Clarity of school rules and teachers' use of praise are strategies suggested to facilitate a positive classroom climate. Studies indicate difficulties for teachers to use such approaches in classrooms with higher levels of disruption. To study (1) if student-rated clarity of school rules, use of praise, and classroom climate differ between…

Bullying is a peer relational problem that can inflict psychological harm onto both those who are victimized and those who witness it occur. Fostering a positive classroom environment is an important protective factor in preventing bullying. Authoritative classroom climates may protect victimized and bystander youth from negative mental health…

This study explores the association between school-level poverty rates and young peoples' perceptions of student empowerment, drawing on survey and administrative data from a large urban district. Participants included 29,318 diverse youth in grades 6-12 from 211 schools. We used multilevel linear regression models to estimate the relationships…

The present study examined the role of school connectedness in mediating the relations of social skills and school climate of diversity (SCD) to life satisfaction (LS) among school-aged children. This study also investigated whether there is any gender difference in relationships. Participants included 873 elementary school students in Grades 4…

This study classifies the verbal feedback of science teachers into praise statements, effort-based feedback statements, negative feedback statements, and ability-based statements, which are also regarded as feedback strategies. The study aims to investigate the feedback strategies used by science teachers in the classroom setting using descriptive…

Zero tolerance as an approach to school safety has been around for almost 3 decades. Despite widespread criticisms of zero tolerance policies, few empirical studies have investigated the relationship of zero tolerance with school safety. More generally, the Government Accountability Office report on school shootings noted the need for research on…

This paper describes the development of the BE COOL! learning environment that gives all children, gifted and non-gifted, the opportunity to learn at a level matching their specific needs and abilities within the social context of regular education. BE COOL! uses the ability-adjusted jigsaw method, in which children of varying ability levels work…

This study focused on academic and social correlates of collaborator preferences of African American and White sixth-graders in mathematics classrooms in fall and spring. Students' appraisals of emotional risk were examined as a moderator. Nomination procedures identified collaborator preferences, group affiliations, and social centrality;…

Numerous publications demonstrate that outdoor and nature-based education benefit school children both physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially and may also promote pro-environmental behaviour. This study assesses the perceptions of 22 students aged 11 to 12 years old after a nature field trip. Such students attended a state-funded…

Classroom engagement can be problematic for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH), but is essential to ensure that they can reach their best educational and postschool outcomes. This study used semi-structured interviews to explore the self-perceived barriers and facilitators to classroom engagement for 16 DHH students educated in…

Policy makers continue to seek answers in addressing problem behaviors in schools. Zero tolerance in schools has been used widely across the nation yet educators have encountered many challenges with students who have been suspended for short or long periods. Research studies have found that the strategies used to address problem behaviors are not…

This study examined the development of social skills across five measurement points from 4th through 7th grade, and the influence of child gender and school-related factors on the level and growth of social skills, in a large sample of normally developing children in Norway (N = 2,076). On average, children's social skills scores increased…

Introduction: Internet users, especially adolescents, may experience online risks that can affect their mental health. This study examined the association between online risks and family support as this has been conceptualized as variable that can prevent the risks in the Internet use among adolescents. Method: We applied an adapted version to…

The school collegial climate presents an important context for teacher professional activities. This study investigated whether teachers' perceptions of school collegial climate characteristics (teacher-leadership collaboration, teacher-teacher collaboration, and teacher-teacher communication) are associated with teachers' active responses to…

A safe environment is a prerequisite for productive learning. Using a unique panel data set of survey responses from New York City middle school students, the article provides insight into the relationship between feelings of safety in the classroom and academic achievement. The survey data include the reported feelings of safety for more than…