The effects of a videotape feedback system on classroom teacher behavior

Teachers in eight matched schools, four experimental and four control, were videotaped to examine the effects of a staff development program utilizing knowledge of objectives and immediate videotape feedback to modify the behavior of classroom teachers. Playback teachers improved cognitive behaviors but not affective behaviors more than controls. Concomitants of teacher success in the program were also investigated. Characteristics contributing to positive behavioral changes were dissatisfaction with perceived effectiveness, teaching experience, recency of latest degree, teacher attitude toward students, and student achievement.     

A randomized controlled trial of the impact of a teacher classroom management program on the classroom behavior of children with and without behavior problems

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the efficacy of the Incredible Years (IY) Teacher Classroom Management (TCM; Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2002) program to assess whether training teachers in IY-TCM principles improve teacher behavior, whether any observed improvements impact pupil behavior classroom-wide, and whether these effects can be demonstrated with children at risk of developing conduct problems. Six intervention and six control classrooms comprising 12 teachers and 107 children (aged 3 to 7 years) were recruited. Children were screened for high or low behavior problems using the cut-off points of the teacher-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997). The primary outcome measure was independent classroom observations using the Teacher–Pupil Observation Tool (Martin et al., 2010). Multilevel modeling analyses were conducted to examine the effect of the intervention on teacher, classroom, and child behavior. Results showed a significant reduction in classroom off-task behavior (d = 0.53), teacher negatives to target children (d = 0.36), target child negatives towards the teacher (d = 0.42), and target child off-task behavior (d = 0.48). These preliminary results demonstrate the potential impact of IY-TCM on both teacher and child behavior.     

An investigation of the influence of student behavior on teacher behavior

The relationship between student behavior change and teacher reactions to the change was investigated. One fifth-grade teacher served as the subject and two students in her class were employed as teacher change agents. In a multiple baseline design, the students' disruptive behavior (the independent variable) was modified without the teacher's knowledge. The teacher's reactions toward the students (the dependent variable) was monitored on several dimensions including: teacher behavior, teacher attitude toward students, and the quality of teacher verbal statements. Results indicated that student behavior change influenced the teacher's behavior. Implications are that students possess potent reinforcing properties for teachers and that students should be trained to be effective students.     

Correspondence of teacher ratings and direct observations of classroom behavior of psychiatric inpatient children

The present investigation examined the correspondence of teacher ratings and direct observations of classroom behavior. Techers, extraclass raters, and observers completed standard rating scales and/or measures of overt classroom behaviors of psychiatric inpatient children (N=32). The study assessed if the correspondence between ratings and direct observations was influenced by who evaluates the child (teachers, raters) and the assessment format (general ratings, discrete behaviors). The results indicated that (1) measures from different assessors correlated in the low to moderate range, (2) data from extraclass raters corresponded more closely with direct observations than with data from teachers, (3) teacher and rater estimates of overt child behavior did not correlate more highly with direct observations than did standard rating scales, and (4) teachers and raters viewed child behavior as more appropriate than direct observations indicated. Measures from teachers, raters, and observers readily distinguished attention deficit disorder children with hyperactivity from their peers. However, teacher evaluations delineated these children more sharply than other assessors.Completion of this paper was facilitated by a Research Scientist Development Award (MH00353) to the first author from the National Institute of Mental Health.     

Natural rates of teacher approval and disapproval in the classroom

Sixteen classroom observational studies were conducted to determine natural rates of teacher verbal approval and disapproval in the classroom. Rates of teacher verbal approval and disapproval were measured by the Teacher Approval and Disapproval Observation Record (TAD) over Grades 1 through 12. Teacher verbal approval rates dropped over grade, with a marked drop after second grade. In every grade after second, the rate of teacher verbal disapproval exceeded the rate of teacher verbal approval. These rates are interpreted in terms of reinforcement theory.     

The classroom as a political microcosm: An observation

An atypical observation of aggressive behavior involving an entire elementary school class is presented, as well as the corrective measures taken. Tentative explanation is offered by means of a hypothesis of a relationship between national affairs and classroom behavior. The implications of such a relationship for assessment and intervention are discussed with a social-learning framework.     

The use of a "token helper" in the management of classroom behavior problems and in teacher training

A grade-four class teacher was trained in the use of token and verbal reinforcement by an experienced "token helper", who demonstrated the procedures in the classroom. The introduction of a simple token system resulted in significant decreases in the disruptive behavior of 10 pupils in two morning periods. When the token helper withdrew from the classroom, the teacher managed the token system and maintained disruptive behavior at lower than baseline levels.     

