bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Principalship at a Crossroads: A Study of the Conditions and Concerns of Principals
Authors: DiPaola Michael , Tschannen-Moran Megan
Published: March 2006

This study examined the conditions and concerns of principals in Virginia to see what their experiences and perceptions are of the growing shortage in the principalship. Findings suggest that principals do notfeel that they have sufficient authority and resources to get the job done and that they are working long hours to fill the gap. More than half of the principals currently on the job intend to retire in the next decade, raising questions about who will step forward to lead.
The Reality of Increased Graduation Requirements: A Nationwide View of Diploma Options
Authors: Jo Vernon Lisa , Baytops Joy , McMahon Patricia , Padden Dawn , Walther-Thomas Christine
Published: March 2006

Increased accountability, rising academic standards, and high-stakes assessments place pressures on education agencies to provide alternative exit options for high school students. This study highlights state-level diploma options, graduation requirements, and the potential impact on students, specifically those with disabilities and others at risk. Findings illustrate the need for alternative diploma options that have value and meaning for all students.
Paving the Way for Change: Visionary Leadership in Action at the Middle Level
Authors: Brown Kathleen M. , Anfara Vincent A.
Published: March 2006

This qualitative case study explored visionary leadership in action by focusing on the strategies that some middle school principals use before implementing schoolwide reforms. Ninety-eight middle level principals were surveyed and 44 were interviewed. Findings indicate that visionary leadership in action involves an initial exploration of possible change areas; discussions and education regarding the issues involved; and support, commitment, and ownership. In addition, time, the courage to change, a plan to involve all, and openness and appreciation to explore thoroughly are required characteristics of the visionary middle level principal who desires to successfully implement reform.
How Small Classes Benefit High School Students
Authors: Deutsch Francine M.
Published: March 2006

Research on the effects of class size on achievement in high school has been plagued by methodological problems. Nonetheless, studies do show that small classes promote student engagement, enriched curricula, positive teacherstudent interaction, increased time on instruction rather than on discipline, and high teacher morale. All of these factors are as important for educating adolescents as they are for schooling younger children.
The Relationship of Mentoring to Job Placement in School Administration
Authors: Reyes Augustina
Published: March 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mentoring on job placement for preservice principals. Do preservice principals need mentoring?Do preservice principals use mentors? How is mentoring defined? What characteristics are used to identify potential mentors for preservice principals? Does mentoring effect job placement for preservice principals?
Block and Traditional Schedules: Effects on Students With and Without Disabilities in High School
Authors: Bottge Brian J. , Gugerty John J. , Serlin Ron , Moon Kyoung-Suk
Published: March 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of traditional and block schedules on the academic achievement of high school students with and without disabilities. Achievement data were collected from the cumulative records and Individual Education Plans of 160 students with disabilities and the cumulative records of 460 students without disabilities. Achievement was measured by students' GPA; state-mandated tests in reading language, math, science, and social studies; and college entrance ACT Results showed no difference on all comparisons between students with disabilities attending block-scheduled high schools and students with disabilities attending traditional-scheduled high schools. Similar results were found for students without disabilities. Teachers on both schedules reported high levels of satisfaction and comparable amounts of time on instructional activities.
Alternatively and Traditionally Certified Teachers: The Same but Different
Authors: Salyer Barbara A.
Published: March 2006

Thirty-eight alternative teacher certification candidates responded to an open-ended questionnaire designed to probe their motivation for entering teaching and their perceptions of strengths they can bring to the secondary classroom. Thirty-two of the candidates who were already teaching also described the nature of the support received during their first year of teaching. Results provide insights for principals about similarities and differences between alternatively certified and traditionally certified teachers.
Evaluating the Evaluators: Teachers' Perceptions of the Principal's Role in Professional Evaluation
Authors: Zimmerman Sherri , Deckert-Pelton Melanie
Published: March 2006

Eighty-six educators from five northwest Florida counties were surveyed to examine their perceptions of theirprincipals as effective evaluators. The results suggest that teachers'perceptions of an effective evaluation process involve a focus on their pincipals' knowledge, skills, and abilities as both experienced educator and educational leader. From the respondents' comments, four key domains emerged as pivotal components to a successful professional evaluation process: interactions between principal and educator; consistent evaluations; principal commitment to effective professional evaluation; and a principal knowledgeable in pedagogy, content, and evaluation.
Predictors of Aggression at School: The Effect of School-Related Alcohol Use
Authors: Finn Kristin V. , Frone Michael R.
Published: March 2006

