Development of a Measure Assessing Adolescent Aggression: The Aggressive Behavior Risk Assessment- Adolescent- Parent Report (ABRA-A-PR)

Although parent-report scales for general behavioral difficulties and aggression (e.g., verbal and physical aggression) exist, there are currently no measures assessing sexual behaviors in this context. Commonly, parent-report measures provide a few items relevant to behavioral aggression, and items encompassing sexually aggressive behaviors are frequently vague and non-specific in the actions being committed by the adolescent. The primary purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive and multifaceted parent-report measure for aggressive behavior in adolescents. Three separate studies were conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the measure. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to investigate the factorial structure of the measure. While a stable factor structure to organize different domains of aggression was not obtained, results did reveal robust factor structure for sexually aggressive behavior items through a unidimensional solution. Moreover, validity and reliability statistics were high for this unidimensional factor structure, indicating the items held together and represented the latent construct well. Some unique gender and rurality differences in parent-reports of sexually aggressive behaviors were detected. Notably, via parent report, adolescent boys engage in more sexually aggressive behaviors compared to adolescent females, while adolescent from rural areas engage in higher levels of sexually aggressive behaviors compared to adolescents from non-rural areas. The formation of this sexually aggressive behaviors assessment likely serves best a screening tool. With further study, the measure has the potential to inform treatment options for behavioral health and forensic professionals working with adolescents

For the Public Good: Quality Preparation for Every Teacher

The goal is to ensure that teachers enter the profession ready for the demands of the 21st-century classroom. The first report from Bank Street College of Education's Sustainable Funding Project  looks at ways of reaching that goal through yearlong co-teaching experiences, commonly referred to as residencies, in classroom settings with experienced mentors.The report—"For the Public Good: Quality Preparation for Every Teacher"—also identifies public funding streams to support residency programs nationwide and outlines how teacher preparation providers and school districts can establish mutually beneficial partnerships to support high-quality teacher preparation

Emotional Dimensions of Teaching in Elementary Education Preparation

Student teaching is a pivotal event in teacher education preparation programs, and there is a need to investigate emotions in teaching. This study examined how one elementary program navigated the emotional dimensions of teaching. Findings revealed that the emotional dimensions of student teachers were influenced by individualized factors unique to the teacher; certain emotions were perceived as more acceptable to express; and supervisors needed to support student teachers to manage and respond to the emotional dimensions of teaching. The recommendation is to go beyond the technical and academic aspects of teaching and address the emotional dimensions to best prepare the whole teacher

Emotional Dimensions of Teaching in Elementary Education Preparation

Student teaching is a pivotal event in teacher education preparation programs, and there is a need to investigate emotions in teaching. This study examined how one elementary program navigated the emotional dimensions of teaching. Findings revealed that the emotional dimensions of student teachers were influenced by individualized factors unique to the teacher; certain emotions were perceived as more acceptable to express; and supervisors needed to support student teachers to manage and respond to the emotional dimensions of teaching. The recommendation is to go beyond the technical and academic aspects of teaching and address the emotional dimensions to best prepare the whole teacher

Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Fruit and Vegetable Intake as Predictors of Head Start Teachers\u27 Classroom Mealtime Behaviors

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake among Head Start teachers and their classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). DESIGN: Cross-sectional design using observation and survey. SETTING: Sixteen Head Start centers across Rhode Island between September, 2014 and May, 2015. PARTICIPANTS: Teachers were e-mailed about the study by directors and were recruited during on-site visits. A total of 85 participants enrolled through phone/e-mail (19%) or in person (81%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Independent variables were nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake. The dependent variable was classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). ANALYSIS: Regression analyses conducted on teacher mealtime behavior were examined separately for observation and self-report, with knowledge, attitudes, and fruit and vegetable intake as independent variables entered into the models, controlling for covariates. RESULTS: Nutrition attitudes were positively associated with teacher self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total score. Neither teacher nutrition knowledge nor fruit/vegetable intake was associated with observed or self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total scores. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: There was limited support for associations among teacher knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake, and teacher classroom mealtime behavior. Findings showed that teacher mealtime behavior was significantly associated with teacher experience

