This book reveals some of the structural complexities involved in implementing authentic cooperative learning in the classroom. It also suggests that when full cooperative learning structures are implemented, the benefits in student achievement often can be astounding. Descriptions, decisions, designs, and developments, a simple four-part scheme,…

Speedball combines soccer and basketball skills to create a game that is easy to learn for those of average ability yet with possibilities for the highly skilled. It is ideal for younger, less skilled persons, but, since the game can call for a wide variety of techniques which require highly developed mental and physical skills, it is also suited…

When two psychological reports of handicapped children were presented to 86 professionals alone and in their multidisciplinary team, the teams exhibited significantly less variability in placement decisions than the same specialists acting independently. No one profession appeared to dominate the group decision making. (Author/CL)

The study involving 102 native Puerto Rican educational evaluators tested the hypothesis that professionals from Puerto Rico working in teams would generate less variability than would the same individuals acting alone in the program placement of exceptional children. (SW)

Identifies the major activities involved in collective bargaining and defines the differences between collaborative, win/win bargaining and adversarial bargaining. Key elements of collaborative bargaining include trust-building, respect, clear and continuous communications, avoidance of "one upmanship" games, mutual problem-solving…

Before meeting with top-level administrative staff, a newly appointed superintendent should devise some working principles, such as disclosing management style, reviewing staff job responsibilities, meeting privately with each team member, listing school system problems and priorities for handling them, holding regular staff metings, delegating…

In adaptive schools, working groups grow, develop, and learn from experience, becoming more effective as they go. Three premises about group development include the following: each group is unique, some groups mature, and attrition need not block development. Four guidelines for successful group meetings include decide who decides, define the…

Many educational psychology services across the country have changed or are in the process of changing to a consultation approach to service delivery. This paper outlines the experiences of an inner city service in the development of consultation particularly in the area of group consultation. Group consultation involves a pair of educational…

Maintaining well-disciplined schools is becoming more difficult in today's educational system, and problem behavior or lack of school discipline is reaching crisis proportions. Nationally recognized author and educator Geoff Colvin provides the "what's," "why's," and "how's" for establishing an effective discipline program while promoting an…

The paper focuses on the enhancement of the interface between regular educators and special educators with particular emphasis on effective mainstreaming of special education students. It is pointed out that for the interface to take place, positive interpersonal relationships, cooperative teaching conditions, and specific strategies and…

The importance of transdisciplinary research is noted, and guidelines emphasize planning and cooperation among team members. Recommendations address ways to break down disciplinary barriers and view the coordinator's role as facilitator. (CL)

The article proposes a three-dimensional model for conceptualizing problems in the functioning of interdisciplinary team's for handicapped students: (1) as a developing and changing entity, (2) as a set of subsystems, and (3) as a function unit. Each dimension is described and examples of a team dysfunctions within each dimension are provided.…

This district created a team of four administrators to replace the district superintendent while a search was conducted for a successor. (IRT)

Examines the idea of the administrative team as a management and leadership strategy that, while difficult and demanding to put into practice, holds great potential for increasing administrative effectiveness and efficiency and thus influencing positively the learning program for the children served by the school system. (Author)

Using teams is an effective way to meet the challenges of breaking down teacher isolation, halting curriculum fragmentation, and creating a learning organization. This guide is designed to help school leaders train groups to become teams, guide them to become high-performance teams, and empower them to become technology-based teams. It contains…