School-related alcohol use is a large but understudied problem in American schools. This investigation examined factors related to aggression at school, particularly the role of alcohol use. School aggression was higher among students who were male, rebellious, had a weak sense of school identification, low academic achievement, and engaged in alcohol use during the school day. General alcohol use was not related to school aggression beyond the effect of school-related alcohol use. Schools that encourage school involvement and alcohol resistance may help prevent problems of student aggression.
Student Leadership and Democratic Schools: A Case Study
Authors: Wallin Dawn
Published: March 2006

In practice, educational leadership is most often associated with the role of the formal administrator, even though research and literature have recognized educational leadership as being the role of all stakeholders (Renihan & Sackney, 1999; Sergiovanni, 1989, 1990; Walker, Sackney, & Hajnal, 1996). However, this literature seldom recognizes student leadership as being part of the leadership equation. The purpose of this study was to describe the leadership processes and satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction students felt about their level of involvement in leadership positions and decision making. The implications for principals to facilitate such democratic practices and processes in rural schools are delineated.
Recruiting and Retaining "Highly Qualified Teachers" for Hard-to-Staff Schools
Authors: Berry Barnett
Published: March 2006

What is known about recruiting and retaining teachers for hard-to-staff-schools runs counter to many of the assumptions undergirding the teacher quality provisions of No Child Left Behind. Evidence regarding incentives, recruitment pathways, new teacher induction programs, and alternative routes shed considerable light on what needs to be done to ensure a "highly qualified" teacher for every student. Educators, armed with the right knowledge, can play an important role in getting both the funding and politics in place to create and support the policies and programs that can make a difference.
Do Teacher Induction and Mentoring Matter?
Authors: Ingersoll Richard M. , Smith Thomas M.
Published: March 2006

In recent years there has been a growing interest in support, guidance, and orientation programs-collectively known as induction-for beginning elementary and secondary teachers during the transition into their first teaching jobs. This study examines whether such supports have a positive effect on the retention of beginning teachers. The study alsofocuses on different types and components of induction, including mentoring programs, collective group activities, and the provision of extra resources and reduced workloads. The results indicate that beginning teachers who were provided with multiple supports, were less likely to move to other schools and less likely to leave the teaching occupation altogether after their first year. Some forms of assistance and support, however, did not appear to increase beginners' retention.
Principals as Supervisors: A Balancing Act
Authors: Holland Patricia E.
Published: March 2006

How can administrators balance the demands placed on them as supervisors to enact both managerial and professional values? To answer that question, this article explores the ways in which practicing school administrators uphold both managerial and professional values in their roles as instructional supervisors. The experiences of the administrators in this study offer valuable examples of the ways administrators practice supervision, and the ways in which that practice reflects both managerial and professional values.
Teacher Portfolios Come of Age: A Preliminary Study
Authors: St. Maurice Henry , Shaw Patricia
Published: March 2006

After 21 years of national standards and state mandates, assessing teaching by portfolio has reached a stage of wide adoption in preservice programs. However, the use of teacher portfolios to recruit, select, retain, and provide professional development seems less widespread. This pilot study shows how full implementation of teacher portfolios might be approached and studied across settings and through teachers' career spans.
Peer Coaching: Veteran High School Teachers Take the Lead on Learning
Authors: Arnau Lea , Kahrs James , Kruskamp Bill
Published: March 2006

A voluntary peer-coaching program is described along with the accompanying cultural change that occurred at a suburban high school. Veteran teachers participating in this research reported that peer coaching gave them meaningfulfeedback, motivation to direct their learning, increased levels of trust and morale among themselves, and justification to do more work. Findings suggest that teachers became more active in designing professional learning experiences when they expected such activities would positively affect student learning.
Confronting Well-Learned Lessons in Supervision and Evaluation
Authors: Ponticell Judith A. , Zepeda Sally J.
Published: March 2006

Supervision is supposed to improve classroom teaching by enhancing teacher thinking, rejection, and understanding of teaching. Evaluation systems are supposed to increase effective teaching behaviors and enhance teacher professionalism. Through the lens of symbolic interaction, we learn that "supposed to" does not matter. In a context of increased accountability-based evaluation systems of all kinds, principals and teachers need to Practice supervision and evaluation that facilitates meaningful adult learning.
Taking Stock in Children: Collaborating to Promote Success for Low-lncome Secondary Students
Authors: Clark Mary Ann , Shreve Kristine , Stone Carolyn B.
Published: March 2006

