Archived: The Educational System in the United States: Case Study Findings

Document Outline

• The Educational System in the United States: Case Study Findings
• Acknowledgments
• Contents
• List of Tables
• Notes on Researchers and Authors
• Executive Summary
  • Standards
  • Ability Differences
  • Adolescents
  • Teachers
  • General Attitudes
• Chapter 1 Rationale for the Study
  • Introduction
  • Methodology
  • Structure of the United States School System
    • Funding and Governance
  • The Research Sites
    • Selection of Schools
  • Descriptions of Schools
    • Metro City Area Elementary Schools
    • Metro City Area Junior High/Middle Schools
    • Metro City Area Senior High Schools
    • West City Area Schools
    • East City Area Schools
  • Organization of the Volume
    • National Standards
    • Individual Differences
    • The Role of School in Adolescents’ Lives
    • Teacher Preparation and Teachers’ Lives
• Chapter 2 The Development and Implementation of Education Standards in the United States
  • Introduction
    • Methodology
  • National-Level Initiatives
    • National Education Goals
    • National Standards
    • Teachers’ Attitudes Towards National Standards
    • Parents’ Attitudes Towards National Standards
  • State-Level Initiatives
    • Attitudes Towards State-Level Initiatives
  • District- and Local-Level Initiatives
    • Attitudes Towards District- and School-Based Initiatives
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Levels Reflect Different Standards
    • Curriculum Development
  • Assessment
    • National-Level Assessment
    • Standardized Examinations
    • In-Class Tests and Quizzes
  • Learning Environment at School
    • Financial Support for Schooling
    • Two Elementary Schools in Metro City
    • Policies and Procedures That Influence Achievement in Elementary Schools
    • Policies and Procedures That Influence Achievement in Middle Schools
    • Policies and Procedures That Influence Achievement in High Schools
  • Home Environment, Parental Involvement, and Parental Expectations of the Schools
    • Home Environment and Parental Involvement in Schooling
    • Parental Expectations
  • The Transition Beyond High School
    • Examinations for High School Completion and College Entrance
    • Qualification for Post-High School Academic Choices
    • Student and Parent Perceptions of College
  • Summary
    • External Influences
    • Internal Influences
• Chapter 3 Individual Differences and the United States Education System
  • Introduction
  • Field Research and the Topic of Investigation
  • Overview of Ability Grouping and Tracking in the United States
    • Reactions to Tracking System
    • Career Guidance
  • Perceived Sources of Differences in Ability and the Range of Differences Within the Classroom
    • Teachers’ Views
    • Parents’ Views
    • Students’ Views
  • Strategies for Dealing with Individual Differences
    • Age-Graded Classrooms in Elementary Schools
    • Individualized Instruction in Elementary Schools
    • Tracking and Ability Grouping
    • Cooperative Learning Groups
    • Tutoring
    • Question-and-Answer Periods
    • Homework
  • Grading and Evaluation
  • Special Problems in Urban Schools
    • Low Attendance
    • Discipline
    • Other Concerns and Issues
    • Summary
  • Gender Equity in Math and Science
  • Ethnicity and Access to Equal Education
    • Race and Tracking
    • Peer Pressure
    • Race and Vocational Education
  • Education for Students with Disabilities
    • Special and Remedial Education in the Case Study Schools
  • Education for the Gifted Student
    • Programs for Gifted Students
  • Summary
• Chapter 4 The Role of School in United States Adolescents’ Lives
  • A Typical Day for an Eight-Grade Student
  • Introduction
    • Methodology
  • Time Use in Adolescents’ Lives
    • School
    • Extracurricular Activities
    • After-School Activities
    • Homework and Studying
    • Chores
    • Family
    • Leisure Time
    • Social Lives
    • Employment
  • Perceptions of School and Education
    • Role of School
    • Purpose of School
    • Responses to School
  • Adolescent Concerns
    • Personal and Interpersonal Concerns
    • Adolescent Social Problems
  • Other Influences on Adolescents
    • Peers
    • Family
    • Additional Influences
  • The Transition to Adulthood
    • Connecting Current Education and Future Plans
    • The Schools’ Role in the Transition
  • Summary
• Chapter 5 Teachers and the Teaching Profession in the United States
  • Introduction
    • Methodology
    • Research Goals
    • Characteristics of Case Study Teachers
  • Teachers’ Personal Characteristics
    • Motivation to Become a Teacher
    • What Makes a Good Teacher?
  • Becoming a Teacher
    • Student Teaching
    • Professional Development
    • Salaries
    • Unions
  • Teachers’ Working Conditions
    • Uses of Time in the Classroom
    • Uses of Time Outside the Classroom
    • Methods of Teaching Math and Science
    • Physical Environments
    • Culture of Expectations with Regard to Students
    • Teaching at East City High School
    • Teaching at South Central High School
    • Teaching at Hamilton High
    • Instructional Support
    • Teaching at Parks Elementary
    • Teacher Involvement in Instructional Decisions and Planning
  • Teachers’ Relationships
    • Disruptive Students
    • Teacher Contact with Parents
  • Summary
• References