Data gathered from both the classroom observations and the focus group inter views are being linked to each of these categories and to socio-linguistic and cultural themes. Emerging themes in these classrooms involve code- switching between vernacular and standard speech and the use of affective language. In brief, the classroom cultural ecology research team is compiling and analyzing extensive data on the daily routines and activities that transpire in classrooms serving African American children from low-income backgrounds. Its purpose is to provide as complete a description as possible of the dynamics of classroom life for poor African American children in urban schools. A multitude of preliminary findings are emerging from analyses of the observational and focus group data.
Teachers place substantial emphasis on time and time management.
Students resist this and are constantly being told to be quiet. In the technical core of instruction category Teachers use a great deal of group instructional activities, during which there seem to be fewer disciplinary problems than during individual learning activities. Instructional feedback to students is generally positive and occurs on a regular basis. Teachers typically make the assumption that all students are on the same instructional level. There are a host of class room routines and rituals that students must be familiar with and obey or they are disciplined.