Download or read book The Voices of the Teachers Prekindergarten to Sixth Grade Teachers Perceptions of School Climate and Morale in One Urban Elementary School District written by Natasha Hunter-McGregor and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Impact of Teacher Attitude and Urbanicity Through the Implementation of Positive Behavior Support Programming written by Theodore Caleris and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: One of the major questions that both urban and non-urban public school districts are faced with is the relationship between the predictors of school climate, student behavior, staff perceptions and the influence these variables have on school climate. School districts are under public scrutiny to produce positive achievement results for all students. Much research suggests that schools that are considered urban are generally considered unsafe, unproductive and unable to produce students that are competitive in a 21st century global economy. In the major urban centers, student populations are decreasing, flooding the first-ring school districts. First-ring school districts are the individual school districts that immediately border major urban school centers. What are left in the major urban districts are families that are unable to improve their situation and move out of the school districts that are generally considered a failure. One area that has been generally targeted as a method to improve student achievement is the area of school climate. Various programs in the public school setting have been instituted to positively influence school climate. Inside the school setting, there are diverse variables that can affect the efficient running of a school building: school climate, student population, discipline occurrences in a school, specific positive behavior support programs (PBS), at risk behavior intervention programs for students, academic intervention programs, staff morale and standardized testing results for a specific school district. These predictors, along with individual human development and behavior, influence school climate. It is essential to understand how these characteristics can impact school climate in an urban and non-urban setting; what policies or procedures can positively impact climate at the building level; and how can these factors can influence staff perceptions towards student achievement. Educators have yet to determine the exact interplay of the factors that predict school climate and their influence upon student achievement. Among other variables, the topic of school climate has had profound implications upon staff retention, school discipline and student academic achievement. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of positive behavior supports on school climate, specifically in relation to teacher perceptions and feelings towards positive behavior support programming; to identify the awareness of specific positive behavior supports used within a school setting; to determine the impact of these supports on school climate by measuring teacher attitude and perception about student achievement; and ultimately, to determine is there a statistical significance in staff perception of school climate elative to the school setting of an urban and non-urban school. Two-hundred and six educators were surveyed from four school district in Northeast and Northwest Ohio. Results demonstrated that working in a urban setting or non-urban setting was statistically significant in terms of the impact on teacher attitude, collegiality, achievement perceptions and awareness with regards to the tested factors that influence school climate. It was found that there were statistically significant differences between teachers working in either an urban or a non-urban setting in relation to teacher attitude, collegiality, achievement perceptions and awareness, as related to school climate. However, the effect sizes were low demonstrating that the differences were not large enough to be of a practical concern.
Download or read book The Relationship Between Elementary School Climate and Teacher Perceptions about Evaluation written by Ellen DeeAnn Powell and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, the demand for accountability in schools across America has put a spotlight on teacher quality. As part of the focus on school improvement, one area that is sometimes overlooked is teacher evaluation (Varlas, 2009). Within the research, studies can be found that show a relationship between school climate and the effectiveness of teacher evaluation systems (King, 2003: Stronge, 2006; Wilson & Natriello, 1987). It has also been found that effective teacher evaluation can improve school climate (Colby, Bradshaw, & Joyner, 2002). Learning how the overall climate of a school relates to the evaluation process could be beneficial to school administrators and teachers alike. The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary school teachers' perceptions of their school climate and determine if a relationship existed between those perceptions and the perceptions they have of their formative and summative evaluations. This quantitative study was conducted in 35 public elementary schools within a southeast urban area of Houston, Texas. The Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire for Elementary Schools (Hoy, Tarter, & Kottkamp, 1991) was administered to the schools' teaching staff to determine teacher perceptions of their school climate. Additionally, the Teacher Evaluation Profile (Stiggins & Duke, 1988) was given to determine the perceptions of teachers related to their most recent evaluation experiences. Data from the 746 participating teachers was analyzed using a Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient and Partial Least Squares (PLS) Modeling to assess the relationship between school climate and the teachers perceptions of evaluation effectiveness. The findings indicated that correlations of scores for the various subtests on the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire Elementary version (OCDQ-RE) with the scores for the various subtests on the Teacher Evaluation Profile (TEP) existed in the direction that supports the stated hypotheses. The six PLS path models defined in this study have practical and/or theoretical significance to predict the relationships between elementary school climate and teacher perceptions regarding evaluation. By understanding the relationship between school climate and teacher evaluation, principals will be better equipped to improve their schools and meet the challenges of NCLB.