As population demographics in the United States continue to shift and issues of educational reform are being considered, the promotion of academic success for all children is an ongoing agenda for educators, citizens, and politicians. To provide high-quality education for students from low socioeconomic households and diverse cultural backgrounds, it is essential to examine specific programs and their components that have been shown to be successful with this population. This article examines such program components and describes a specific collaborative program, Take Stock in Children, which has shown positive results in supporting low-income secondary students to prepare for and enroll in higher education.
The Effect of Block Scheduling on Middle School Students' Mathematics Achievement
Authors: Mattox Kim , Hancock Dawson R. , Queen J. Allen
Published: March 2006

To address the nation ' ongoing interest in student achievement, some researchers havefocused on the effect of block scheduling-a model in which students take fewer classes for longer periods of time. Although block scheduling has demonstrated its viability in high schools, little research has explored its effect at the middle level. Because the middle level years are often marked by a decline in student achievement, particularly during the transitional year when students movefrom elementary school to sixth grade, the current study was conducted. Results revealed significant increases in the mathematics achievement scores of sixth-grade students' enrolled in five middle level schools that transitioned fiom traditional to block schedules. Characteristics of block scheduling that may have accountedfor these outcomes and recommendations forfuture research are discussed.
Block Scheduling and Mathematics: Enhancing Standards-Based Instruction?
Authors: Flynn Leslie , Lawrenz Frances , Schultz Matthew J.
Published: March 2006

This study investigates differences in eighth-grade mathematics students' engagement in standards-based curriculum and instruction practices between blockand traditional-schedule schools. Survey data were gathered from 156 middle level mathematics teachers to access the use of standards-based curriculum and instruction practices in their classrooms. Results indicate there are few differences in curriculum and instruction based on the type of school schedule.
Implementing and Sustaining Standards-Based Curricular Reform
Authors: Lawrenz Frances , Huffman Douglas , Lavoie Bethann
Published: March 2006

This paper presents a model for implementing and sustaining standardsbased curricular reform and seven recommendations for principals that are grounded in the results of a comprehensive, longitudinal study. The study examined the characteristics of five schools through data from principals, teachers, students, and external observers over a 6-year period-I year before and 5 years after the implementation.
Principal Quality: A Virginia Study Connecting Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards With Student Achievement
Authors: Kaplan Leslie S. , Owings William A. , Nunnery John
Published: March 2006

Investigators randomly selected principals from Virginia's public schools to investigate the sign4ifcant relationship that exists between principal quality and student achievement. Two persons supervising each principal were asked to complete the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC)-based questionnaire about the principal. State achievement test data were entered for each principal's school. Those principals who had been in their schools fewer than 5 years were dropped from the study to better control for principals' effect on student achievement. Results find that principals who were rated higher on school leadership standards have schools with higher student achievement than comparable schools headed by lower-rated principals. Implications for increasing student achievement, professional development, and evaluation are discussed.
Principals' Relationship With Computer Technology
Authors: Brockmeier Lantry L. , Sermon Janet M. , Hope Warren C.
Published: March 2006

This investigation sought information about principals and their relationship with computer technology. Several questions were fundamental to the inquiry. Are principals prepared to facilitate the attainment of technology's promise through the integration of computer technology into the teaching and learning process? Are principals prepared to use computer technology to accomplish administrative and managerial tasks? What can be stated about principals' current expertise to use computer technology? Principals' responses to items on the Computer Technology Survey enabled an examination of their (a) role in facilitating and participating in the integration of computer technology into teaching and learning, (b) perceptions about computer technology for managerial and administrative tasks, (c) expertise acquired to use computer technology, and (d) professional development needs to enhance computer technology skills.
Administrative Visibility and Its Effect on Classroom Behavior
Authors: Keesor Carolyn A.
Published: March 2006

A study was conducted on a junior high school campus in the Midwest to evaluate the influence an assistant principal can have on classroom instruction. The study included 489 ninth-grade students and was conducted over an 18-week period. It examined the effect of assistant principals' visibility on classroom behavior. The results indicate that an increased level of assistant principal visibility resulted in a decrease in student disciplinary referrals. A statistical analysis of the data was performed and the results were significant.
The Role and Training of the School Counselor: Background and Purpose
Authors: Coy Doris Rhea
Published: March 2006

School counselors as part of the total educational team have important knowledge to share concerning the needs of students. Their knowledge, skills, and expertise are vital for the success of our future leaders, workers, and citizens. As part of the total educational team, school counselors can help students build a bridge to the future.
Defending a Vital Program: School Counselors Define Their Roles
Authors: Ballard Mary B. , Murgatroyd Wanpen
Published: March 2006

