Learning by Doing: The Characteristics, Effectiveness, and Persistence of Teachers who Were Teaching Assistants First

Background/Context In response to a shortage of highly qualified teachers, states and school districts have enacted a number of policy innovations over the last two decades. While researchers have evaluated many of these reforms, little is known about the initial effectiveness of individuals with prior teaching assistant experience. We review existing literature related to teaching assistants and utilize administrative data to examine a number of characteristics of individuals who transition from work as teaching assistants to jobs as regular classroom teachers. Study Purpose Individuals who become classroom teachers after having prior experience in schools working as teaching assistants may perform differently than other teachers due to additional exposure to classroom practices. The purpose of this study is to identify differences in the characteristics, effectiveness, and persistence of teachers who work as teaching assistants prior to entering the classroom as regular classroom teachers. Population While the population of focus varies somewhat across research questions, we generally focus on teachers with less than five years of experience working in elementary and middle school grades in all North Carolina public schools from 2005–2006 to 2009–2010. Additional data on teaching assistants employed from 2000–2001 to 2009–2010 in North Carolina public schools allows identification of individuals who had prior experience as teaching assistants in the state. Research Design Using administrative data records, we utilize quantitative descriptions of teacher characteristics and persistence to identify differences between teachers who entered the classroom with prior teaching assistant experience and other groups of teachers. For effectiveness comparisons, we estimate value-added models to compare the effectiveness of teachers in the identified groups of interest. Findings/Results Overall, we find that teachers who began as teaching assistants are (1) older, more racially diverse, lower-scoring on licensure exams, and more likely to enter the profession alternatively; (2) more effective in elementary-grades math and reading; and (3) more likely to remain as classroom teachers in North Carolina public schools. Conclusions/Recommendations These findings indicate that former teaching assistants represent a quality and highly persistent labor source and call for continued research to understand how additional exposure to classrooms benefits early-career teacher performance.

Efficacy of scholar’s prevention programs according to the preventive agent: professors versus experts / Eficacia de los programas de prevención escolar en función del agente preventivo: profesores vs expertos

A lo largo de la literatura científica, se observa que los estudios que evalúan la eficacia de los programas escolares de prevención del abuso de sustancias han empleado una amplia gama de agentes de intervención. Sin embargo, en España, los programas escolares en la práctica cotidiana, en su gran mayoría, son aplicados únicamente por el profesorado de los centros escolares. A este respecto algunas investigaciones sugieren que la variable tipo de aplicador afecta a la eficacia de los programas escolares de prevención del consumo de drogas. En este artículo se presenta una revisión de estudios que comparan los resultados obtenidos en los programas escolares cuando son aplicados por los profesores habituales del aula frente a otros agentes externos al centro. Tomados en conjunto, los resultados de los estudios revisados son contradictorios y, por tanto, la evidencia no es concluyente. No obstante, se destaca el papel moderador de la variable tipo de monitor sobre los efectos de los programas. Por último, se recomienda conducir estudios que evalúen las características específicas o competencias que ha de poseer un monitor eficaz y cómo el entrenamiento puede contribuir a su adquisición o mejora. AbstractThroughout the scientific literature shows that studies evaluating the effectiveness of school-based substance abuse prevention programs have used a wide range of intervention agents. Nevertheless, in Spain, the school-based programs in daily practice, the vast majority, are applied only by regular classroom teachers of schools. In this regard, some research suggests that the variable type of applicator affects the effectiveness of school-based programs for drug prevention. This article presents a review of studies comparing the results obtained in the school-based programs when applied by regular classroom teachers to other external contributors. Taken together, the results of the reviewed studies are contradictory and, therefore, the evidence is not conclusive. However, it highlights the moderating role of the variabletype of monitor on the effects of programs. Finally, it is recommended to lead studies to evaluate the specific characteristics or skills that must have an effective monitor as the training can contribute to its acquisition or improvement.

Practitioners’ Conceptions of Academic Talent and Giftedness: Essential Factors in Deciding Classroom and School Composition

Experts have developed varying, and sometimes conflicting, conceptions of academic talent and giftedness. Classroom and school composition often are tied to these conceptions of academic talent and giftedness, and magnet and charter schools select certain students who best “fit” their particular conception of giftedness. Educators’ perceptions and attitudes regarding academic talent and giftedness thus impact what services are delivered to which students. Little is known about educators’ beliefs regarding conceptions of academic talent and giftedness. The current national study surveyed 900 public school educators, including regular classroom teachers, administrators, and gifted education specialists, regarding their definitions of academic talent and giftedness. The educators believed that all traditional and popular conceptions of academic talent and giftedness were valid, but they were less likely to support definitions involving talents in less-traditional areas. Educators accepted some of the more recently conceived, and more inclusive, conceptions of academic talent or giftedness. Such results are potentially valuable to school administrators, gifted education specialists, and regular classroom teachers who work with academically talented and gifted students, as well as to those who are concerned with the factors influencing school or classroom composition.

Dialogic Responsiveness: Toward Synthesis, Complexity, and Holism in Our Reponses to Young Literacy Learners

In this investigation of classroom literacy contexts, the term “dialogic responsiveness” is introduced and utilized in order to provide a holistic framework for synthesizing, researching, and describing the complexities of responsive dialogue. An in-depth perspective was provided via one reading teacher, who exemplified dialogic responsiveness, as she interacted with six focus students during literacy instruction. A breadth of perspectives was provided via four regular classroom teachers as they interacted with four of these focus students during literacy instruction. Findings reveal how these teachers were able to be responsive to the cultural, cognitive, emotional, motivational, and physical needs of young literacy learners. The findings also detail how each teacher's dialogic responsiveness influenced the literacy participation of students. The complexities of these findings are discussed by reviving and extending a metaphor used previously in the literature-the metaphor of weaving. This metaphor is argued to be useful because it provides holistic insight into the complexities of being dialogically responsive to young literacy learners.

Teachers' Personalities and Students' Behavior in Referrals for Special Education

84 regular classroom teachers completed four self-report personality scales (self-concept, tolerance, locus of control, and teachers' efficacy) and reviewed hypothetical records of three types of students (withdrawn, acting-out, and neutral) and made decisions for referral for each student to special education. Scores for self-concept, tolerance, locus of control, and teachers' efficacy were not related to their decisions to refer across types of students.