An Examination of the Actions and Strategies Principals Use in Establishing, Fostering, and Sustaining Supportive Relational Conditions (SRC) for Professional Learning Communities in Elementary Schools

The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to investigate the strategies elementary principals use to develop trusting relationships that support a collaborative professional learning community (PLC) culture within their schools. Participants included six public elementary school principals purposefully selected from survey results for face to face interviews. The study was based on Hord and Tobia\u27s (2012) six dimensions of PLCs and focused on the supportive relational conditions dimension as the bond holding the other dimensions together. Interview participants responded to questions regarding five attributes of supportive relational conditions including: Caring relationships; trust and respect; recognitions and celebrations; risk taking; and unified efforts to embed change. Training for PLCs was also a factor for discussion. The principals pointed to modeling behaviors, mutual trust, honesty, their presence and visibility, and extended time and patience for developing relationships as important factors in the sustainability of PLCs. Additionally, the principals’ longevity at their schools emerged as a major influence in developing trusting relationships. Participants also concentrated on the use of student data as an integral component in staff members’ efforts to embed change. The results offer information gleaned from the field about what has been identified as enabling PLC work with regards to supportive relationships. These results hold importance for school leaders, practicing and aspiring principals, and for institutions for school administrator certification to offer strategies and techniques for developing a positive school climate that allows for supportive relational conditions for professional learning communities

Adopted Children s Outcome as Young Adults in Regards to Educational Attainment and Income

This study explains the differences between the outcomes for children adopted by the age of two in comparison to biologically raised children using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. It analyzes the educational attainment and income earned through a competing effects framework. The Family Background Effect measures the positive effects caused by higher than average socioeconomic status of the average family with adopted children. The Family Background Effect contrasted with the negative Adoption Effect caused by a number of different factors that could work against an adopted child. Using linear regression analysis, the study finds that the Family Background Effect prevails over the Adoption Effect. Then the Oaxaca Decomposition technique breaks down the effects of each family background variable on educational attainment for the adopted young adult. It is determined that the differences in the average level of education of the respondents\u27 mother explains over 50% of the\u27 difference in educational attainment between adopted and biologically raised young adults

Crystal growth in fused solvent systems

The successful nucleation of bismuth germanate, B12GeO20 on a high quality seed and the growth of regions of single crystals of the same orientation of the seed are reported. Lead germanate, Pb5Ge3O11 was also identified as a ferroelectric crystal with large electrooptic and nonlinear optic constants. Solvent criteria, solvent/development, and crystal growth are discussed, and recommendations for future studies are included

Telecommunications systems design techniques handbook

Handbook presents design and analysis of tracking, telemetry, and command functions utilized in these systems with particular emphasis on deep-space telecommunications. Antenna requirements are also discussed. Handbook provides number of tables outlining various performance criteria. Block diagrams and performance charts are also presented

Role of the target orientation angle and orbital angular momentum in the evaporation residue production

The influence of the orientation angles of the target nucleus symmetry axis relative to the beam direction on the production of the evaporation residues is investigated for the $^{48}$Ca+$^{154}$Sm reaction as a function of the beam energy. At low energies ($E_{\rm c.m.}<$137 MeV), the yield of evaporation residues is observed only for collisions with small orientation angles ($\alpha_T<45^0$). At large energies (about $E_{\rm c.m.}=$140--180 MeV) all the orientation angles $\alpha_T$ can contribute to the evaporation residue cross section $\sigma_{ER}$ in the 10--100 mb range, and at $E_{c.m.}>$180 MeV $\sigma_{ER}$ ranges around 0.1--10 mb because the fission barrier for a compound nucleus decreases by increasing its excitation energy and angular momentum.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, submitted to JPS

Entrances and exits: changing perceptions of primary teaching as a career for men

Original article can be found at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713640830~db=all Copyright Informa / Taylor and Francis. DOI: 10.1080/03004430802352087The number of men in teaching has always been small, particularly in early childhood, but those that do come into teaching usually do so for the same reasons as women, namely enjoyment of working with children, of wanting to teach and wanting to make a difference to children's lives. However, in two separate studies, the authors have shown that on beginning teacher training in 1998, and at the point of leaving the profession in 2005, men and women tend to emphasise different concerns. This article will explore those differences and seek possible explanations for how men's views of teaching might be changing over time.Peer reviewe