Download or read book Urban Elementary and Middle School Teachers Perceptions of Instructional Time Resources and Facilities and Their Relationship to Student Academic Achievement Reading and Mathematics written by Rosalind Renee Martin and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Federal and state laws rely on multiple indicators to measure and improve student performance. However, inadequate attention has been directed at school climate as a means to improve student academic achievement even through there is a diverse body of research linking school climate to student achievement and academic performance (Kober, 2001; Loukas & Robinson, 2005; Shindler, et al 2004). The specific purpose of this study is to examine elementary and middle school teachers' perceptions of school climate dimensions such as: use of instructional time, access to resources, and adequate facilities, in relationship to students academic achievement in an urban school district. The researcher used secondary data to analyze teachers' perceptions related of time, resources, and facilities and their relationship to student academic achievement. According to the data results, overall, elementary and middle school teachers believe there is: good use of their time during the school day, time to collaborate, time to meet the needs of students, and adequate non-instructional time. As with the second aspect regarding the level of access teachers have to instructional resources, teachers feel they have access to the resources needed. The third aspect addressed in the results is related to teachers' perceptions about the overall quality of the facilities in which they work. According to the data collected, teachers believe that the school facilities are clean and well maintained, and that their work space is sufficient and supportive for the teaching and learning process. The last set of data analyzed the relationship between the mean results from elementary and middle school teachers' perceptions about the related items concerning time, resources, and facilities and that of schools whose achieve results were proficient in reading and math on the 2010 Tennessee Comprehensive Achievement Program (TCAP) assessment. Teachers from schools that had proficient scores in reading and math, believed that there were too many interruptions during instructional time, class size matters when student achievement is considered, and there is a need to protect teachers from duties that interfere with their responsibility to educate students. Conclusion from this study indicated that there were no significant differences between elementary and middle school teachers' perceptions about use of instructional time, access to resources or facilities. However, there was a difference in teachers' perceptions that worked in schools with proficient reading and math scores on standardized test.
Download or read book Resources in Education written by and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 1016 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Teacher Perceptions on School Climate in in Rural and Urban Elementary Schools written by David Probst and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Exploratory Study of School Climate as Perceived by Teachers in Selected Elementary Schools of an Urban School District Serving Hispanic Students written by Julio Cruz and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Teachers Perceptions of School Climate in High Performing Schools and Low Performing Schools written by Briget Ethier and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative research study was to determine if there was a significant difference in teachers’ perceptions of school climate between high performing schools and low performing schools. The study investigated teachers' perceptions of overall school climate, collaboration, decision-making, instructional innovation, student relations, and school resources. Data was collected from 75 teachers in three high performing schools and 75 teachers in three low performing schools from one school district. The Revised School Level Environment Questionnaire (Revised SLEQ) was the instrument utilized in the study to measure teachers' perceptions of overall school climate in addition to the five aforementioned subscales. The results obtained from the 150 surveys were analyzed using a multiple independent samples t tests to identify if there was a statistical difference between group means on the Revised SLEQ. This study is significant because it provide individuals in the field of education with evidence that their perceptions might be impacted by the academic achievement in their schools. The study was also intended to provide evidence that perceptions play a very important role in the overall effectiveness of an educational institution. The study revealed that there was a significant difference between the two populations with regards to overall school climate, student relations, school resources, instructional innovation while there was not a significant difference with regards to decision making and collaboration. Future research is recommended to investigate teachers’ perceptions of school climate with the incorporation of a larger population and the incorporation of more recent data.
Download or read book A Causal Comparative Study of Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of School Climate Within Elementary Schools in a School District written by Clyde Reginald Alston and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A school's climate either positively or negatively affects teaching and learning within the school. School administrators have the responsibility to ensure the school climate supports both. This responsibility can only be met when school leaders have an accurate understanding of climate in the schools they serve. This causal-comparative study examines administrators' and teachers' perceptions of school climate among the academic, social, affective, and physical domains of school climate, as measured by the revised School Level Environment Questionnaire (r-SLEQ). Data were examined using an independent samples t-test to determine whether statistically significant differences in school climate perceptions exist between administrators and teachers on school climate overall and also uses an independent samples t-test to determine if differences exist on individual climate domains. Independent samples t-tests indicated significant differences (p
Download or read book School Climate and Teachers Perceptions on Climate Factors written by Ilhan Gunbayi and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examined the difference in the levels of the variables related to the school climate factors among the teachers teaching social science courses, the teachers teaching natural science courses, and the teachers teaching art, music and physical education. As a result of the analyzes, all the teachers reported open climate in relation to the factors of team commitment, organizational clarity and standards, intimacy and support, autonomy, member conflict, medium climate in relation to the factors of risk and in reward. Additionally, the teachers teaching art, music and physical education reported higher open school climate than others, man than women, single teachers than married ones, the teachers with more degree of education than the ones with a lower degree of education, older teachers than younger ones, and the teachers with less seniority than the ones with more seniority. Finally, some ideas were suggested about what should be done in helping teachers to work in a more desirable open school climate. (Contains 1 figure and 6 tables.).
