The study involved 80 Greek-American students in ten schools (grades 4, 5, 6), and 34 classroom teachers in six elementary schools. On the basis of interview responses, children identified their "best" teacher and the problems encountered because of their ethnic heritage. The most effective teachers' personal characteristics, professional skills and familiarity with Greek culture were also identified through teacher interviews. Ways to improve the education of Greek-American students were also explored. It was found that Greek-American students did not encounter significant problems because of their ethnicity, except for minor language problems. The ethnic affiliation of these students was found to be a strong factor supporting their education and positive attitude toward school. Strong family support, the students' success orientation, their hardwork ethic, and their respect for teachers were identified as traits enhancing their academic success. Both the students' and the teachers' assessment of effective teaching was based on relational rather than on instructional outcomes. Personal characteristics and professional skills identified included: warmth, care, and concern; pursuing discipline and order; inspiring respect, trust, and confidence; loving children; maintaining structure and consistency; following routine procedures; and having high expectations for each student. The teachers' position with regard to cultural familiarity was that if this characteristic was unaccompanied by warmth and sensitivity, it was superfluous and did not lead to teaching effectiveness. Teachers rated as "best" did not show greater familiarity with the Greek culture than teachers rated as less effective. On the basis of evidence in this study, no special bilingual bicultural program for Greek-American students was indicated or recommended. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2551. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74521 |
| Contributors | STAVROU, GEORGE., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 221 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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