In response to a troubled society, the scope and function of school counseling programs have changed, leaving many, including administrators, confused as to their primary purpose. This confusion has caused the elimination of counselors in some districts as an answer to budgetary constraints. Administrators play a crucial role in shaping these programs. Understanding and marketing the vitality of school counselors may be critical to ensuring their survival.
Counselors in the Classroom: A Developmental Approach to Student Well-Being
Authors: Hall Scott E. , Rueth Thomas W.
Published: March 2006

Middle level and high school counselors play a critical role in the development of students' mental and emotional well-being. Given the counselors' varied responsibilities and the sometimes overwhelming number of students in a school, successfully accomplishing this task can be a challenge.
Hiring the Best School Counseling Candidates To Promote Students' AChievement
Authors: Kaplan Leslie S. , Evans Michael W.
Published: March 2006

Principals occasionally interview prospective school counseling candidates, yet few principals really understand the guidance and counseling role. As a result, many principals do not fully understand how the school counselor can contribute to student achievement, to school improvement, and to a positive school climate. Here are several key interview questions principals can use when interviewing prospective guidance counselors.
The Solution-Focused School: An Exceptional Model
Authors: Davis Thomas E. , Osborn Cynthia J.
Published: March 2006

Solution-focused counseling represents a positive and competency-based perspective on the problems experienced by individuals and by organizational systems. Rather than looking for what is wrong and how to fix it, this approach looks for what is already working and investigates how to use it.
Transforming School Counseling: Making a Difference for Students
Authors: Sears Susan
Published: March 2006

What do school counselors do in your school? If their activities are similar to those in other schools, they are probably counseling individual students, consulting with teachers about problem students in their classrooms, and talking to parents about students who have been caught fighting or are truant. Are there some important tasks missing from their “to do” list?
School Counselors and Administrators: Collaboratively Promoting Cultural Diversity
Authors: Harris Henry L.
Published: March 2006

Administrators and counselors are perhaps the most visible individuals within the school setting. As the twenty-first century approaches, the most significant responsibilities they must equally share is promoting cultural diversity within the school environment. When diversity is promoted, the culture from all racial/ethnic groups is genuinely valued, celebrated, and appreciated, thus providing a positive learning atmosphere for all students.
Career Development: A Vital Part of Contemporary Education
Authors: Engels Dennis W. , Harris Henry L.
Published: March 2006

In the 1960s, the world was not ready for the reform movement called career education, and implementation efforts were sporadic and largely fleeting. Today the world requires, and educators need to find ways to meet the career readiness and career development needs of all students, and this goal needs to be integrated into the mission of all education.
Providing Leadership for School Counselors To Achieve an Effective Guidance Program
Authors: Henderson Patricia
Published: March 2006

School counselors require leadership. Leaders of school counselors are challenged to provide activities that result in an effective guidance program, cohesive and productive school counselor teams, and climates that foster excellence in professionalism. While principals are the ultimate leaders of the school, many of the tasks associated with the leadership responsibilities described here are best carried out by a guidance department head.
The E's of E-Mail: Tips for Effective and Efficient Use in School Administration
Authors: Logan Joyce E.
Published: March 2006

E-mail addresses are now as commonplace as phone numbers. This rapid mode of written communication enables school administration offices and classrooms to link with one another and with the world. How can school administrators help ensure that electronic communication through E-mail becomes a boon rather than a bane for school operations?
The Cost of Quality: Evaluating a Standards-Based Design Project
Authors: Cornell Nancy A. , Clarke John H.
Published: March 2006

Reaching higher standards, as opposed to covering a body of information, sets a clear and rigorous direction for student and teacher effort. If we do not know where we are going, it probably makes little difference how we get there. If we do know where we are going, it matters a great deal how we get there.
First Year Teachers and 4 x 4 Bloc Scheduling
Authors: Queen J. Allen , Algozzine Robert F. , Isenhour Kimberly
Published: March 2006

Teachers and administrators have overwhelmingly reported a desire to use the 4 × 4 block scheduling model. In survey after survey, success in the block is a direct result of paced, interactive teaching. It is imperative for first-year teachers to discover the strengths of strategies taught in an appropriately paced lesson.
Help Wanted: Principals Who Can Lead Professional Learning Communities
Authors: Dufour Richard P.
Published: March 2006

Principals must live with paradox: They must have a sense of urgency about improving their schools, balanced by the patience to sustain them for the long haul. They must focus on the future, but remain grounded in today. They must see the big picture, while maintaining a close focus on details. They must be strong leaders who give away power to others. Where will we find the solution to these dilemmas?
Just-in-Time Staff Development: One Step to the Learning Organization
Authors: Redding John C. , Kamm Richard M.
Published: March 2006