Effects of variation in teacher organization on classroom functioning

This study examined effects of variation in teacher organization on how time is spent in classrooms, focusing on time spent in transitions and instruction, including child skill by teacher organization interactions. Forty-four first-grade classrooms were observed three times over the school year. Timed narratives of each activity were recorded. “Orient-organize” referred to time teachers spent orienting students to classroom procedures or organizing the class for specific assignments, and included instructional clarity, where teachers described objectives of activities to students. Using hierarchical linear modeling, substantial variation across teachers in orient-organize was observed. Overall, classrooms spent less time in organization as the school year progressed. In addition, spending more time in organization was related to less time spent in transition. Students in classrooms that spent more time in organization in the fall also experienced greater amounts of time in child-managed activities in the spring. There was also an interaction between child vocabulary and amount of orient-organize in the winter. Students with lower vocabulary scores were more likely to be in classrooms that spent more time in spring child-managed activities if they continued to receive substantial amounts of orient-organize in the winter. The opposite was the case for students with high vocabulary skills.     

Self-regulation in the modification of disruptive classroom behavior

This study compared self-regulation and external regulation procedures in the treatment of children's disruptive classroom behavior. After baseline data were collected, three of the four most disruptive children in each of 10 first- and second-grade classrooms received reinforcement for achieving low rates of disruptive behavior. The fourth child served as a control subject throughout the experiment. Two of the three experimental subjects were then taught to self-observe their own disruptive behavior. In the final reinforcement period, these subjects were given control over dispensing reinforcers to themselves, based on their self-collected behavioral data while subjects in the other experimental group continued with the externally managed reinforcement. In extinction, reinforcement was discontinued for all subjects, but one of the self-regulation subjects in each classroom continued overtly to self-observe. Results indicated that both reinforcement programs reduced disruptive behavior. The self-regulation procedures were slightly more effective in reducing disruptiveness than was the external regulation procedure, and this advantage persisted into extinction. These results suggest that self-regulation procedures provide a practical, inexpensive, and powerful alternative in dealing with disruptive behavior in children.     

The challenging pupil in the classroom: the effect of the child on the teacher

Teaching children requires effort, and some children naturally require more effort than others. In this study, we tested whether teacher effort devoted to individual children varies as a function of each child's personal characteristics. In a nationwide longitudinal study of 1,102 pairs of twins followed for 7 years, between the ages of 5 and 12 years, we asked teachers about the effort they invested in each child in our study. We found that teacher effort was a function of heritable child characteristics, that a child's challenging behavior assessed at 5 years of age predicted teacher effort toward the same child at 12 years of age, and that challenging child behavior and teacher effort share a common etiology with respect to children's genes. We found that child effects accounted for a significant proportion of variance in teacher effort, but also observed variation in effort exerted by teachers that could not be attributed to children's behavior. Treating children who exhibit challenging behavior and enhancing teachers' skills in managing such behavior could increase the time and energy teachers have to deliver their curriculum in class.     

The impact of brief teacher training on classroom management and child behavior in at-risk preschool settings: Mediators and treatment utility

Teachers from fourteen classrooms were randomly assigned to an adaptation of Incredible Years (IY) teacher training or to teacher training-as-usual. Observations were made of the behavior of 136 target preschool boys and girls nominated by teachers as having many or few conduct problems. Peer and teacher behavior were observed at baseline and post training. IY training resulted in increases in teachers' positive and reductions in teachers' negative behavior relative to training as usual, in decreased peer negative behavior toward target children, and in decreased negative behavior of target children high on conduct problems. The impact of IY training on the behavior of target children was mediated by changes in peers' behavior with no direct effects of teacher behavior and differential effects for high and low conduct problem children. Teacher training focused on altering the whole classroom environment may be an effective strategy, even for children with significant conduct problems.     

Hyperactive boys in their classroom: Assessment of teacher and peer perceptions,interactions, and classroom behaviors

Teacher ratings, peer perceptions, peer interactions, and classroom behaviors of 17 hyperactive and 17 active elementary school-age boys, nominated by their teachers, were compared using multivariate analyses and planned comparisons in order to better describe and assess hyperactivity in its most probable setting —the classroom. Hyperactive boys were found to be significantly different from actives on measures from all data sources in that they were perceived and interacted more negatively. Cluster analyses of teacher ratings of 90 hyperactives from a clinical sample and 17 hyperactives from the current sample were used to discriminate among different types of hyperactives. Four types were named anxious, conduct problem, inattentive, and low problem hyperactives. The fact that six conduct problem hyperactives were found to be more disruptive and have higher activity level ratings than six inattentive hyperactives, when observed in their classrooms, points to the need to study and treat hyperactives as heterogeneous groups.This study is based in part on a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Psychology Department, Indiana University, by the first author. Thanks are expressed to the students and teachers of the Monroe County School System who took part in the study. The authors also wish to thank Prof. Robert Sprague of the University of Illinois for providing the Conners Rating Scales on 90 hyperactive children.     

A precise and valid measure of behavior and behavior change in the classroom

A method for the direct and continuous observation of behavior as it occurs in the natural environment (classroom) is suggested as an alternative to individual testing and other observational techniques, especially those which use predetermined time segments and chart behavior in percentages. The method-behavior rates-using a base of movements per minute is seen as increasing the information obtained per unit of assessment time and providing daily, accurate feedback concerning the efficacy of a behavioral strategy.