Principals\u27 and teachers\u27 perceptions of teacher supervision

The purpose of this study was twofold: to determine the extent to which professional and bureaucratic approaches are used in schools around the country and to describe to what extent the elements of instructional supervision, professional development, and evaluation are used to supervise teachers. Survey research was used to ascertain the use of these methods. Data collected indicated that professionalism, instructional supervision, and professional development techniques were the dominant approaches to supervision as indicated by administrators and teachers. When disaggregated by elementary and secondary schools and the degree held by the principal, groups were similar in overall use of professionalism, instructional supervision, and professional development, but secondary schools and principals with master\u27s degrees used more bureaucratic and evaluation techniques. Examination of individual questions shows that different approaches are favored in professionalism, instructional supervision, and professional development, according to the demographic. A lack of collaboration, inside and outside the school, was reported. Clinical supervision was used, but, on average, it was only used one to two times yearly, and different aspects of the process were implemented more frequently than others. Most respondents reported differentiation in supervision methods, usually based on tenure and need, and a prescribed evaluation tool was used. More research needs to be done to conclude if professionalism is the dominant approach, or if bureaucracy is making headway because of No Child Left Behind. There are differing perceptions and uses of the techniques based on administrator and teacher, level of the school, and degree held by the principal

An Evaluation of CHAMPS: A Classroom Management Program

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, Success (CHAMPS), a classroom management program in elementary schools in a district in North Carolina. The participants included principals and teachers who attended a 2-day training course and implemented the CHAMPS program at their schools. The researcher used Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model to examine the impact of CHAMPS on classroom management practices and student behavior. Specifically, the researcher utilized the Process and Product components of the CIPP model. The Process Evaluation sought to answer the question, “To what extent was the CHAMPS program implemented as intended?” The Product Evaluation sought to answer the question, “What was the impact of CHAMPS on student behavior and on teachers’ classroom management practices?” The research methodology included the following: an analysis of responses from the CHAMPS Principal Survey developed by the researcher; an analysis of responses from the CHAMPS Teacher Survey developed by the researcher; and an analysis of archival office discipline referral data from before and during the implementation period. Based on the findings of the program evaluation, the researcher determined the program is operating inconsistently across the elementary schools. A recommendation was made to incorporate further training within the schools, including the use of coaches and self-study professional development based on the individual needs of teachers

N-Cadherin Levels in Endothelial Cells Are Regulated by Monolayer Maturity and p120 Availability

Endothelial cells (EC) express VE-cadherin and N-cadherin, and recent data suggest that VE-cadherin levels are dependent on N-cadherin expression. While investigating changes in N-cadherin levels during endothelial monolayer maturation, we found that VE-cadherin levels are maintained in EC despite a decrease in N-cadherin, suggesting that VE-cadherin levels may not depend on N-cadherin. Knockdown of N-cadherin did not affect VE-cadherin levels in EC with low endogenous N-cadherin expression. Surprisingly, however, knockdown of N-cadherin in EC with high endogenous N-cadherin expression increased VE-cadherin levels suggesting an inverse relationship between the two. This was further supported by a decrease in VE-cadherin following overexpression of N-cadherin. Experiments in which p120, a catenin that binds N- and VE-cadherin, was knocked down or overexpressed indicate that these two cadherins compete for p120. These data demonstrate that VE-cadherin levels are not directly related to N-cadherin levels but may be inversely related due to competition for p120

Dynamic purine signaling and metabolism during neutrophil–endothelial interactions

During episodes of hypoxia and inflammation, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) move into underlying tissues by initially passing between endothelial cells that line the inner surface of blood vessels (transendothelial migration, TEM). TEM creates the potential for disturbances in vascular barrier and concomitant loss of extravascular fluid and resultant edema. Recent studies have demonstrated a crucial role for nucleotide metabolism and nucleoside signaling during inflammation. These studies have implicated multiple adenine nucleotides as endogenous tissue protective mechanisms invivo. Here, we review the functional components of vascular barrier, identify strategies for increasing nucleotide generation and nucleoside signaling, and discuss potential therapeutic targets to regulate the vascular barrier during inflammation