How do you start introducing the learning organization concept into your school? The just-in-time learning approach to staff development is probably a good place to start. What is the “just-in-time” principle, how does it work, and if it's such a good idea, why isn't everybody doing it?
Uniting To Introduce Multiple Intelligences Teaching Approaches (MITA)
Authors: Weber Ellen
Published: March 2006

Whenver we build together, as did Houghton College and the Cuba-Rushford School, we take ownership of the curriculum together. It takes time to include genuine contributions from each participant, but as we begin to create a vibrant learning community where people pool gifts, talents, abilities, and interests to solve common problems, probe deeper issues, and add more enthusiasm for better results, we each grow from this process.
Creating Technology Policy: A Systematic Model
Authors: Carlson Randal D.
Published: March 2006

School technology policy is framed by local, state, and federal policies, three very different influences. Given the competing nature of the policy influences and the fact that budgeting is usually a zero sum game, how does one form a rational technology policy?
Library Media Specialists: A Valuable Key to School Success
Authors: Hofstetter Janet
Published: March 2006

Administrators are missing access to endless information and support if they fail to work closely with their library media specialists. No matter the size of the school district nor the number of students and staff served, this specialist offers access to research, periodicals, and statistics that benefit administrators, faculty members, and students. They can be a source of good public relations, facility planning, curricular tie-ins, technology training, grant-writing guidelines, examples of written policies, and a positive school environment.
Transformational Leadership and Transformational Learning: Information Literacy and the World Wide Web
Authors: Todd Ross J.
Published: March 2006

Transformational leadership and learning are all about creating and providing opportunities for learners to make the most of their life opportunities in a world rich in information and technology. Developing teaching strategies to address these skills, however, is a complex, time-consuming, and challenging process. This may be the key leadership challenge of education for the next millennium.
Developing the National Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning
Authors: Marcoux Betty
Published: March 2006

The Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning provide a mechanism by which students become lifelong learners, thinking critically and ethically, with an understanding of the dynamics of group process. The standards will guide school library media specialists, principals, and teachers as they collaborate to help students maximize their learning potential.
Collaboration in the Media Center: Building Partnerships for Learning
Authors: Donham Jean
Published: March 2006

Is information literacy important for today's students? If the ability to access information efficiently, to discern quality and authority, and to apply information to decision making and problem solving are keys to success in a world of rapidly growing information, then indeed information literacy is a basic survival skill for today's students.
Teaching the Research Process: Helping Students Become Lifelong Learners
Authors: McGregor Joy
Published: March 2006

Students in secondary schools are not experts at the research process; they need consistent, constructive guidance to make the experience enjoyable, engaging, enriching, and meaningful. When they are made aware that a research process exists and that each stage of the process is characterized by particular activities, thoughts, and feelings, they will be more comfortable moving through the process.
Expectations for Achievement and Performance: Assessing Student Skills
Authors: Stripling Barbara
Published: March 2006

Schools are moving toward high expectations for student achievement, a collaborative culture among teachers and students, and greater accountability for student performance. Everyone must focus on the same high expectations and work together to achieve success. The principal is in a prime position to align those efforts.
Implementing an Information Literacy Curriculum: One District's Story
Authors: Johnson Doug
Published: March 2006

What will our students need to know to work and live productively in tomorrow's society? What can we teach them about how to become life-long learners? How have the Internet and other electronic information sources changed the skills needed to do good research? These are serious questions all schools should be asking.
Creating an Information Literate School: Here and Now
Authors: Bush Gail
Published: March 2006

We are accustomed to educational theories and models resurfacing every 10 or 20 years with a new name and a new twist. There are those who may think “Information Literacy Curriculum” sounds remarkably similar to “information skills” or library curriculum. This is not a rehashing of old theories into a new package, however; this is a whole new ball game.
Creating an Information Literate School: Information Literacy In Action
Authors: Batz Linda , Rosenberg Harlene
Published: March 2006

As educators, we must be more than keepers of the archives; we must empower learners to discriminate fact from fiction, to select pertinent data, and to feel confident that they, unlike those who preceded them, have limitless access to information at the tips of their fingers.
Building Bridges: High School and University Partnerships for Information Literacy
Authors: Nichols Janet
Published: March 2006

Partnerships between university libraries and high schools have traditionally involved the use of the university library by students in Advanced Placement or other special classes. Tours of the library are often provided and students usually are allowed to check out materials on a limited basis. In a Wayne State University partnering project, faculty members and administrators of area high schools and faculty members and librarians at the university are developing models for information literacy instruction.
Fostering Collaboration, Leadership And Information Literacy: Common Behaviors of Uncommon Principals and Faculties
Authors: Haycock Ken
Published: March 2006

