of India), a mere 43 languages are used nationally as instructional medium. An exploding demand for English-medium schooling across socio-economic divides further complicates the language-in-education context. This case study, a sub-part of a broader project drawing on four years of ethnographic work, focuses on five young multilingual children living at an "anathashram" (orphanage) in suburban New Delhi and studying in an English-medium village school. I explore the different literacy practices influencing the negotiation of the instructional medium, their impact on language learning, and their wider language policy and planning implications. Careful analyses of the teaching context, pedagogical and textbook approaches, and learning practices reveal how "English-medium" instruction in a typical small, private Indian school catering to poor children leads to restricted acquisition of English, in ways that also constrain students' ability to access educational content across subject areas. Thus, poor children who enroll in these schools in increasing numbers precisely "because of" the schools' self-identification as English-medium institutions end up doubly disadvantaged, because they are cut off from both language and content. (Contains 1 figure and 6 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
School Location; Minority Group Students; Family Life; Rural Schools; Socioeconomic Status; Surveys; Teachers; Rural Education; Students; Teacher Student Relationship; Community Involvement; Parent Participation; Urban Areas; Urban Schools; Suburban Schools; Educational Improvement

Abstract:
MetLife has sponsored and Harris Interactive has conducted the annual MetLife Survey of the American Teacher series since 1984 to share the voices of teachers with educators, policymakers and the public. The series examines significant changes and trends over time, highlights important current issues, and explores topics relevant to the future of education, teaching and student success. Throughout the MetLife Survey series, reports have noted the important ways in which the experiences of teachers, principals and students can vary depending on the school setting, including such factors as school level (elementary, middle and high school), school location (urban, suburban, rural), and student population (proportion of low income students and/or minority students). This brief presents selected findings from recent survey reports highlighting views from rural schools. (Contains 2 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (473K)

Descriptors:
Age; Principals; Urban Schools; Teacher Selection; Urban Areas; Suburban Schools; Suburbs; Teaching Experience; School Districts; Predictor Variables; Preservice Teachers; Measures (Individuals); National Surveys; High Schools; Teacher Attitudes

Abstract:
Paper screening in the pre-selection process of hiring teachers has been an established line of research starting with Young and Allison (1982). Administrators were asked to rate hypothetical candidates based on the information provided by the researcher. The dependent variable in several of these studies (e.g. Young & Fox, 2002; Young & Schmidt, 1987), as well as this one, was the administrator's evaluation of candidates. The independent variables used were candidate age, candidate years of experience, candidate type of experience, and type of district of the administrator. Candidates with eight years of experience were preferred over candidates with three years of experience. This could help districts in retention efforts because this finding, if made known, could lessen the perception that good teachers might have that if they remain more than a few years that their ability to move could be lessened by becoming more costly due to more years of experience. There was also a significant interaction between the type of district and teacher age. Urban school administrators were inclined to choose the 29-year old candidate over the 49-year old candidate. Suburban administrators, on the other hand, were more inclined to choose the 49-year old candidate. Administrators from a rural district showed no preference in one age group over another. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Individualized Instruction; Reading Programs; Phonics; Grade 1; Teaching Methods; Reading Instruction; Qualitative Research; Interviews; Elementary School Students; Elementary School Teachers; Public Schools; Private Schools; Suburban Schools; Suburbs; Spelling; Beginning Reading; Instructional Effectiveness; Decoding (Reading)

Abstract:
Understanding phonics is an important part of a young student's ability in learning how to read. The problem is that there is no set system that teachers follow in teaching phonics skills. The purpose of this study is to discover the ways that first grade teachers teach phonics to their students to help promote students success in reading. The present study is a qualitative design using an interview protocol to collect information from teachers in elementary school classrooms, in public and private institutions. Participants formed a sample of convenience. They were recruited from suburban areas in the area north of San Francisco. The data collected was analyzed by coding themes. Results indicate teachers use three main instrumental methods to teach phonics: integration of spelling into reading, differentiated instruction based on students' learning levels, and varied methods of instruction. The Interview Protocol is appended. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (182K)

Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; College Readiness; College Credits; Financial Support; Parent Participation; Parent School Relationship; Parent Influence; Case Studies; Suburban Schools; High Schools; Two Year Colleges; Cooperation; Interviews; Surveys; Student Recruitment; Enrollment; Student Development; Advanced Placement

Abstract:
The lack of college readiness skills is a national problem, particularly for underachieving high school students. One solution is to offer authentic early college coursework to build confidence and academic momentum. This case study explored a partnership between a traditional, suburban high school (600 students) and a community college to maximize college credit accumulation for students from the middle academic quartiles and asked, "How can parental support help increase college readiness skills for academically average students?" The author analyzed data from planning meeting notes, student surveys, and interviews with leaders, teachers, parents, and students. Over three years, 74 students averaged 9.4 college credits/year with a 91% success rate. Parent engagement was indispensable for recruitment and enrollment, financial support, and emotional guidance; the financial contribution actually seemed to stimulate parental involvement. (Contains 1 table.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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