NCJ Number
112850
Date Published
1987
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This paper evaluates the first year of a Seattle project that is testing the effectiveness of particular classroom instructional methods for increasing social bonding and preventing delinquency among 1,166 seventh-grade students.
Abstract
Prior to the 1981-1982 academic year, seventh-grade core subject teachers in three middle schools were assigned to experimental or control classrooms. All core subject teachers in a fourth school were assigned to experimental classrooms, and all core subject teachers in a fifth school were assigned to the the control condition. The instructional strategies implemented for the experimental classrooms were proactive classroom management, interactive teaching, and cooperative learning. The variables measured after the first year off the project were teacher instructional practices, student perceptions of classroom processes, student behaviors linked to achievement, student achievement, student bonding to school, student bonding to peers, and student antisocial behavior. Results indicate that some of the desired changes have been made in experimental classrooms; it is not apparent, however, that experimental students generally were more strongly bonded to teachers and school at year's end compared to control subjects. There is evidence that the project was associated with improved use of student time in and out of the classroom. Subsequent research will indicate whether changes increase over time. 1 table and 90 references.