Students who want to be accepted as adults will strive to live up to their older classmates' expectations. Each exhibits certain common characteristics that lead to better student behavior. In adult basic education, this leader is often the director. Under this leadership, teachers develop a positive attitude about the program. They plan together, linking class to class, benefitting from differing areas of expertise as well as objective views of their specific academic and disciplinary problems.
Rules are few in the instructionally effective program but the few are strictly and fairly enforced.
Because these students are oriented toward achievement of a goal, as opposed to just passing time as so many did in public schools, recognition is awarded for academic accomplishments. Teachers are given adequate feedback on their performance and support to help them succeed. As stated before, the instructional leader is visible, providing frequent and meaningful supervision and evaluation. The atmosphere is such that teachers have positive attitudes about their jobs, their peers, their students, and their workplace. A final task of the leader is facility maintenance.