In Search of Best Practices in Christian School Governance

The purpose of this research is to examine to what extent certain governance practices exist in Christian schools in the U.S. Practices that impact the relationship between the Board and the school administrator are the main focus. The mixed-method data collection included a nationwide survey (n=645) of school administrators. Statistically significant differences were found between schools that are accredited and those that are non-accredited

The Effect of Walkthrough Observations on Teacher Perspectives in Christian Schools

This study investigated the effects on teacher perceptions of frequent, brief classroom observations in Christian schools. Teachers (N=111) responded to 13 belief and value statements prior to and after the term during which administrators conducted weekly, brief, unannounced observations in their classes. Teachers reported significant positive change regarding (a) analyzing reasons for selecting methods to assess learning, (b) being encouraged after class observations, and (c) being encouraged after receiving feedback related to the observations

Parental agreement of reporting parent to child aggression using the Conflict Tactics Scales

Objectives: This study examined mothers’ and fathers’ reporting congruency using the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scales. We asked if the mother’s report of the father’s parenting aggression was consistent with the father’s self-report of parenting aggression and if the father’s report of the mother’s parenting aggression was consistent with the mother’s selfreport of those same behaviors. We assessed moderators of parental reporting congruency: severity of the aggression, interparental conflict, child temperament, and child gender. Methods: Participants were from the Child Development Project, a longitudinal study beginning when children were in kindergarten. The analyses herein included 163 children for whom 2 parents provided data about their own and their spouse or partner’s behavior toward the child. Most parents (87%) were married. Mothers and fathers independently completed the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale, both with respect to their own behavior toward the child and with respect to their partner’s behavior toward the child. Mothers completed the retrospective Infant Characteristics Questionnaire to assess child temperament. Mothers and fathers completed measures of interparental conflict. Results: Both fathers and mothers self-reported more frequently engaging in each behavior than the other parent reported they did. Parents were more congruent on items assessing harsher parenting behavior. Furthermore, there was more agreement between parents regarding fathers’ behavior than mothers’ behavior. Analyses of interparental conflict, child difficult temperament, and child gender as moderators yielded findings suggesting that mothers’ and fathers’ reports of their own and their spouses’ harsh parenting behaviors were more concordant in couples with low levels of conflict, for children with easy temperaments, and for boys versus girls. Conclusions: Prior studies indicate only a moderate level of agreement in couples’ reports of violence between intimate partners and suggest that perpetrators tend to underreport their use of aggression. The results of this study suggest that parents may be more consistent in their reports of parent to child violence using the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scales than they are when reporting intimate partner violence. The results suggest that parental reports of their spouse’s parent to child aggression are reliable.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106161/1/2012-Lee Lansford et al CTSPC.pd

Nature

The ability to associate temporally segregated information and assign positive or negative valence to environmental cues is paramount for survival. Studies have shown that different basolateral amygdala (BLA) projections are potentiated following reward or punishment learning1–7. However, we do not yet understand how valence specific information is routed to the BLA neurons with the appropriate downstream projections. Nor do we understand how to reconcile the subsecond timescales of synaptic plasticity8–11 with the longer timescales separating the predictive cues from their outcomes. Here, we demonstrate that neurotensin (NT) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) projecting to the BLA (PVT-BLA:NT) mediate valence assignment by exerting concentration-dependent modulation in BLA during associative learning. We found that optogenetic activation of the PVT-BLA:NT projection promotes reward learning, while PVT-BLA projection-specific Nt gene knockout augments punishment learning. Using genetically encoded calcium and NT sensors, we further revealed that both calcium dynamics within the PVT-BLA:NT projection and NT concentrations in the BLA are enhanced after reward learning and reduced after punishment learning. Finally, we showed that CRISPR-mediated knockout of the Nt gene in the PVT-BLA pathway blunts BLA neural dynamics and attenuates the preference to active behavioral strategies to reward and punishment predictive cues. Taken together, we have identified NT as a neuropeptide that signals valence in the BLA, and showed that NT is a critical neuromodulator that orchestrates positive and negative valence assignment in amygdala neurons by extending valence-specific plasticity to behaviorally-relevant timescales

Fundamental kinetic studies of slag metal gas reactions in support of process

High temperature metallurgical reaction kinetics have been the subject of study for many years [1, 2]. However, for most of that time such studies, whilst presenting a stimulating intellectual challenge to academic researchers, have been considered to offer no more than an insight into the behaviour of industrial processes. However, in recent years hope has been expressed, regarding the emergence of kinetics as a discipline with quantitative application, much as thermodynamics has been for several decades [3]. Indeed, there has been notable recent success in process modelling of real plant data, based on a fundamental kinetic approach [4]. The current paper will discuss two fundamental studies from the author's laboratory and the way in which they have been applied in modelling process behaviour

Christian Perspectives in Education Send out your light and your truth! Let them guide me. Psalm 43:3 The Effect of Walkthrough Observations on Teacher Perspectives in Christian Schools