Download or read book Working in Urban Schools written by Tom Corcoran and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document on the working conditions of urban teachers reports data from a survey of 31 elementary, middle, and secondary schools in five urban school districts. More than 400 interviews were conducted with teachers, school administrators, central office personnel, district officials, board members, and union officials. The observations, interviews, and analyses confirm that, in most of these schools, the working conditions of teachers are bleak and would not be tolerated in other professions. Among the findings are the following: (1) physical conditions are sub-standard because of a lack of maintenance, repair, and space; (2) safety is not a serious problem to teachers, except in very depressed neighborhoods; (3) teachers do not have even the basic resources needed, let alone access to new technologies; (4) teachers consider hiring more personnel to address the personal problems of students a higher priority than hiring more teachers to reduce class size; (5) teachers generally understand the cultural gulf between them and their students but are unable to deal with what they consider aberrant student behavior; (6) teachers perceive that they are losing control over what they teach, primarily because of district-wide testing policies although they are in control of how they teach; and (7) teachers have little confidence in supervision, staff development, or central office leadership. Characteristics of good working conditions are identified. Tables illustrate the data. Appendices compare these findings with those of other studies, provide a list of about 100 references, describe the methodology, and compare school effects. (BJV)
Download or read book The Perceptions of School Climate School Safety and School Violence and Their Effects on Teacher Commitment written by Laura A. Brooks and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this qualitative research study was to study the perceptions of the five dimensions of school climate, the effect school safety and violence had on the teachers' perceptions of school climate, and the role school climate played on the teachers' commitment to their professional responsibilities. This research study was conducted at one high school in south central Pennsylvania and utilized the California School Climate Survey, published by WestEd, an open-ended question, and one-on-one interviews conducted by the researcher. The survey participation rate among the teachers was 77%, the open-ended question was answered by 67% of the participating teachers, and 15% of the participating teachers completed one-on-one interviews. School climate factors such as safety, relationships, teaching and learning, the institutional environment, and the school improvement process were studied in order to identify areas within the school that bolstered morale and improved the climate as well as areas that decreased the climate and need improvement. Results from the three methods of data collection indicated that a majority of teachers felt safe at this school, 56% of the participants stated that safety related issues did not affect their perceptions of school climate, and school safety either increased commitment or did not affect it at all. In addition, the teachers maintained great working relationships with one another, which increased commitment. Most teachers wanted academic success for all students, but not all teachers believed academic success to be possible. The teachers' commitment to teaching increased as a result of the need for academic improvement. The new school building and materials aided student learning, which increased commitment; and the school improvement initiatives were overwhelming, which decreased teacher commitment.
Download or read book Perceptions of School Climate and Culture Among Middle School Teachers in an Urban Alabama School District written by Patience Nwanne Otuonye Oranika and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book School Climate Components that Contribute to Adequate Yearly Progress in Elementary Schools written by Angeline Elizabeth Miller and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author's abstract: The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the impact of the school climate components of teacher job satisfaction, morale, and efficacy on student achievement. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews of both principals and teachers, reviewed information pertaining to the school district's Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation, and from the School Matters website pertaining to one school that made Adequate Yearly Progress, and one that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress. The sample of eight teachers was selected using a purposive sampling and the accounts of their personal ideas, feelings, beliefs, and perceptions of their feelings of job satisfaction, morale, and efficacy were presented through direct quotes to provide richness in detailing their real world descriptions. The principals at both elementary schools were also interviewed to determine their feelings about the climate within their respective buildings. Teachers at the both schools indicated that their personal feelings did not influence their professional obligations; however, in the school that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress, the teachers indicated that they wanted to be respected by their principal; therefore, in this study, it appears that feelings of job satisfaction can impact a school's potential to make Adequate Yearly Progress. Findings revealed that teacher morale has the potential to impact a school's ability to make Adequate Yearly Progress because in the school that made Adequate Yearly Progress, there was a sense of trust, confidence, and enthusiasm that existed among its teachers, whereas, in the school that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress, this type of atmosphere was not fully operational. Teacher efficacy did not appear to have an impact on a school's potential to make Adequate Yearly Progress because teachers at both schools were confident about their ability to successfully teach their students. School principals and those aspiring to be building level supervisors, may wish to explore the findings of this research to address components of school climate. This information can enable them to foster an environment that is conducive for student learning. Teachers are a valuable asset to the educational profession which includes helping students and building level administrators achieve success.
