In California, the teaching force is predominately middle-class, White and female. With the student populations being essentially minority, there are issues with cultural congruency, specifically with African American students. Very often, the teacher's cultural background differs from the students that s/he teaches. As a result, there is…

This study investigated the effectiveness of Adventure Based Counseling upon high school adolescents. The goals of this study were to (a) explore the effectiveness of ABC Counseling in increasing levels of self-esteem and empathy among adolescents; (b) study the efficacy of ABC counseling in reducing perceived racial discrimination, racist…

The purpose of this study was to examine possible relationships between participation in extracurricular activities and student achievement, participation in extracurricular activities and attendance, and participation in extracurricular activities and behavior. The setting for this study was a high school in western Nebraska. Data for 275 of the…

The transition from elementary to middle school is difficult for many students. However, the association between such transitions and changes in the types and frequencies of student discipline problems has not been adequately investigated. Using data from two school years, infractions and dispositions for all 5th-grade students (N = 4,196) from…

This study extends the research into faculty and student use of contemporary academic technologies. The goals of the study are threefold. First, the study aims to unpack which technologies students and faculty use, and how often. Second, it aims to understand their experiences in the contexts in which they live them. Finally, it explores the…

This study examines how teachers' collective efficacy (TCE), job stress, and the cultural dimension of collectivism are associated with job satisfaction for 500 teachers from Canada, Korea (South Korea or Republic of Korea), and the United States. Multigroup path analysis revealed that TCE predicted job satisfaction across settings. Job stress was…

Since the election of the Labour government in 1997, England has seen policy changes leading to increased rights for students with special educational needs (SEN), including those with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD), to be educated in mainstream schools. The present paper reports on the findings of a small-scale study…

In this study we examined authoritative discipline theory, which posits that 2 complementary aspects of school climate--structure and support--are important for adolescents' safety in school. Using a statewide sample of over 7,300 ninth-grade students and 2,900 teachers randomly selected from 290 high schools, we showed, using hierarchical linear…

This paper is a reflection on the way that a background in sociocultural theory and research actually saved my teaching career by allowing me to shift from being a dispenser of knowledge to a cultural neophyte attempting to understand where he is. Teaching then is understood as a reading exercise which is undertaken in a particular place which…

Findings from a U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention-sponsored project, Using the Law to Improve School Order and Safety, are reviewed in this conference report. The conference agenda included presentation of the purpose, activities, and results of the project; reactions from a participating principal;…

Outcomes of an inschool suspension program implemented at a New England elementary school are described in this practicum report. Because out-of-school suspension may place children at educational and physical risk, the inschool program was developed to reduce school absences, provide continuing instruction, and serve both rehabilitative and…

Outcomes of a high school inschool suspension program are presented in this practicum report. Because students associated the former discipline program with unfair treatment and inconsistent sanctions, a new program was developed. Goals were to improve student behavior, attendance, morale, self-esteem, and academic achievement in grades 9 through…

A preliminary review of early responses to a questionnaire sent to secondary school principals across the United States revealed that most administrators felt more rigorous due process procedures should be followed in discipline cases than those required by federal regulations and school policies. The principals also tended to believe that…