Effective versus Ineffective Schools: Observable Differences in the Classroom CHARLES TEDDLIE – Louisiana State University PEGGY C. KIRBY – University of New Orleans SAM STRINGFIELD – Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

Rosenshine’s 14 Indicators of an Effective School Time on task Daily review Presentation of new content Initial student practice Independent practice Weekly/monthly review Teacher expectations Positive reinforcement Student progress evaluation Lesson plans Number of interruptions Discipline Ambience Physical characteristics of the room

Necessary Instructional Functions of an Effective Teacher Review of previous learning Proper presentation of new material Guided group practice Appropriate feedback and correctives Guided independent practice Periodic review

Outlier Approach Uses a mathematical model to predict school- level student achievement Based on factors such as socioeconomic status School is effective if actual achievement is higher than expected achievement. School is ineffective if actual achievement is lower than expected achievement.

Sample Pool Consisted of 13 school systems Obtained 3 rd grade scores of state basic skills test in reading Mean scores reported over 2 years Regression models were developed based on various factors

Observations Teachers were rated by 2 observers Four different ratings: effective, weak, ineffective, and not observed Not observable ratings were eliminated

Procedure Each school was visited 3 days in the fall and 3 days in the spring Each observer visited 3 rd grade classrooms at least once a day 116 separate classes were visited Notes were recorded one minute after class began

Results of an Effective School Strong leadership Leadership was knowledgeable of innovation in classrooms Exposure to new and creative ideas Effective use of time Academic bulletin board themes

Results of an Ineffective School Strong leadership, but was never seen in classrooms Lack of time spent on academics Little planning time for instruction Teachers spent too much time in lounge Poor appearance of teachers Nonacademic bulletin board themes

What makes the effective school different? The principal insisted on a clear, present academic focus. Teachers were interested in how well their students mastered basic skills. There was a prominent display of symbols of academic excellence. School emphasized interactive teaching in the classrooms.

Conclusion Teachers in more effective schools consistently displayed more of the effective teaching behaviors than do teachers in less effective schools.