Download or read book The Effects of School Uniforms on School Climate in Elementary School written by Alexis Marie McGloin and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 103 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research sought to explore the link between mandatory school uniforms and a positive school climate. Beginning in the late 1980's public schools implemented mandatory school uniforms policies in urban school districts. The trend gained momentum when President Clinton included school uniforms in his 1996 State of the Union Address. Directly following the speech was a publication by the United States Department of Education on school uniforms that was distributed to all school districts in the country. Often the primary reason for implementing school uniforms was gang violence. Other reason included increased school safety and decreases in violence. Further, proponents believed uniforms would increase academic achievement and improve school climate. Research on the effects of school uniforms is limited and conflicting. Most studies available to date were conducted in urban settings. However, school uniforms have infiltrated rural and suburban schools districts as well. Two school districts in suburban Eastern Pennsylvania participated in this study. One school district had a mandatory school uniform policy. The other did not. Using a school climate survey and school uniform questionnaire, students in grades 4-6 and elementary school teachers rated the school climate in their respective schools. School climate was rated on seven subscales on the student school climate survey and 10 subscales on the faculty school climate survey. A t-test was performed on the data set to determine the difference between sample means and a factor analysis was conducted on the student school climate survey. Further, three themes emerged from the short answer questions on the student uniform questionnaire. The results of the research found that there was not a statistically significant relationship between a mandatory school uniform policy and elementary school students' perceptions of school climate. Of the seven subscales, students who wore school uniforms rated their peer relationships higher than students without school uniforms. Additionally, they rated the required rigor higher. Students that did not wear school uniforms rated the teacher-student relationship higher. When responding to the open ended questions, three themes emerged. They were expression, atmosphere and family. In essence, students were not in favor of wearing uniforms and believed uniforms suppressed their freedom of expression. Teachers responded similarly. The results showed no statistically significant relationship between a mandatory school uniform policy and teacher perceptions of school climate. Only two subscales showed any significant difference between the two groups of teachers. They were teacher-administrator relationship and student achievement. In both respects, teachers in the district without uniforms responded more positively. The results of this study should be used when reviewing current policy or considering new policy on school uniforms.
Download or read book A Study of the Comparison Between Teacher Perceptions of School Climate and the Existence of Professional Learning Community Dimensions written by Kathryn E. Kelton and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research study was conducted to determine whether teachers' perceptions of climate within a school had a significant influence on the dimensions that support a community of professional learners. Teachers from ten middle schools in one central Florida school district completed a combined survey design which included questions pertaining to both climate characteristics and Professional Learning Community (PLC) dimensions. Foundational theories regarding both learning organizations and organizational climate were explored. Recent research on the development of professional learning communities and school climate was also examined. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to investigate each research question; these statistics included Spearman rho correlations, multiple regressions, and chi-square analyses. Findings demonstrated that the null hypotheses were rejected or partially rejected for each research question. Significant relationships were found between teachers' perceptions of school climate and the dimensions of a PLC. Of the demographic variables, only years of teaching experience was found to be not significantly related to the school climate dimensions. The implications of these results validate the importance of building a climate of supportive principal behavior and committed and collegial teacher behaviors, as demonstrated by the significant relationship of these characteristics to schools exhibiting higher degrees of the dimensions that constitute a PLC. Educational stakeholders wishing to develop schools into job-embedded communities of learners with evidence of the five dimensions (shared leadership, shared vision, collective creativity, peer review and supportive conditions) must attend to developing the climate behaviors necessary for that to occur. As demonstrated by the research results, establishing an appropriate school climate that promotes professional interaction, support, and teacher commitment to students is a strong place to begin.
Download or read book School Climate written by H. Jerome Freiberg and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2005-08-02 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like a strong foundation in a house, the climate of a school is the foundation that supports the structures of teaching and learning. This book provides a framework for educators to look at school and classroom climates using both informal and formal measures. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of climate and details techniques which may be used by heads or classroom teachers to judge the health of their learning environment. The book sets out to enhance understanding of the components of a healthy learning environment and the tools needed to improve that environment. It also looks at ways to assess the impact of change activities in improving and sustaining educational excellence. The international team of contributors bring perspectives from the school systems in America, UK, Australia and Holland.