Georgia Management Students’ Perceptions of Faculty Academic Qualifications and Professional Experiences

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of undergraduate management students at one Georgia institution of higher education regarding the importance of academic qualifications and professional experiences possessed by their management faculty. The study addressed the importance of these attributes to include relevant practical experience, traditional academic training, scholarly productivity, higher education institutions attended, and level of engagement with the business community. This quantitative study surveyed 70 upper-level management students using Likert categories to provide an exploratory view of attributes that today’s students view as important in faculty. The findings ranked attributes of relevant professional experience more important than academic qualifications such as scholarly research activities across all demographics as related to their importance of gaining a quality management education. This study may provide insight into the attributes that students deem important in faculty in an effort to support student success, as well as inform accreditation mandates, determine faculty ratios of academic versus professional faculty, make hiring decisions, and address compensation issues of academic versus professional faculty. As well, this study and extended research may provide insight into improving outcomes for higher education’s community stakeholders to meet the dynamic demands of business. Additionally, this research could extend to varied types of industry that require professional experiences such as educational leadership and nursing to better prepare students for the workforce

Evidence-Based Leadership Preparation Program Practices: From the Perceptions of Georgia Rural School Leaders

Phenomenological analysis was used to explore Georgia rural school principals’ lived experiences of effective school leadership preparedness. Four overarching themes were found: productive/favorable leadership preparation program culture, bridge theory and practice in educational leadership preparation program, multicultural competencies for practice, and recommendations for effective principal preparation. The findings revealed that school leaders need increased experiential learning opportunities, increased assignments applicable to daily leader tasks, and increased cultural awareness and diversity training in their preparation programs. Principal preparation programs should work with school districts to provide purposeful, collaborative, and sustainable professional learning to prepare competent school leaders. Further research includes recruiting more rural school principals to share their experiences and perceptions with principal preparation program providers in an effort to advance aspiring principal training. Implications for practice include equipping aspiring principals with the knowledge and skills to lead for equity to continue to have a pipeline of effective school leaders to serve in Georgia’s traditionally underserved areas

Transformational Leadership and Organizational Citizenship Behavior Motives in Teachers

A principal’s leadership is a key part to the success of a school as their leadership guides both instructional and organizational outcomes. Teachers often work beyond their formal duties to see that all their students have their needs met. This is referred to as an Organizational Citizenship Behavior (i.e., when followers display behaviors that benefit the organization or its members beyond their current job requirements). This study investigated the relationship between principal’s transformational leadership and teachers’ Organizational Citizenship Behaviors and related motivating factors. Participants from a suburban school district completed a questionnaire based on their perceptions of their principal’s leadership characteristics and reflections upon their own practices. The results showed the strongest transformational leadership practice is individualized support. This practice demonstrated positive relationships with Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Organizational Concern, and Prosocial Values. The outcomes of this study are intended to assist school leaders in promoting sound citizenship behaviors through leadership practices as well as informing leadership preparation

School Leadership Assessment of Teachers’ Work-Life Balance: Perceptions and Professional Learning Needs During a Global Health Pandemic

The purpose of this study was to better understand the work-life balance of educators teaching students during the Covid-19 health pandemic. Teachers face a multitude of challenges during this unprecedented time with a rapid shift from traditional face-to-face class to online learning resulting in a cyclical phenomenon for many teachers as schools have shifted back and forth between virtual and in-person settings in response to constantly changing coronavirus messaging. The findings identified three overarching themes related to teachers’ needs including Boundaries with Time and Commitments, Mentally Processing Daily Stressors, and Healthy Lifestyle. Implications for practice denote that school leaders need to evaluate the current level of support provided to teachers and assess areas of need to provide professional learning that is purposeful, collaborative, and sustainable. Further research is encouraged to engage in additional conversations via interviews and focus groups about the challenges faced by teachers to better understand their needs during this “new normal”, which is pertinent to stabilizing the teacher workforce as schools face increasing teacher discontentment and teacher attrition, which is even more compounded during this pandemic