Characteristics of Effective Schools

What was the main argument of James Coleman's report that led to the Effective Schools movement?

• Schools have a significant impact on students' academic achievement.

• Schools can do little to support students' academic achievement due to demographics and socioeconomic factors.

• Schools should focus more on extracurricular activities.

• Schools should implement more standardized testing.

According to Dr. Larry Lezotte, what is the first characteristic of an effective school?

• High standardized test scores

• A safe and organized place

• Advanced technology in classrooms

• A large student body

What does Michael Thompson advocate for to prevent misbehavior in schools?

• Increased use of suspensions and expulsions

• School-wide positive behavior interventions

• More security personnel

• Stricter dress codes

What did Robert Rosenthal's experiment in the 1960s demonstrate about teacher expectations?

• Teacher expectations have no impact on student performance.

• Students perform better when teachers expect them to succeed.

• High expectations lead to increased stress and lower performance.

• Teacher expectations only affect students with high IQs.

What role does Lezotte believe a principal should play in an effective school?

• A strict disciplinarian

• A leader of leaders

• A distant authority figure

• A financial manager

According to Lezotte, what is a common pitfall of less effective schools?

• Overemphasis on sports

• Vague goals or interest in maintaining the status quo

• Too much focus on technology

• Lack of extracurricular activities

How does Lezotte suggest teachers should assess students' learning?

• Solely through standardized exams

• More holistically and less formally

• By using only multiple-choice tests

• Through weekly quizzes

What is "organized abandonment" in the context of effective schools?

• Abandoning extracurricular activities

• Focusing on fundamental skills and abandoning lower-priority learning experiences

• Reducing the number of school days

• Eliminating arts programs

What is essential for a true partnership between home and school, according to Lezotte?

• Parents attending all school events

• Teachers and parents working together to help kids with assignments

• Parents volunteering in classrooms

• Regular parent-teacher conferences

What is the impact of a clear mission in an effective school?

• It creates competition among teachers.

• It unites teachers, administration, and parents in striving for higher achievement.

• It focuses solely on academic performance.

• It limits the creativity of teachers.