Caregivers’ emotional competence and behavioral responsiveness as correlates of early childcare workers’ relationships with children in their care

In the current study, we examined associations among early childcare workers’ emotional competence, observed responsiveness, comfort with socioemotional teaching practices, and the quality of their relationships with children in their care. The participants were 100 early childcare workers (72 center-based Early Head Start teachers and 28 family childcare providers). Results showed that caregivers’ emotion regulation ability was positively associated with caregiver–child relational closeness. Understanding and regulation of emotion were both positively associated with childcare workers’ comfort with socioemotional teaching practices. Their observed responsiveness was positively related to relational closeness and negatively related to relational conflict. Findings are consistent with aspects of the prosocial classroom model, which asserts that educators high in emotional and social competence tend to adopt childcare practices that result in supportive relationships with children. Results provide insight into whether childcare workers’ responsiveness to young children and their perceived socioemotional teaching practices provide a pathway between emotional competence and the quality of caregiver–child relationships.     

Grading matters in theological education

Grading systems matter more to the teaching and learning enterprise than many teachers may realize, as demonstrated in the author's experience of adopting a new one. Different systems emphasize different values such as excellence vs. perfection, achievement vs. talent, and second chances vs. partial credit. The author relates her experiment with specifications grading, an outcome‐based, pass/fail, rubric‐based, and contractual grading system, and demonstrates its promise. She then addresses three questions her experiment raised: Should I grade at all and if so, toward what end? Exactly what am I grading when I grade? and Is there any way to lessen the sting of failure?     

Conversation with 2016 American Academy of Religion Excellence in Teaching Award Winner Joanne Maguire Robinson

This conversation between the editors of Teaching Theology and Religion and Joanne Maguire Robinson continues an occasional series of interviews that has previously featured Jonathan Z. Smith, Stephen Prothero, Mary Pierce Brosmer, and Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore. The exchange takes as its point of departure the teaching statement that Professor Robinson produced in support of her candidacy for the American Academy of Religion's Excellence in Teaching Award. Issues addressed include the impact of institutional context on one's teaching, teaching the humanities in universities that are ever more focused on job training, making the transition from a graduate program focused on research to teaching undergraduates who are unlikely to take even a second course in the study of religion, and ways in which women are challenged to navigate multiple responsibilities while striving to make their way in a male‐dominated academy.     

Portraying reflection: the contents of student teachers’ reflection on personal practical theories and practicum experience*

This research focused on personal practical theories of Finnish student teachers, on how they argued for them and what they contained, and the data were analysed using Korthagen’s ‘onion’ model of reflection (e.g. 2004). The framework of this research consists of reflection and personal practical theories (PPTs). Personal practical theories are viewed as important for a teacher’s identity: they guide the teacher’s work, action, and reactions before, during, and after a teaching event. Reflecting on teaching, then again, has been one of the most significant issues and focus of numerous studies for several decades. This is a case study of six elementary school student teachers, who had constructed their PPTs before the practicum. We examined their reflections using the onion model of reflection, according to which a person reflects on different levels. The data were collected by interviewing the student teachers after their final practicum. The results show that most of their reflection focused on Environment and Behaviour, so it was located mostly in the outer layers of the onion model. The categorization of the reflection also showed that Competence was the smallest category.     

Creativity in Teaching Case Conceptualization Skills: Role-play to Show the Interconnectedness of Domains

Case conceptualization is an important skill for counselors to master in order to meet treatment needs of clients. Some students struggle while learning this skill, as it requires advanced cognitive complexity, reflection skills, and affective awareness. Further, it is difficult for developing counselors to understand the interconnectedness of clients’ presenting problems, history, and strengths to form a holistic case conceptualization. The authors of this article describe a role-play for teaching the complexity of case conceptualization, in which students role-play various perspectives of psychosocial information and process the experience to create a holistic conceptualization. Activity steps are outlined with examples, and process questions to facilitate classroom discussion are included. Suggestions for implementation are also provided.     

目前形势下临床教学问题的探讨与改革

当前医疗大环境的改变,社会评价的影响及病人的维权、自我保护意识等使临床教学工作发生了很大变化.需要我们采取相应的变革,注重病历的书写,基本功的培训,语言能力的指导和改变查房的方式,以完成培养新一代合格医生的任务.     

医学高校《文献信息检索》课的教学改革--培养大学生的信息能力和创新能力

阐述了在当今知识经济时代背景下,在网络化、电子化环境中,社会对人才的信息能力和创新能力的需求,提出了<文献信息检索>课为适应时代的要求,培养具有较高信息能力和创新能力的现代大学生的改革和创新的设想.     

心理学史教学与历史性思维的培养

历史性思维是指站在历史角度对历史事实进行综合分析的理论思维能力。作为一门史型课程,心理学史有其自身的特点,在培养学生历史性思维的过程中也会发挥重要作用,利用比较法、以心理学史的知识为载体以及重新建构心理学史的知识体系都是培养学生历史性思维的途径和方式。     

教师教学风格的调查研究

采用教师教学风格量表(TST1),对142名教师的教学风格进行了调查。结果表明：(1)从总体上看,教师的教学风格以激进型、立法型、评判型和整体型四种教学风格为主,这四种教学风格是相对复杂、有创造性、效率较高的教学风格;(2)相对于教龄较短的教师,教龄在20年以上的教师教学风格更加倾向于保守型;(3)相对于文科教师,理科教师和其它学科教师更加倾向于执行型教学风格;(4)一般教师相对于高效能教师更加倾向于执行型、保守型的教学风格,而执行型、保守型是相对简单、效率低和不受欢迎的教学风格(5)1—4年教龄教师中高效能教师的比例远低于5年以上教龄的教师,说明教师进入成熟阶段以后在教学经验、教学风格等方面不断完善,教学效能得以极大提高。     

Why We Do What We Do When We Teach Pastoral Theology at United Theological College (UTC), Sydney

This paper seeks to reflect in a narrative way on the pedagogical processes involved in teaching pastoral theology at United Theological College, Sydney. The paper recognizes that the process of learning pastoral theology is a significant part of the content learned in pastoral theology. The learning process in pastoral theology also contributes to (trans)formational learning in those being formed for ministry. The paper seeks to contribute to the community of pastoral theologians by reflecting on the experience of teaching within a particular school.