Information literacy—the ability to access, process, and use information and ideas effectively—has a positive effect on student achievement; this is not simply a reflection of the interests, skills, and abilities of the individual classroom teacher, but a reflection of the priorities, skills, and abilities of the school principal and the resulting infrastructure necessary for the development of resource-based learning.
Schools and Curricula for the 21st Century: Predictions, Visions, and Anticipations
Authors: Zenger Weldon F. , Zenger Sharon K.
Published: March 2006

If the research on education for the 21st century were to be summed up in three words, they would be technology, technology, and technology. Almost without exception, information regarding education in the 21st century directly or indirectly involves technology in some way. How might technology affect education and schools in the next century?
The Benefits of Creating Your Own School Internet Service Provider
Authors: Dempsey Dennis
Published: March 2006

What is the best way to deliver cyberspace to your students and staff? How can you find a way to fix and update your machines? What is the best way to share information throughout your school and other schools? How can your students help your school do all of this and more?
Documentation in Teacher Evaluation: What Does the Professional Literature Say?
Authors: Sullivan Kathleen A. , Zirkel Perry A.
Published: March 2006

The professional literature concerning teacher evaluation is extensive, but the sources specific to documentation are relatively limited. Here is a practical synthesis of the relevant sources; the five types of documentation memoranda; and the leading lessons for doing documentation successfully.
Why Technology Should Be Integrated into the Curriculum AS a Core Subjet
Authors: Gilberti Anthony F.
Published: March 2006

The challenge of implementing the study of technology as a core subject will require bold leadership by educators and school administrators at all levels. Teachers and administrators must work together to include the study of technology. This knowledge will empower students to deal with the many technological issues and problems that will confront them in the future.
Design and Problem Solving in Technology Education
Authors: Custer Rodney L.
Published: March 2006

Do technological design and problem-solving activities appeal to all students? Must everyone possess the skills of designers, engineers, and technicians? The answer to these questions is clearly “no.” But it is clear that technological literacy is becoming an important part of preparation for Living in a technological world. What's more, design and problem-solving activities provide a useful mechanism for engaging student interest, integrating learning, and developing basic habits of mind.
The Untapped Power of Technology: Its Role in Mathematics, Science, Technology, and Engineering Education
Authors: Newberry Pam B.
Published: March 2006

To be powerful is to have the capacity or ability to perform or act effectively; to be able to handle large tasks. Indeed, the use of technology can and does make us powerful. But, technology has become much too complex and sophisticated to learn about or use by simply observing or hearing about it.
Telementoring: One Way To Reach America's Students
Authors: Foster Ann
Published: March 2006

As we begin a national conversation on ways to stop the violence in our schools and among our students, telementoring and mentoring programs are definitely one solution.
Middle School Programmatic Practices and Student Satisfaction With School
Authors: Gulino Joseph , Valentine Jerry W.
Published: March 2006

The middle level school is a major educational response to the wide range of needs of young adolescents. Significant research supports various middle level education programmatic practices. It is important for researchers, middle school personnel, parents, and communities to know if implementing these middle school programmatic practices will, in fact, affect students.
Interactive Leadership in High School Innovation
Authors: Clarke John , Aiken Judith A. , Sullivan Mary J.
Published: March 2006

Leadership is about constructing learning communities where people work together to expand their capabilities to learn and grow. Interactive leaders achieve this end by collaborating to build networks, partnerships, and coalitions among diverse groups and competing priorities—and by letting go of traditional beliefs about hierarchical or top-down leadership.
Service Learning: Facilitating Academic Learning and Character Development
Authors: Hinck Shelly Schaefer , Brandell Mary Ellen
Published: March 2006

What is service learning? What impact do service learning experiences have on students' personal and academic development? What is the impact of an effective service learning experience on students' personal and interpersonal development?
Leading the Effort To Teach Character in Schools
Authors: Harned Patricia J.
Published: March 2006

A character education program is an effort to guide people's behavior through established standards; it also provides a way to honor the individual perspectives and values that are represented within a school. The focus is on ethical ends, but the practices involved reinforce important skills involved in students' social development.
The Cautious Pace of School Reform: High School Scheduling in Iowa
Authors: Hackmann Donald G.
Published: March 2006

When reflcting back on the educational reform movement of the 1990s, many middle level and high school principals summarize the change process in two words: block scheduling. The proliferation of articles and books on block-of-time scheduling models attests to the fact that there has been an almost meteoric rise in the number of schools using this approach.
The Senior Project: The Best Idea I Ever Stole
Authors: Lorenz Sarah L.
Published: March 2006