The Effect of Walkthrough Observations on Teacher Perspectives in Christian Schools From the practical experience of multiple Christian school administrators over many years a perpetual phenomenon has surfaced: teachers do not enjoy supervisory observations of their teaching in classrooms. Their dislike, and even fear, of such classroom visits may emanate from several apprehensions including (a) lack of trust in administrators' motives, (b) uncertainty regarding administrators' real evaluations of their teaching performances, or (c) fear that personal performance weaknesses will manifest themselves during the observations. Because of these teacher perceptions, the observation of classroom teaching by supervisors too often degenerates into an unpleasant or unproductive activity for both teachers and administrators. Teachers sigh with relief when the observations are completed and eagerly return to their comfort zones, unable to profit substantially from data collected by observers and shared later in supportive conferences. Administrators, on the other hand, sigh with discouragement because observations, so difficult to schedule, result in unproductive supervisory activity that fails to provoke improvements in classroom instruction and, by extension, student learning. In an effort to explore remedies for these conditions, we focused this Christian school study around two questions: (a) Would frequent, informal classroom observations by supervisors strengthen the effectiveness of administrators' instructional leadership in schools? and (b) would those same observations stimulate teachers' reflective practice and increase dialogue among teachers and administrators? Because teacher perceptions were pivotal elements in both questions, they formed the basis of data collection in participating schools. The success of any learning walk depends on how well the instructional leadership team of the school organizes and prepares the school community for the process. In order for a staff to fully benefit from the feedback after a learning walk, trust must be built by making the process transparent" (p. 19). They further noted that "schools and districts engaged in this process report that it has helped them change the culture of their schools from one of distrust and isolation to one of collaboration and openness" (p. 21). When walkthroughs are conducted properly and trust relationships built, the entire process results in positive outcomes characteristic of effective schools. Among other things, these outcomes include a culture of collegiality among staff, reflective discussions about teacher practice, a focus on student achievement, increased student engagement in the learning process, However, negative outcomes can also accompany walkthroughs. Valli and Buese To summarize, previous research on school culture, teacher and administrator perceptions, and the dynamics of walkthrough observations provided the foundation for this study. The starting point was the relationship of collective teacher and administrator beliefs (school culture) to student learning. Upon this base, we placed the philosophy and practice of walkthrough observations as a means to improve student learning indirectly by directly contributing to the formation of a positive school culture. Drawing on the work of Cotton 6. I align my lesson objectives and content with my school's curriculum for my grade or subject. 7. I consciously reflect on how I would teach certain lessons differently in the future. 8. I do not hesitate to try new methods or teaching techniques even though I am not 100% sure if they will be successful. 9. I am confident that I can figure out a better way to teach a lesson in the future so that students will learn better. All administrators who participated in the pilot study committed themselves to observe all teachers for at least two to three minutes no less than once a week. Failure to do so did not require removal from the pilot study, but they were asked in the post-experiment survey to selfreport to what extent they were able to conduct weekly observations. As part of the pilot work, supervisors (some schools had more than one) conducted observations for a full semester. During that time, administrators occasionally prepared brief written comments for teachers and gave them to teachers following observations. Administrators also engaged in informal curriculum/instructional dialogue with teachers as frequently as possible, a practice Downey (2004) preferred over the use of written notes in order to discourage establishing teacher dependency on affirmation from such notes after each visit. The pilot work produced three helpful results. First, both faculty and administrators reported positive gains on the 13 belief and value statements at the end of the semester, offering promise that the intervention of walkthrough observations would have desirable effects. Though the sample size was too small in the pilot study (N=68) to establish significance at .05, all statements on the questionnaire showed at least modest gains when compared to pre-experiment Selection and training of participants for the full study. Following the review of pilot study results, we recruited ten new schools to participate in the full study. As with the pilot study, we employed convenience sampling, using eight Christian schools in the southeast United States and one school each from Texas and Colorado. All participating schools were members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and were in similar spectrums of age and size. Following administrators' agreements to participate, they viewed an instructional video prepared at Columbia International University. The instructions (a) specified procedures for conducting informal walkthrough observations of two to three minutes, (b) recommended features of classroom life to observe in two to three minutes, and (c) presented guidelines for follow-up notes for, or conversations with, teachers. The "recommended features of classroom life" directed observers to note teachers' participation in instructional episodes, curriculum content on which lessons focused, students' activities, and general observations about th

Comparison of the Electronic Conduction Mechanism in MnOx-CaO-SiO2 and FeOx-CaO-SiO2 Slag Systems

The electrical and electronic and ionic transference numbers were measured for slags in the system MnOCaO-SiO2 using the stepped potential chronoamperometry method. Transference numbers were measured over a range of oxygen partial pressure to evaluate the effect of MnOCaO-SiO2. The data were compared with previously measured data for the FeO-CaO-SiO2 system. Data were found to fit well, the Diffusion Assisted Hopping Model for electronic conduction previously develop in the authors’ laboratory. The only adjustable parameter employed in fitting the data to this model, was, r*, the maximum spacing at which hopping can occur. A single value for this parameter was used for all manganese data. The value of r* obtained for the MnO-CaO-SiO2 system was slightly smaller than that for the FeO-CaO-SiO2 system which is in keeping with the relative magnitude of the third ionization energies for Fe and Mn

Transient kinetics of slag metal reactions

The kinetics of slag metal reactions are complex and often transient, in the sense that interfacial area, the equilibrium driving force, temperature gradients, and fluid properties are changing with time. This highly transient behavior is challenging to model using simple ordinary differential equations, and new theoretical approaches must be developed to deal with the complexity associated with these systems. Three examples from recent studies are described to illustrate methods of analyzing transient behavior. The first is desulfurization of steel in ladle metallurgy where the equilibrium driving force is changing with time, and the second is the case of reacting droplets in oxygen steelmaking where 'bloating' of the droplet has a dramatic effect on the kinetics. The third is in the case of reactions between an alloy droplet and slag that result in large changes in interfacial area due to surface tension driven flows