The quality of classroom interactions has typically been studied using aggregates of ratings over time. However, within-day ratings may contain important variability. This study investigated within-day variability using the NICHD Study of Early Childcare and Youth Development's observational data during grades 3 and 5. The first question examined…

Queried 571 elementary school principals in 12 states to determine: (1) the frequency of nontraditional (combination and nongraded) classes; and (2) changes in the use of combination classes during recent years. Found that although combination classes represented 17% of California classrooms, most states contained only 3 to 7%. Nongraded classes…

Author says graded classrooms and graded textbooks based on them are the key stumbling blocks to progress in our whole educational system. (Author/JB)

Hypothesizes that organizational conditions in classrooms affect aspects of student motivation, i.e., students' academic self-concepts, their perceptions of their peers, and their perceptions of school. Research findings in studies of elementary students confirmed the hypothesis that classrooms that narrowly define academic ability increase the…

Discussing research on the effects of developmental differences, task characteristics, teacher feedback, and classroom management and organization on children's perceptions of their abilities, this article speculates on whether and how these perceptions influence children's behavior. (Implications of this research for classroom practice are also…

Reviews research in the areas of classroom organization and management, delineating the principles underlying a comprehensive approach to these areas. (MP)

Examines the perceptions of elementary school students regarding who among their fellow students are "better readers." Particular attention is given to the effects of differences in classroom organization, student age, and student ability on student perception. (MP)

The major goals of the project reported here were to learn how teachers who are effective managers handle beginning-of-the-year activities and to determine what basic principles of management underlie their teaching. Twenty-seven third-grade teachers in eight elementary schools served as subjects. (MP)

Studied connections between parent involvement programs, teachers' attitudes, and teachers' practices in inner-city elementary and middle schools. Examined patterns according to academic subject, classroom organization, and level of support for parent involvement. Found that each variable has implications for the strengths of school programs and…

Discusses alterable elements of classroom organization, traditional approaches to instructional improvement, and "component building," an alternative approach to education. The component-building approach involves an extensive program of field experimental research on classroom practices that are or could become components of complete…

Observed 223 public school kindergarten classrooms to describe classroom activities and child-teacher interactions. Also observed global classroom quality. Found, among other observations, that the most frequently observed forms of activity were structured, teacher-directed activities and whole-group instruction. Findings pose implications for…

Examined special education effectiveness for students with mild disabilities in six California grade schools. Found that no single feature, structure, or organization of school environment consistently indicated a school's relative standing or its relative effectiveness based on student performance. Findings posed implications for educational…