The Senior Project is a final research project for graduating seniors that demonstrates their ability to research, write, interview, work with a mentor, produce something tangible from their learning, present their findings and learning to an audience, and reflect on the experience.
An Art Teacher's View of Block Scheduling: A Less Enthusiastic Opinion
Authors: Hassenpflug Ann
Published: March 2006

Block scheduling may be thrust on a school as a solution without the faculty ever being clear about the problem it is supposed to solve or how to handle the problems it creaets. Relying only on the voices of administrators or the blended voices of a whole faculty will not provide the details that an individual teacher's voice can offer. The public, researchers, and other educators need ways to access those individual voices as much as the teachers need the means to reach a larger audience.
Turning the Corner on Quality Education Through Monitoring Instruction
Authors: Coutts J. Douglas
Published: March 2006

Administrators must pay close attention to the instructional process. Traditional methods that rely heavily on observing teachers in classrooms should be supplemented by more thorough techniques. The process described here enables administrators to monitor instruction without being in the classroom.
Teachers, School Boards, and the Curriculum: Who Is in Control?
Authors: Russo Charles J. , Delon Floyd G.
Published: March 2006

Disagreements over the First Amendment academic freedom/free speech rights of teachers in curricular contexts are once again receiving judicial attention. Two recent federal cases have upheld the longstanding rule that school boards have the authority to control curriculum content in disagreements over subject matter and language that teachers can permit students to use.
The Principal and Reference Letters
Authors: Smith Agnes E. , Permuth Steve , Gray David L.
Published: March 2006

Requests to write letters of reference for former teachers place principals and other school administrators in a position of potential liability. Following established policies, along with documentation of fair and objective treatment of all such requests, lessens exposure to successful legal actions for school administrators.
Fiscal Practices of High School Principals: Managing Discretionary School Funds
Authors: Gonzales Kathleen , Bogotch Ira
Published: March 2006

How do we arrive at a pool of aspiring administrators who can manage money wisely? We may assume all principals are honest, but we should not assume all principals know how to handle money. With so many other pressures on school principals to perform as educational leaders, money management is just one more reality principals must shoulder.
Funding Staff Development for School Improvement and Student Achievement
Authors: Applewhite Ann Simpson
Published: March 2006

While staff development is an integral ingredient for encouraging school reform, there may be little funding in district budgets for professional development. Without specific goals and a guiding vision, teachers are often left alone to find classes they need for professional growth or recertification, which may not match the focus established in their school.
Developing School Leaders To Work on the U.S.-Mexican Border: Lessons Learned
Authors: Daresh John C. , Parra M. Alicia
Published: March 2006

What knowledge, skills, and dispositions are needed to serve as an effective educational leader in a community spanning the U.S.-Mexico border? Are there characteristics of a leadership development program designed to prepare individuals who will work in the unique border environment that can also be used in a wider arena?
Assistant Principals: The Case for Shared Instructional Leadership
Authors: Kaplan Leslie S. , Owings William A.
Published: March 2006

In today's restructuring secondary schools, principals have new instructional leadership responsibilities on top of already demanding management responsibilities. Not enough time exists for one person to address all these expectations successfully. Assistant principals can effectively share instructional leadership roles to increase a school's success as a learning organization for students and educators.
Using Collaborative Action Teams To Create Community Schools
Authors: Jordan Catherine F.
Published: March 2006

Community schools and collaboration are not new ideas, but many communities and schools seeking positive change and safe schools are embracing these strategies for the first time. Collaborative Action Teams can provide the spark needed to accomplish the broad-based support and involvement necessary to establish community schools.
Community Schools in New York city: The Board of Education and The Children's Aid Society
Authors: Agosto Rosa
Published: March 2006

If children's basic needs for support, shelter, health care, supervision, and guidance, (among the many social, cognitive, and economic variables affecting their lives) are not met, the best efforts to promote learning through education alone will not work. This is the premise for the development of a community, full-service school.
City Schools/City University: A Partnership To Enhance Professional Preparation
Authors: Murtadha-Watts Khaula , Belcher Anne , Iverson Elsa , Medina Monica
Published: March 2006

As the number of full-service, school-based, and school-linked integrated service programs increases, university partnerships between schools of education, health, and social work are forming to prepare professionals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and dispositions to work collaboratively in these settings. How should principals plan to participate in collaborative efforts with universities as they educate future service providers?
Computer Use Among Secondary School Students in a Colorado School-to-Career Project
Authors: Danzig Arnold , Aljarrah Abdul
Published: March 2006

What are the perceptions and attitudes of high school students toward computer courses? Do they find the computer courses relevant and helpful in their preparation for the world of work? Which kinds of programs were rated most positively by students as related to preparation for employment?
The Administrative Role in Collaborative Teaching
Authors: Lehr Arthur E.
Published: March 2006

Direct and deliberate administrative support is needed to ensure the success of collaborative teaching at the secondary level. Teachers in some high schools may work closely with their colleagues, but in most high school settings teachers are more likely to work alone.
Relationships between personality disorder attributes and friendship qualities among college students
Authors: King Alan R. , Terrance Cheryl
Published: March 2006

Personality disorder trait predictors of the quality and durability of close personal friendships have rarely been examined in the literature. Links between Acquaintance Description Form (ADF-F2) friendship qualities and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-II) personality disorder attributes were explored in this study of 363 college students. Passive-Aggressive, Avoidant, Schizotypal, Sadistic-Aggressive, Antisocial, Borderline, and Self-Defeating features were most closely associated with friendship insecurity. Participants exhibiting Passive-Aggressive, Self-Defeating and Borderline features tended to view their closest friendship as being more strongly influenced by external social forces. Passive-Aggressive scores and Personal Maintenance Difficulty were positively related. Histrionic traits were associated with descriptions of the closest friend as affirming and useful in utilitarian value. Sex differences were minimal in the prediction of relationship qualities using the MCMI-II personality disorder dimensions.
An evolutionary and close-relationship model of helping
Authors: Korchmaros Josephine D. , Kenny David A.
Published: March 2006

Our research examined whether relationship factors account for the positive association between genetic relatedness and willingness to help. College students’ (31 male and 46 female) willingness to help family members was measured using hypothetical dilemmas involving life-or-death and everyday-favor situations. Relationship factors were measured using a questionnaire. As expected, emotional closeness and obligation mediated the association between genetic relatedness and willingness to help. Furthermore, as expected, propinquity, similarity, and frequency and amount of interaction mediated the association between genetic relatedness and emotional closeness. Type of situation moderated the association between genetic relatedness and willingness to help, although not entirely as expected. This research suggests that relationship factors account for a substantial proportion of the association between genetic relatedness and helping.
Family conflict in divorced and non-divorced families: Potential consequences for boys’ friendship status and friendship quality
Authors: Lindsey Eric W. , Colwell Malinda J. , Frabutt James M. , MacKinnon-Lewis Carol
Published: March 2006

This study examined associations between family conflict and the quality of boys’ friendships in divorced and non-divorced families. Interviews and self-report measures were completed by 173 boys (Mage = 8.10; 92 Caucasian, 65 African American) and their parents from divorced and non-divorced families. Findings indicated that boys from divorced families had fewer friends, and lower quality friendships, than boys from non-divorced families. Marital conflict was associated with low levels of reasoning in mother-son and sibling-brother relationships in non-divorced families, and low levels of reasoning in father-son relationships in divorced families. Family conflict-resolution strategies mediated connections between marital conflict and the number of boys’ mutual friendships as well as boys’ friendship quality.
Interracial and intraracial romantic relationships: The search for differences in satisfaction, conflict, and attachment style
Authors: Troy Adam B. , Lewis-Smith Jamie , Laurenceau Jean-Philippe
Published: March 2006

Interracial relationships are increasingly frequent, yet understudied. This article presents two studies of the commonly held belief that the relationship quality of interracial couples is lower in comparison to intraracial romantic couples. In Study 1, partners in interracial relationships reported significantly higher relationship satisfaction compared to those in intraracial relationships. No differences were found for reported conflict or attachment style. In Study 2, no differences were found between interracial and intraracial relationships in relationship quality, conflict patterns, relationship efficacy, coping style, and attachment. This investigation casts doubt on the belief that interracial relationships are burdened with more problems than intraracial relationships.
Good to have but not to use: Differential impact of perceived and received support on well-being
Authors: Reinhardt Joann P. , Boerner Kathrin , Horowitz Amy
Published: March 2006

Research documents a positive association between perceived support availability and well-being in later life. Other work shows that actually receiving support can have negative effects. Instrumental support receipt may be negative for persons with chronic impairment as it may emphasize their inability to accomplish daily tasks. This study contrasted the impact of perceived and received affective and instrumental support on adaptation to chronic vision impairment in 570 elders. After accounting for the significant, positive impact of perceived support, receiving instrumental support had a negative effect, while receiving affective support had a positive effect on well-being. Findings underscore the importance of distinguishing the association of multiple support components and outcomes to increase understanding of how support affects adaptation in later life.